THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Opens Seattle Opera's 25-26 Season

Seattle Opera will open its 2025/26 season with Gilbert and Sullivan's beloved comedy The Pirates of Penzance, marking the first time a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta has been produced at the company. Full of catchy tunes, zany antics, and light-hearted satire, this family-friendly romp is a swashbuckling good time for the whole family.

“You've never really heard Gilbert and Sullivan until you've heard it performed by a full cast of opera singers and a large symphony orchestra,” said General and Artistic Director James Robinson, who first commissioned this production for Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 2012. “I'm excited to give this piece, one of the absolute classics of musical comedy, a platform to shine in all its brilliance. Whether you're a Gilbert and Sullivan aficionado or brand-new to their works, you'll find something to love in this fun, physical show.”

Since its premiere in 2012, this production has been a hit at opera companies across the country, running to rave reviews at The Atlanta Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Cincinnati Opera, Opera San Antonio, and San Diego Opera.

“The inspiration for this production came from the more farcical take on pirates you often see in children's literature,” said Stage Director and Choreographer Seán Curran, who makes his Seattle Opera debut. “It takes a children's-book approach, with bright primary colors and a whimsical sensibility, and combines it with period-appropriate costuming and relatable characters who can tug at your heartstrings. The world needs a comedy now more than ever, and The Pirates of Penzance offers comedy in spades; but the overall effect is a fantastical experience that will leave you laughing through the tears.”

Making his Seattle Opera debut on the podium is conductor David Charles Abell, whose wide-ranging career has covered a diverse array of repertoire across opera, film music, and musical theatre, including the popular Les Misérables 10th and 25th Anniversary Concert broadcasts and recent engagements with Opera Philadelphia and The Atlanta Opera. Abell is joined on the creative team by Scenery and Costume Designer James Schuette (Carmen '04), Lighting Designer Robert Wierzel (Jubilee '24), Sound Designer Robertson Witmer (Tosca '25), Wigs, Hair, and Makeup Manager and Designer Ashlee Naegle (Tosca '25), Language Coach Lynn Baker (The Consul '14), and Chorus Master Michaella Calzaretta (Tosca '25).

The cast features a vibrant array of voices, including eight Seattle Opera debuts: baritone Thomas Glass as Major-General Stanley, baritone Reginald Smith Jr. as the Pirate King, tenor David Portillo as Frederic, soprano Vanessa Becerra as Mabel, mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner as Ruth, bass-baritone Nathan Stark as the Sergeant of Police, and mezzo-sopranos and Seattle Opera Chorus members Erica Convery and Elizabeth Peterson as Kate and Isabel, respectively. Returning to the Seattle Opera stage are baritone Ilya Silchukou (Sciarrone, Tosca '25) as Samuel and soprano Tess Altiveros (Papagena, The Magic Flute '25) as Edith.

In conjunction with the mainstage performances, Seattle Opera has planned a pair of events to provide a deeper appreciation for Gilbert and Sullivan and the broader musical theatre traditions they came from.

The first, an opera talk on October 17 titled “The Stories We Sing: How Opera, Operetta, and Musical Theatre Shape our Culture,” features James Robinson, General and Artistic Director of Seattle Opera, and Bill Berry, Executive Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre, in conversation with Dr. Anne Searcy of the University of Washington School of Music on the roles that various musical theatre traditions have played in American society. The second is a “Gilbert and Sullivan Songbook” recital on October 23 of Gilbert and Sullivan songs and other musical favorites, curated by conductor David Charles Abell and performed by members of The Pirates of Penzance cast.