The Gondoliers at The Brunish Theatre

Light Opera of Portland is excited to announce our Spring 2026 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers! This lively comedy tells the story of Marco and Guiseppe Palmieri, both Venetian gondoliers, who discover that one of them is in fact the son of the recently deceased King of Barataria - unfortunately nobody knows which of them it is! The two brothers, both avowed republicans, decide to remodel the Baratarian monarchy on principles of equality as they wait to discover which of them is truly the King, much to the horror of the Grand Inquisitor, who was responsible for the young Prince being stolen and raised in secret. At the same time their recent marriages to local contadine Gianetta and Tessa are complicated by the revelation that the King was married as a baby to Casilda, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, who have arrived to see their daughter claim her husband and begin her reign as Queen. It takes the summoning of the lost Prince’s foster-mother to finally reveal the true identity of the King, to much relief and jubilation!

The 12th of the 14 Gilbert & Sullivan operas, The Gondoliers opened at the Savoy Theatre on December 7th, 1889, and was the last great success the pair had together. By setting the opera in Venice and the fictional island kingdom of Barataria, Gilbert was able to point his satiric script at the very concept of monarchy itself without causing offence to his Victorian audience. In fact, the opera was performed at Windsor Castle for the Royal Family, with Queen Victoria herself proving to be very much amused!

Sullivan took inspiration from the Italian setting to create a score full of joyous and up-tempo songs, along with some expertly crafted part songs, arias, ballads, and rousing chorus numbers. Highlights from the score include “Take A Pair Of Sparkling Eyes,” “For The Merriest Fellows Are We,” “In A Contemplative Fashion,” “We’re Called Gondolieri,” and “Here Is A Case Unprecedented!”

Performances of The Gondoliers will take place at Portland5’s Brunish Theatre in downtown Portland from Friday the 24th of April until Sunday the 10th of May. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30pm, and Sunday performances will begin at 2:00pm.