Pirates of Penzance, ENO

"I am the very model of a modern major-general", a satirical patter song (with rapid-fire spoken delivery) poking delicious fun at the pretentions of modernity in the Victorian army, is this opera’s, and possibly Gilbert and Sullivan’s, standout tune. Still loved in amateur productions played to ecstatic village halls across the Home Counties, Gilbert and Sullivan are, tentatively, acquiring new respect among professional companies for the craft of their theatre and brilliance of their lyrics. If you’ve only ever seen uncle Giles’ am-dram hamming, a professional performance is well worth it, turning an excruciating evening of misfiring lyrics and misfitting outfits into a riotously subversive comedy.
English National Opera has a distinguished history of inviting film directors onto its stage. Previous cinematic converts including director of The English Patient, Anthony Minghella, and zany Python Terry Gilliam. But it’s unusual for the director to work on such closely related projects. Mike Leigh, whose love of Gilbert and Sullivan was well established in his 1999 historical costume drama Topsy-Turvy, has firm views on how the operettas should be performed, and is likely to highlight the darkness and satirical edge lurking within the froth.
With Andrew Shore as Major-General Stanley, ENO has hired one of the outstanding singers of the moment. Shore has sung the toughest bass roles in the repertoire, including Papageno in The Magic Flute and Alberich in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and appeared in the world’s most prestigious venues, such Metropolitan Opera, New York, La Scala, Milan, and Bayreuth in Bavaria. He’s supported by multiple award-winning baritone Jonathan Lemalu as Sergeant of Police. If you’ve even the slightest interest in seeing how funny Gilbert and Sullivan can be when performed to the writers’ brilliant conception, this is likely to be the best performance for many years.