_{Toronto Operetta Theatre
The Gondoliers} “Pure escapism”

I was feeling blue – literally and figuratively – after this week’s Ontario election. Added to those worries was the horror of watching videos of the unfolding tensions south of the border. I needed a break, a pick-me-up, and I got that by hopping on the QEW and heading to the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts to see Toronto Operetta Theatre’s (TOT) production of The Gondoliers.

This operetta is Gilbert and Sullivan’s masterful satirical take on monarchy and class distinctions. It’s the story of two Venetian gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, who are shocked to discover that one of them is the heir to the distant kingdom of Barataria. They must jointly rule until it can be proved that one of them is the rightful heir. This leads to complications with their new wives and the daughter of a Spanish Duke who was secretly betrothed to the heir as a baby.

Rather than complicate things with ornate sets and cumbersome props, director Guillermo Silva-Marin chose elegant simplicity. In Act One, white boxes and cleverly positioned flags were all that were needed to transform a small stage into a Venetian locale. Silva-Marin’s straightforward yet effective lighting design, indicating water and a port, rounded out the look of a mediterranean paradise . The costumes were simple and their beige palette added to the elegant look of the production. In Act Two, bold red and black banners effectively indicated the make-believe Barataria. It’s impressive that Silva-Marin produced such effective atmospheres on a small, semicircular thrust stage where the audience is privy to all the props even before the operetta begins. In this case, less was more.

Not only did this production look good, it sounded great. Silva-Marin chose an impressive cast of singers. TOT knows how to get the best out of their casts, and the chorus work was tight, strong and balanced in a way that belied the fact that there were only eight choristers.

As the befuddled gondoliers, Sebastien Belcourt (Giuseppe) and Yanik Gosselin (Marco) were comic gold. Belcourt, no stranger to the TOT stage, showcased his sensitive acting skills, his command of physical comedy and his full baritone voice. His previous experience singing in Mozart productions has resulted in excellent vocal technique.  Belcourt commands the stage, but he is also a team player when it comes to working in a duo, a quartet or with the entire ensemble. TOT newcomer Yanik Gosselin was a pleasure to watch and listen to. His masterful diction and his well-supported upper register made for an evening of tenorial delights, and his exuberant dancing and facial expressions were truly hilarious.

Photo Credit: Gary Beechey
Gregory Finney as the Duke of Plaza-Toro

Brooke Mitchell (Gianetta) has a sparkle which makes her utterly charming. But don’t let her sweetness fool you; wrapped up in her petite presence is a shockingly strong coloratura tone which is stratospheric. Her diction was most effective during patter passages. Lissy Meyerowitz (Tessa) had a velvety unforced mezzo voice which contrasted and combined very effectively with Mitchell’s higher tones. Meyerowitz has subtle and effective acting skills and her onstage chemistry with Belcourt was endearing.

Alyssa Bartholomew (Casilda) was a strong acting and vocal presence, and her love interest, Luiz, was effectively played by Marcus Tranquilli. Bartholomew’s and Tranquilli’s duets were well balanced, and an easy-listening pleasure. Mezzo Meghan Symon (The Duchess of Plaza-Toro) was a suitably snobbish Duchess whose “On the day when I was wedded” was well sung and embodied her strong character. Austin Larusson was an hilarious Grand Inquisitor whose deadpan delivery was exactly what Gilbert and Sullian would wish for in this pompous poke at religious authority. His diction was impeccable during his spoken lines and during some very lush baritone singing. Gregory Finney (The Duke of Plaza-Toro) was unctuousness personified, and his interaction with the other singers during “From the sunny Spanish shore” was hysterically funny. His focused baritone was pleasing to the ear.

This was conductor Matheus Coehlo do Nascimento’s TOT debut, and I certainly hope it’s not his last performance with them. It was a pleasure to watch him subtly and precisely lead his orchestra through the rhythmic intricacies of a Gilbert and Sullivan score. But there were also the slower passages, and the orchestral swelling during “There was a time” showed that do Nascimento could draw out soaring emotional sounds from his players. The nine-piece orchestra performed like a tight knit ensemble. Kudos to all of them and particularly the woodwinds with some very tricky passages. I happened to be sitting near bass player Travis Harrison, and he exemplified the professionalism of this group. Whether plucking or bowing, he supplied a strong rhythmic anchor for the entire group.

Finally, I would like to commend Silva-Marin for not including modern day jokes in the script. Although I have enjoyed his comedic nods to current events in the past, his omission of these political references demonstrated a sensitivity and understanding of the stresses with regards to the current political climate. He didn’t feel the need to add to the political satire of The Gondoliers, and this allowed the audience to enjoy the pure escapism inherent in this wonderful production.

Photo Credit: Gary Beechey
 Lissy Meyerowitz, Sebastien Belcourt, Austin Larusson, Yanik Gosselin, and Brooke Mitchell at Toronto Operetta Theatre

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