The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston presents Ruddigore at Cullen Performance Hall July 20-21 and July 27-28 | Arts

Tickets for the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston’s July production of Ruddigore (Or The Witch’s Curse) at the University of Houston’s Cullen Performance Hall are now on sale to the public. Two performances are scheduled for Saturday evening (July 20 and July 27 at 7 p.m.), while two more will take place on Sunday matinees (July 21 and July 28 at 2:30 p.m.).

The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, the city’s oldest opera company, has presented several Gilbert and Sullivan works over the years, including HMS Apron, Princess Ida, The Mikado, The Yeomen of the GuardAnd The Pirates of Penzancewith that of Ruddigore last race in 2007.

Acting as a director for Ruddigore is opera veteran Buck Ross, who is professor emeritus and founding and former director of the Moores Opera Center at the University of Houston. Renowned conductor Eiki Isomurawho directs Houston’s Opera in the Heights, takes the reins for the second year as music director. Joseph Rawley returns once again as Artistic Director/Choir Conductor.

Ross and Isomura will certainly bring a unique take on the operetta, which is not as well known as many other Gilbert & Sullivan productions (THE Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado), but has a lot to offer to the eyes and ears of spectators. Once again, the famous scenographer Jodi Bobrovski will demonstrate creativity by allowing the public to discover breathtaking digital settings, evoking ghosts and a Halloween atmosphere.

“I am thrilled to be working with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston to bring audiences this rarely performed operetta, which I would call ‘Jane Austen meets Young Frankenstein,’” says Ross. “The gothic elements, infused with a sense of humor, will bring a level of madness in the best possible way. The costumes are Regency, the music is first-rate, and for the first time, the company will experiment with digital scenery. I predict audiences of all ages will be captivated by this fun and spooky period piece.”

“Ruddigore “It’s a tour de force with plenty of entertaining roles,” Ross continues. “The stage at the historic Cullen Performance Hall will come alive with a plethora of A-listers singing, dancing and acting in this parody of Victorian melodrama. Projected surtitles will make it easy for the audience to follow the fast-paced operetta.”

Ross went on to say that he considered his involvement a “reunion week.” “During my tenure at UH with Moores, I worked closely with many members of the cast, including Richard Paul Fink (Sir Roderic Murgatroyd), Wes Landry (Robin), Lisa Borik Vickers (Rose), Thomas O ‘Neill (Richard) and Johnny Salvesen (Adam),” says Ross. “We have a wealth of lyrical talent in Houston, and. Ruddigore is a great way to showcase this talent with infectious music that allows singers to exercise their vocal gifts.

“I have a lot of affection for Ruddigore “With its wealth of great roles and a score featuring some of the best performances in all of G&S,” says Isomura. “The chilling music of the ancestors, especially the aria “When the Night Wind Howls,” is powerfully evocative. And of course, G&S is known and loved for their fast-paced songs, and Ruddigore features a trio of “My eyes are fully open” motifs that resemble that of Major General (The Pirates of Penzance) song times three.

“On a personal note,Ruddigore “That was my very first experience with opera in any form,” Isomura continues. “I played one of the ancestor ghosts in a junior production in sixth grade. It’s just a testament to Gilbert and Sullivan’s gifts that 30 years later it comes back to me largely memorized and with a feeling just as fresh as it did then.”

The parcel

A satirical take on the Victorian melodrama genre, that of Ruddigore The wacky plot has it all: ghosts, witches, curses, disguises and reluctant villains trying to run away with the beautiful girl. All the baronets of Ruddigore are under a curse pronounced by a witch long ago: each successive baronet must commit some sort of crime every day or die in agony.

Robin Oakapple has lived as a farmer for years and found the courage to propose to the beautiful village girl, Rose Maybud. However, he keeps a secret – he is in fact Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, the baronet of Ruddigore who hid in disguise while his younger brother Despard assumed the title – and the curse.

Betrayed by his adopted brother Richard, Robin is discovered and must now commit a crime every day in order to appease the curse and the ghosts of all his ancestors, unhappy with his attempt to escape his title. Robin must find a way to live the honest life he loves, but how? The public will discover it when they come to see Ruddigore.

The casting

Cast members include Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd – Wes Landry; Richard Intrepid – Thomas O’Neill; Mr. Despard Murgatroyd – Dennis Arrowsmith; Old Adam Goodheart – Johnny Salvesen; Maybud rose – Lisa Borik Vickers; Mad Marguerite – Meaghan Heath; Dame Hannah – Jana Ellsworth; Zorah – Riley Vagis; Ruth – Chloe Owens; and Sir Roderic Murgatroyd – Richard Paul Fink.

Members of the female choir are Justine Ash, Tarryn Ballard, Giselle Bautista, Tiffany Dawkins, Melisa Gultan, Emma Hayden, Lena Lowe, Samantha Taylor and Whitney Wells.

The male chorus includes Jadon Campos, Zaccai Campos, Gage Campos, Geoff Copper, Trey Fitzgerald, Zachary Frank, Joe Key, Mike McCarver, Benjamin Rorabaugh, Joe White and Martin Wolff.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.hgns.org/tickets. Prices range from $49 to $94, plus processing fees. Be sure to buy early to get the best seats.