If my memory serves me correctly, Troupers Light Opera Company had scheduled The Gondoliers for the spring of 2020. But, alas, we all know what happened to that season! This spring the Troupers have brought this wonderful opera back to the stage at Norwalk Concert Hall. This review is of the matinee performance on April 6.

Some say The Gondoliers is Sullivan’s best score; it’s big too: Gilbert packed the tale with two of this and three of that, hidden identities, absurd twists of fate, dances…something for everyone. The Gondoliers is conspicuous for its large cast. The cast is set in groups.

Marco and Giuseppe Palmieri, played by Elias Levy and Alan Briones

First the Italians: After a rousing choral introduction, the two young and romantic gondoliers Marco and Giuseppi enter. (Don’t be thrown by their Italian!) They quickly switch into choosing a beautiful young lady to marry. As Marco, Elias Levy is dashing and warm-hearted; as Giuseppi, Alan Briones is a bit more down-to-earth, but equally charming. They are always positive and good-natured, consistently excellent! Levy’s Take a pair of sparkling eyes in Act II will melt your heart.

Giuseppe and Tessa and Marco and Gianetta are happily married. Brides played by Elias Levy and Rhianna Ring-Howell

They settle on two young women as brides, chosen from the wave of young beauties available. Marco choses Gianetta, who is feisty and always smiling, fittingly sung by Rhianna Ring-Howard. Her wide vocal range is used to full effect.
Giuseppi choses Tessa, more soft, grounded and thoughtful, sung by Ayla Shively. Case in point: at the end of Act I, before their husbands leave for Barataria, Gianetta and Tessa give their guys some advice. While Gianetta’s is a setting of rules about other women Marco may encounter, Tessa’s request is softer, more ‘think of me,’ tell the moon.

The Duke of Plaza-Toro and his wife, the Duchess, and their daughter Casilda have arrived in Venice. They have traveled from Spain to meet their “son-in-law.” With their consent they allowed their daughter Casilda to be married in infancy to the Prince of Barataria, also an infant. Now it’s time to close the deal…

Don Alhambra del Bolero and the Duke of Plaza-Toro, played by Gregory Suss and James Ring-Howell

Don Alhambra, the Grand Inquisitor, tells the Duke that the Prince is indeed in Venice…but he, as a very young lad at risk of being assassinated, was taken here by Alhambra and passed off for safe keeping to a foster father with a son of the same age. These two, now grown into the mature young men we know as Marco and Giuseppi. Problem is, no one, not even Alhambra, can tell which son is the gondolier and which is really the Prince. The father who took in the Prince forgot which was which, and besides, he has long since passed away!
Don Alhambra has a plan to figure out which is which, but in the meantime the two gondoliers must tavel and assume the rank of King of Barataria, without knowing in fact which one is the true King and which is still a gondolier.
The Duke of Plaza-Toro is a stately but out-of-touch gentleman played by James Ring-Howell; his wife the Duchess is portrayed by Melinda Bauers; Casilda, their daughter who is married to the infant Prince, now in Venice to at last meet him, is charmingly portrayed by Sarah Brown. When we first meet her in Act 1 Casilda teeters on being a spoiled brat, but when the ‘olds’ go away, she gets passionate with Luis (who is their “band” of one instrument, a drum actually). O rapture, when alone together is what they sing together, revealing a carefully hidden love. Brown is wonderful, matched by Tyler Panek as Luis. I won’t spoil the big reveal at the end.
Don Alhambra is Gregory Suss, who was last season’s Jack Point in Yeomen of the Guard. He uses his voice and manners to create a true snob, at the same time drawing laughs. Maribeth Johnson is Inez, who is important in clearing up the identity of Prince, now King of Barataria.

In addition, we have Charles Mays, Liam Alldreged, Kenneth Skjeveland, and William Abbott as other Gondoliers; Ariana Keller and Ria Ipa are Contadina. Eleven others are Gondolieri or Contadine, including Mark Callahan, Jim Cooper, Jenna Choszczk, Ben Dussault, Laura Ann Heckman, Bill Kenyou, John Matilaine, Alyssa Morrin, Miki Nakahata, Misha Polonsky, and Lea Kessler Shaw.
The Troupers Orchestra is under the direction of Zachary Kampler. The musicians were behind the stage sets with Maestro Kempler; the singers on stage communicated with the Kempler via a two-way camera stage front, hidden from the eyes of the audience by a flowered wall. Kempler keeps the big score moving along. This arrangement works quite well and frees up considerable space between stage and audience. If a player on stage misses a cue or forgets a line in the score Kampler would slow down or speed up the music to sync with the singer. Fortunately, these were only a few.
Nancy L. Meyer, who returns from last season’s successful Yeomen of the Guard has done it again. There is a certain energy under her direction. The story is updated to the Venice of the mid-20th century, allowing for vibrant and relatable costumes. Brava for your fine work, Nancy!
The Troupers perform The Gondoliers again this Saturday, April 13, with curtains at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm at the Norwalk Concert Hall. Ample parking is available.
Further information about Troupers Light Opera can be found on their website: trouperslightopera.org or facebook.com/TroupersLOC. A picture gallery of recent productions is on the website, as well as information for joining the company. Their dedication to their art and music are longstanding. Some of the Troupers I first met in the 80s are still there, pitching in both onstage and offstage. However, each year there is an infusion of youth and energy provided by new cast members. Inquire!

Go Troupers! OperaMetro 2024.