The D’Oyly Carte Foundation Sponsors Production of the Gondoliers in New York
For Immediate Release
New York, NY - March 16, 2024 - The D’Oyly Carte Foundation, in its mission to promote appreciation for the music and lyrics of Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan among young people worldwide, co-sponsored the grand production of The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria, performed on March 14, 15, and 16 by the talented students at the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, located adjacent to Lincoln Center in Midtown Manhattan. This full scale production, included a 60 student cast, crew, and orchestra in the school’s modern, 2,000 seat concert hall.
This year marks the school’s 17th year of performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. As with their prior productions, the operetta will be carried in its entirety worldwide on YouTube.
Directing this effort were Ben Schott, Assistant Principal of Instrumental Vocal and Instrumental Music, Mary Ann Swerdfeger, Opera Voice Teacher, Mary Brienza, Stage Director, and Kris Koelzer, Accompanist and Music Director.
New York City’s elite public high school for exceptionally talented performing and visual art students, the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, known simply as “LaGuardia” has regularly produced graduates that have gone on to The Julliard School, the New England Conservatory of Music, the Yale School of Drama, New York University, the Royal Academy of Music, and other leading schools of performing arts throughout the world. The school’s alumni have achieved international fame and fortune on stage and screen. Their distinguished graduates include Al Pacino, Liza Minelli, Jenifer Anniston, Adrien Brody, Susan Strasberg, Billy Dee Williams, Eartha Kitt, Richard Benjamin, Tony Roberts and countless other award winning actors, singers, musicians, composers, conductors, dancers, choreographers, set designers, directors and producers.
Set in Venice, Italy and in the mythical nation of Barataria, The Gondoliers is among the most hilarious, melodic, and beloved of Gilbert & Sullivan’s 14 operettas. It concerns two Venetian Gondoliers who, by an accident of fate, become co-kings of the Kingdom of Barataria. They then transform their kingdom by granting nobility and aristocratic status to all citizens, with surprising results.
The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company and Scottish Opera co-produced The Gondoliers throughout the UK in 2022, and met with sold out theatres, standing ovations, rave press reviews, and a BBC-4 showing on Easter Sunday. Their London production is streamed worldwide on BBC Select and available to millions.
The D’Oyly Carte Foundation hosted a private reception for Members of its Board of Trustees, Board of Advisors, Corporate Sponsors, Patrons, Donors and Friends prior to the performance. Shirley Hon, Member of the Foundation’s Board of Advisors addressed the guests during the reception, commenting “I extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you as we gather here to witness a truly exciting opera production of "The Gondoliers," presented by the exceptionally talented students from Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.” (See her full address below.) Sharon Gonen, D’Oyly Carte Foundation Board Member, noted “The level of talent on display by the students of LaGuardia was truly outstanding. My nine guests and I were thoroughly entertained.”
Foundation Chairman L. M. Levie, commented, “The D’Oyly Carte Foundation is honored and delighted to support LaGuardia’s stunning performance of The Gondoliers. It is a joy to know that the glorious legacy of Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan is indeed alive and well, enthusiastically energized by the most talented young performing artists in the country. Bravo!”
About The D’Oyly Carte Foundation
The D'Oyly Carte Foundation is the American affiliate of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Trust Limited, which supports the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Since 1875, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company has professionally produced the 14 Savoy operas of Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, and Australia.
The D’Oyly Carte Foundation’s mission is to support and promote the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company’s UK and international touring, to support regional performance companies, high schools, colleges, and universities which stage Gilbert & Sullivan operas, and to generally encourage the popular appreciation of the works of Gilbert & Sullivan.
In 2021 and 2022, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Trust, in collaboration with the Scottish Opera and the State Opera South Australia, produced The Gondoliers and also Utopia, Limited in Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh, and London. These performances were greeted by rave reviews. Their lavish performance of the Gondoliers was broadcast throughout the UK on BBC-4 on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, and is available on BBC iPlayer and BBC America On Demand. The video trailer is found at https://youtu.be/0hO-Z-za2Vc.
