For the fifth time in as many summers, the Deer Valley Music Festival includes a Gilbert & Sullivan evening, featuring the same conductor, the same stage director and almost all of the same singers from the well-received productions of past years. The difference is that the 2008 edition comprises highlights from the four previous productions. (The Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, producers of the festival, scrapped plans for a two-night revival of "H.M.S. Pinafore," citing I-80 construction in Parleys Canyon.)
"People will get to experience a bit of each one," said conductor Gerald Steichen, a perennial podium presence in Salt Lake City, Park City and Logan.
"The only difficult part was picking [the numbers]," said conductor Patricia Weinmann, another Utah regular. "I think Jerry and I did a great job!"
In addition to well-known arias and ensemble numbers such as "Poor Wandering One," "Three Little Maids" and "I'm Called Little Buttercup," the evening will include a handful of finales and some key scenes, such as the rapprochement between Ko-Ko and Katisha in "The Mikado."
Steichen noted that the orchestra will be a bit larger than in past years and moved closer to the audience. The chorus, too, will be more prominent.
"The chorus will be in beautiful Edwardian costumes, and we'll bring them on as if they are strolling into the theater, greeting each other, setting up the atmosphere," Weinmann said. "This is the kind of Gilbert & Sullivan audience that knows all the words - and there are thousands of people like that - and they're so excited about the show that they just join in."
Michael Porter is chorus master for this production (US/UO's Susanne Sheston is guesting with the Santa Fe Opera, and earning positive reviews, this summer).
Kaysville's own George Dyer is back to reprise his leading-man roles. Michael Wanko will take on Major-General Stanley and Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko and has done the lion's share of updating Ko-Ko's "Little List" song, which traditionally gets a contemporary spin. Also returning are Jeffrey Mattsey, Paula Murrihy and Melissa Parks. Genevieve Christianson will step into the soprano roles (Deer Valley regular Lisa Vroman is starring in Glimmerglass Opera's "Kiss Me Kate" this summer).
"It will be fun, for one night, to bring all the shows together," said Dyer, who is best-known locally for his inspirational recordings but also has sung leading roles with companies such as New York City Opera and Utah Opera. "It's kind of like a sorbet to cleanse the palate before we start the next cycle."
Deer Valley's Savoyards hope to keep the tradition going. "There are still a few G&S shows that haven't been done here," Wanko said. "People come from all over the world. For 'Mikado,' we had some people from London; for 'Gondoliers,' there were people from Japan. To see these shows performed with opera singers is unusual for this repertoire. . . . People here are pretty lucky to have it in their backyard, and we're lucky to be here."
Operatic sorbet
When » Aug. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Where » Deer Valley Outdoor Amphitheatre at the Park City resort
Tickets » $25 for the lawn, $12 for students and youth, $75 for families and $50 reserved (all prices increase $5 on the day of the show); call 801-355-2787 or 1-888-451-2787, visit the Abravanel Hall box office at 123 W. South Temple in Salt Lake City, or go to www.deervalleymusicfestival.org.
