BRIGANDS— THE CANON

Although not as well known in America, Offenbachs THE BRIGANDS (Les Brigands) is one of his best operettas. Loaded with melody and comic situations, it was popular enough in England that W.S. Gilbert was commissioned to write a translation. Although it was probably not produced in its day, the translation shows Gilberts ability at song writing prior to his meeting Arthur Sullivan and going on to produce the Savoy operettas. The Guild provided some polishing to correct errors that would have been fixed in production, and launched the show in 1985. While the video quality is not high, it preserves the quality of the show and the performances.

In Act 2, the Brigands prepare to capture the inn to which the Granada entourage is coming. Pretending to be starving beggars, they sing a canon in a parody of religious settings of a simple text. Give us some bread morphs in Date panem as the request becomes more and more involved. Pietro (Brian McClemens) and Fragoletto (Robert Douglas) begin and are joined in succession by Falsacappa (Thomas Petiet) and Fiorella (Nada Radakovich) and then the entire band. For more comic operas and operettas, visit comicoperaguild.org.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• THE BRIGANDS
• LES BRIGANDS
• OFFENBACH
• COMIC OPERA GUILD
• OPERETTA
• ROBERT DOUGLAS
• THOMAS PETIET
• NADA RADAKOVICH