Programme – The Gondoliers

The Gondoliers

HASTINGS MUNICIPAL THEATRE
Wednesday, May 17th – Saturday, May 20th

Presented by
THE HASTINGS OPERATIC SOC. (INC.)

Synopsis

ACT 1

Before the Opera opens, certain events have taken place. There was an insurrection in the mythical country of Barataria, where “bigoted and persecuting Methodists” take control and the Grand Inquisitor spirits away the heir to the throne and hides him in Venice with a worthy but alcoholic Gondolier who promptly muddles the boy with his own son and then dies without resolving the puzzle.

The Opera opens in Venice, about twenty years later when the two “sons” of this Godolier [Gondolier] are carrying on the trade of their father and have reached the point in their lives where they are looking for a wife. They settle on two attractive flower girls (with more than a little help from the girls themselves) and having married them, are about to embark on their new life, when the Grand Inquisitor confronts them with the astonishing news that one of them (but he doesn’t know which) is the heir to the Throne of Barataria! (Unknown to the four young people at this stage is the alarming fact that this one, which ever it is, was married in babyhood to Casilda, beautiful daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, highly born, but penniless aristocrats, who have arrived in Venice at the Grand Inquisitor’s invitation.

The only person who knows the true identity of the King is Inez, an old nurse, who can be found only with a great deal of trouble and delay. Therefore until she arrives, Marco and Giuseppe (the Gondoliers) are to be separated from their newly-acquired wives Gianetta and Tessa and they sail away to Barataria to rule jointly until it is discovered which one is the King (and therefore already married) and which is Gondolier (and therefore able to have the lady of his choice).

ACT II

The Gondoliers do not find Kingship completely to their liking and are duly elated when their wives suddenly and illegally invade the Palace. The Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro, this time flourishing in the unexpected luxury of money, fraudulently obtained, also arrive to present their daughter as the new Queen of Barataria and the three girls try to work out how they can share two husbands between them. It is left to Inez, the old nurse, to provide the solution to the problem.

Principals

Duke of Plaza-Tore   Brian Overend

Duchess   Greta Hawtin

Casilda   Christine Gale

Gianetta   Carolyn Leese

Tessa   Vicky Joplin

Marco   Jim Sweatman

Giuseppe   Carl Jamieson

Luiz   Peter Pangari

Don Alhambra   John Doig

Fiametta   Alison Closs

Vittoria   Marcia Clark

Givlia   Anne Tunnicliffe

Antonio   Henk van Hooijdonk

Giogio   Bob Lester

Inez   Jean Campbell

Annibale   Ross Pullen

Musical Numbers

CHORUS OF CONTADINE (with Solos) (Gondoliers, Antonio, Marco and Giuseppe, “List and Learn”

ENTRANCE OF Duke, Duchess, Casilda and Luis, “From the sunny Spanish shore”

SONG (Duke of Plaza-Toro), “In enterprise of martial kind”

RECIT. AND DUET (Casilda and Luiz), “O rapture, when alone together”

DUET (Casilda and Luiz), “There was a time”

SONG (Don Alhambra, with Duke, Duchess, Casilda and Luiz), “I stole the Prince”

RECIT. (Casilda and Don Alhambra), “But, bless my heart”

QUINTET (Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz and Grand Inquisitor) “Try we life-long”

CHORUS, “Bridegroom and Bride”

with Solo (Tessa), “When a merry maiden marries”

FINALE-SONG (Gianetta), “Kind sir, you cannot have the heart”

QUARTET (Marco, Giuseppe, Gianetta, and Tessa), “Then one of us

CHORUS OF MEN (with Marco and Giuseppe), “Of happiness the very pith”

SONG (Giuseppe) (with Chorus), “Rising early in the morning”

SONG (Marco), “Take a pair of sparkling eyes”

SCENA (Chorus of Girls, Quartet, Duet, and Chorus), “Here we are at the risk”

CHORUS AN DANCE, “Dance a Cachucha”

SONG (Don Alhambra, with Marco and Giuseppe), “There lived a king”

QUARTET (Marco, Giuseppe, Gianetta and Tessa), “In a contemplative fashion”

CHORUS OF MEN (with Duke and Duchess,) “With ducal pomp”

SONG (Duchess), “On the day when I was wedded”

RECIT. AND DUET (Duke and Duchess), “To help unhappy commoners”

GAVOTTE (Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Marco , and Giuseppe), “I am a courtier grave and serious”

QUINTET AND FINALE (Marco, Giuseppe, Casilda, Gianetta, Tessa, and Chorus), “Here is a case unprecedented”

Orchestra

Piano   Eric Thorpe

1st Violin   Charlie Jukes

1st Violin   Enid Dunn

2nd Violin   Deborah Fan

Cello   Kate Contos

Bass   Leon Speakman

Percussions   Tony Prebensen

Ladies of the Chorus

Jean Campbell

Diana Brooker

Marcia Clark

Alison Closs

Helen Date

Jeannette Foddy

Helen Gilvertson

Vicky Joplin

Maisie Kyle

Genieve Ingram

Carolyn Leese

Christine Shirra’s

Angela Totty

Anne Tunnicliffe

Olwyn Walker
Rish Loader

Val Shaw

PAGES

Michele Lott

Janice Arthur

Brenda Singer

Angela Roberts

Gentlemen of the Chorus

Bruce Gibbs

George French

Henk van Hooijdonk

Bob Lister

Ross Pullen

Bernard Riley

Andy Ledingham

Bob Gowing

Laurie O’Donoghue

Production Personnel

Producer    Elizabeth Palmer

Musical Director    Bob Gowing

Assistant Musical Director    Digby Edgecombe

Pianist    Eric Thorpe

Stage Manager    Lindsay Craig

Assistant Stage Manager    Oliver Christoffersen

Stage Crew    Gordon Williams, Murray Bridges, Malcom Rickard, Stuart Doig, Keith Ormerod, Dean Roberts, Pearce Williams, Graham Coumbe

Wardrobe Mistress    Sybil Reay    Assisted by Barbara Dean, Jean Campbell, Agnes Van Hooijdonk, Margaret Falconer, & members of the company.

Publicity   Oliver Christoffersen   Sybil Reay

Make-up Supervisor   Minnie Wright

Make-up Team    Karen Wright, Marie Millman, Glenys Russell, Staveley Tankersley, Teresa Wright, Julie Williams, Ngaire Rohrs, Julie Loader

Lighting Supervisor    Cedric Wright

Fly Floor Supervisor    Murray Bridges

Prompt   Faye Nugent

Call Steward    Leah Hawtin

Suppers    Members of the Company

Set Construction   Lindsay Craig, Ross Pullen, Stuart Doig.

House Manager    Eric Reay

Front of House   Aub Merral, Len Willcox, Maureen Brady, Kathryn Doig, Wendy Palleson, Carol Smith, Barbara Morris.

Scenery    Mike & Elizabeth Palmer

Acknowledgements

Greater Hastings Promotions

Cedric Wright

Napier Frivolity Minstrels

Rush Print