Il Mikado
Stage Director: Kevin Miller
Music Director: Eric Kramer
Chorus Master: James Cooper
“Il Mikado” or “The New Mikado” was developed by the Lamplighters Music Theater of San Francisco to show that Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular opera is not really about Japan at all, but about villagers engaged in love, graft and petty politics, like the rest of us.
The music is entirely unchanged and the main text changes are “Japan” to “Milan” and the character names. All of Gilbert’s delightful dialog is unchanged.
This version gives Troupers a chance to use beautiful Renaissance costumes. You’ll love it!
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The Emperor of Milan, Il Ducato, has declared flirting illegal and punishable by beheading. A wandering minstrel, Niccolu appears in the nearby sweet little town of Tirmisu seeking Amiam whose hand he seeks in marriage. He finds that Amiam is engaged to Coco, the Lord High Executioner, but he talks Coco into letting him marry Amiam for a month first, after which he agrees to be the Lord High Executioner’s first victim. As the celebrations begin, the terrifying Catiscia appears from the Emperor’s court, claiming Niccolu under the Emperor’s law as having flirted with her. The chorus shouts her down and she flees to get reinforcements from the Ducato. This all works out in the second act and has a delightful happy ending. The Mikado contains some of Gilbert’s cleverest dialog and Sullivan’s sprightliest music. Our production includes a full 23-piece orchestra. |
Discussion
Cast of Characters
| Il Ducato (The Mikado) | Bass | Emperor of Milan |
| Niccolù (Nanki-Poo) | Tenor | His son, in love with Amiam |
| Coco (Koko) | Comic baritone | Lord High Executioner of Milan |
| Poobà (Pooh-Bah) | Bass/baritone | Lord High Everything Else |
| Piccia Tuccia (Pish-Tush) | Baritone | A noble lord |
| Amiam (Yum-Yum) | Soprano | In love with Niccolu |
| Pizzi (Pitti-Sing) | Mezzo | Sister of Amiam |
| Pippa (Peep-Bo) | Soprano | Sister of Amiam |
| Catiscià (Katisha) | Contralto | An elderly lady in love with Niccolu |
Chorus of School-girls, Nobles, Guards