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Oyly_Carte_Opera_Company
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_and_Sullivan
About the Fiorella H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, often referred to simply as LaGuardia, is a public high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located adjacent to Lincoln Center at 100 Amsterdam Avenue between West 64th and 65th Streets. The School was founded by Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia in 1936 as a public school in which students could hone their talents in music, art and the performing arts.
In 1984, the School moved to a new concrete building, designed by Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano and adjacent to Lincoln Center. The Board of education honored Mayor LaGuardia posthumously by naming the new building after him.
Laguardia’s alumni include world famous classical and popular performers, composers, conductors, dancers, choreographers, directors, and producers.
For further information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorello_H._LaGuardia_High_School
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fiorello_H._LaGuardia_High_School_alumni
About the Gondoliers
The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company’s first performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers was in 1889, and ran for 554 performances in London. At the time, it was the fifth longest running theatrical work in history. The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company gave a command performance before Queen Victoria and her guests in Windsor Castle on March 6, 1891. The Queen was spotted tapping her toes to the music, smiling and laughing during the performance of “A Regular Royal Queen,” which sharply satirized royal protocol and etiquette.
For further information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gondoliers
https://www.doylycartefoundation.org
Address by Shirley Hon, Member of The D’Oyly Carte Foundation’s Board of Advisors, March 16, 2024
Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed members, dear friends and families of the D'Oyly Carte Foundation,
I am Shirley Hon, a Member of the Advisory Board of the D’Oyly Carte Foundation. On behalf of the Foundation, I extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you as we gather here to witness a truly exciting opera production of "The Gondoliers," presented by the exceptionally talented students from Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.
The D'Oyly Carte Foundation is dedicated to supporting and promoting the timeless music and lyrics of Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, the brilliant minds behind the Gilbert and Sullivan pieces. These works are considered classic gems within the opera world, cherished by people to this day for their wit, unforgettable characters, captivating music, and timeless themes.
Since the establishment of the D'Oyly Carte Foundation USA, we have undertaken impressive initiatives. We have supported The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and facilitated the Scottish Opera in broadcasting "The Gondoliers" on BBC Four on Easter Sunday in 2022. We have also celebrated the historic restoration and reopening of Eyot House on D'Oyly Carte Island, situated eighteen miles from London in the middle of the Thames River. Additionally, we have rescued the historic set designs for "Princess Ida" and "Iolanthe". Furthermore, we have organized various celebratory balls and events in New York and abroad, fostering a social network for G&S opera lovers. The D’Oyly Carte Foundatin has remained steadfast in safeguarding the cultural treasure of Gilbert and Sullivan's works, tirelessly working to pass on this legacy to future generations.
Today, we gather here to witness the foundation's very first community project, a collaboration with New York City's prestigious public high school for exceptionally talented performing and visual art students, LaGuardia. We express our deepest gratitude to Deepk Marwah, the principal of the school; Benjamin Shott, Assistant Principal of Music; and Mary Ann Swerd-Figure, the Artistic Director of Operetta Workshop, and Rachel Litle for their dedication and support in realizing this collaboration. We are committed to forging a strong bond with LaGuardia and offering continued support not only to them but also to other schools in New York, in order to nurture young artists and foster thriving communities where high art can be enjoyed by all.
I would also like to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation to Mary Brienza, Dr. Christopher Koelzer, Dr. Valentina Shohdy, G. Ben Swope, Raffaele Castaldo, and Emily White for their exceptional leadership in guiding a cast of 160 students to accomplish this remarkable production. Over the past 6 months, they have dedicated countless hours to after-school practices and rehearsals, and their professionalism and commitment have left me truly astonished. I have personally witnessed their tireless efforts in both the classroom and on the stage.
Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for gracing us with your presence and for supporting the invaluable work of the D'Oyly Carte Foundation. By attending tonight's performance with your family and friends, you are contributing to the flourishing of the performing arts. I would also like to emphasize that the foundation is a non-profit organization that relies solely on the donations of our members and supporters. If you would like to make a contribution today, simply scan the QR code on our banner. Your generosity will help us continue our mission. If any of you have ideas on how we can further support education in New York City, please do not hesitate to contact me.
