Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Pirates of Penzance

John Savournin directs Opera Holland Park's end-of-term G&S romp.

There’s nothing new or inventive about Leigh’s revived production, which in itself is not a crime, but neither is there an abundance of energy; it's all a bit nice. 

As director of the film Topsy-Turvy, Mike Leigh seemed like a natural choice to turn his hand to The Pirates of Penzance at English National Opera. Sadly, this proved not to be the case. 

The Pirates of Penzance is without a doubt one of the most popular and most successful of the G&S canon, containing some of Gilbert’s most amusing lyrics and characterisations, alongside examples of Sullivan’s best music.

To end the 2012/13 season, Scottish Opera has teamed up with the D’Oyly Carte Company to create a crisp new production of The Pirates of Penzance, which heads off to England and Wales after touring Scotland.

Ahoy there, Mateys – the gang’s all here: Pirates, lovely ladies, bumbling policemen, and a stammering Major General. Yes, my landlubbing and seafaring friends, I am speaking of Gilbert and Sullivan’s eternal classic, “The Pirates of Penzance”, which was given a delightful, fresh, and faithful take by the acclaimed New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players at College of DuPage.

Viktorianische Rüschen, verrutschte Schnurrbärte und Katia Ledoux als Mezzo-Piratenkönig. Die Inszenierung an der Volksoper sorgt sichtlich für Unterhaltung, kann die Schwächen von Gilbert und Sullivan aber nicht wettmachen.