Detroit Opera Youth Chorus to present Gilbert & Sullivan’s rollicking operetta H.M.S. Pinafore at the Detroit Opera House, March 8
- Encore Staff Writer
- Feb 21
- 2 min read
The Detroit Opera Youth Chorus (DOYC) will perform H.M.S. Pinafore, Gilbert & Sullivan’s classic comedic adventure of love that triumphs over all, at the Detroit Opera House on March 8 at 2:30pm. H.M.S. Pinafore is suitable for all ages, and all roles in the opera will be performed by DOYC singers, who represent 40 different schools across the Metro Detroit area as well as Canada.
Librettist W.S Gilbert and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote H.M.S. Pinafore (or the Lass that Loved a Sailor), and it has been a hit with audiences since its first performances in London in 1878. The operetta is a satire about love, social class, and the British Navy and features some of the most beloved songs in the operatic canon, still popular today. These include “I am the Captain of the Pinafore,” “Little Buttercup,” “A British Tar,” and “For He is an Englishman.” The story revolves around Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran, the captain of the British naval ship H.M.S. Pinafore. Josephine falls for Ralph Rackstraw, one of the sailors on the ship, but her father wants her to marry the naval commander Sir Joseph Porter.
H.M.S. Pinafore
Detroit Opera Youth Chorus
Detroit Opera House
Saturday, March 8, 2:30pm
Conductor: Jane Arvidson Panikkar
Director: Kyle Mitchell Johnson
Duration: 70 minutes
Suitable for all ages
Tickets: $50 (box level), $35 (adults), $15 (children 6–17), free (children 5 and under)
To purchase tickets, visit detroitopera.org or call 313-237-7464.
About the Detroit Opera Youth Chorus
The Detroit Opera Youth Chorus (DOYC) is a world-class training program for young vocalists from metropolitan Detroit ages 8 years old through seniors in high school. The chorus, founded in 2007 by Suzanne Mallare Acton, Detroit Opera’s Assistant Music Director and Chorus Master, performs as a separate ensemble as well as with international opera stars in Detroit Opera mainstage productions. Rehearsals take place at the Detroit Opera House on Monday evenings from September through May, led by Principal Chorus Conductor Rebecca O-G Eaddy and Preparatory Chorus Conductor Jane Arvidson Panikkar. Past performances have included Ben Moore and Kelley Rourke’s Odyssey, Seymour Barab’s The Maker of Illusions, Cary John Franklin and Michael Albano’s The Very Last Green Thing, Malcolm Williamson’s The Happy Prince, and Hans Krása’s Brundibár. The chorus is open to all voice types: sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses, ranging from elementary-school students to high-school seniors. Contact Chorus Administrator Twannette Nash at TNash@Detroitopera.org or visit https://detroitopera.org/education-community/youth-chorus/ for more information.
