The Gondoliers or The King of Barataria
The two most popular gondoliers in Venice are pursued by all the ladies, and so choose their brides in a game with blindfolds. The Grand Inquisitor arrives to announce that one of them has just become the King of Barataria (a small island nation), but only their foster mother, presently at large, knows which one. As Barataria needs a king to put down unrest in the country, they travel there to reign jointly, leaving their brand-new wives behind in Venice until the old lady can be interviewed. It turns out that the king was wed in infancy to the beautiful daughter of the Spanish Duke of Plaza-Toro, and so it seems he (whichever one it is) is an unintentional bigamist. Of course, the beautiful daughter is in love with a common servant! When the young Spaniard and the two Venetian wives all show up wanting to know which of them is queen, complications arise. No worries: The true identity of the king is revealed, and all is sorted out spectacularly well by the end.
Debuted on December 7, 1889, this was the twelfth operetta by Gilbert & Sullivan, and is an international favorite. This will be one of Valley Light Opera's best productions, with a marvelous cast and chorus, lavish scenery and costumes and a full orchestra!
