The Mikado
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Knapp, Pechota, Grieneberger, Liss, Archibeque
Photo by Ken Jacques
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By Rob Stevens
Lyric Opera San Diego opened the newly renovated Stephen and Mary Birch North Park Theatre with their production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Japanese-themed operetta. The production looked as beautiful and colorful as the restored theater. Lovely sounds emanated from the orchestra pit which contained 30-plus musicians under the baton of Leon Natker. Natker also staged the show, a tad too reverently. The overture seemed like it would never end, and the production’s pacing was slow. Luckily the cast was in great voice and performed with much zest. The score contains such ditties as "A Wand’ring Minstrel I," "Three Little Maids From School Are We," and "Willow, Tit-Willow."
Gilbert’s libretto lampooned the political climate and absurd laws of its time (Victorian England), and it has been gently updated here to include among other things mention of a public official and his pronunciation of the word "nuclear." The jokes still work, for the most part, as a suicidal minstrel gets caught up in the polite political chicanery of a small town official who must behead someone to save his own head.
Joseph Grienengerger headed the comedy brigade as the inept Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko. Martha Jane Weaver provided a formidable presence as the vengeful lovestruck Katisha. Jonathan Michael Knapp and Lisa Archibeque made a beguiling pair of lovers, while Joe Pechota, as Pooh-Bah, had a lot of fun trying to keep all of his various political offices in check. The individual voices were splendid and the choral work was grand.
Ryan Palmer’s scenic design was minimal as well as Matthew Novotny’s lighting design. The town of Titipu existed mostly in the imagination. The production’s most sumptuous elements were the costumes designed by Howard Tsvi Kaplan and executed by Malabar Limited, Toronto. They were truly magnificent.
Stephen and Mary Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave. in San Diego. 619-239-8836. $26-40. Thur-Sat, 7:30; Sun, 2 & 7:30. Closes October 30.
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