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2026

May

Fri
22 May 2026

Sat
23 May 2026

Sun
24 May 2026
Venue

Regent Theatre
191 Collins St, Melbourne

Running time

Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one interval.

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Mischievous humour meets soaring melodies — a sparkling evening of operatic wit, whimsy and unforgettable song.

From not-so-fearsome pirates with a flair for melody, to bewigged Lords of the House tangled in mischief, to lovelorn tailors in an imagined, topsy-turvy Japan. Take a seat, suspend disbelief, and prepare to laugh.

Few composer-librettist teams have had the impact of Gilbert and Sullivan. Their mega-hits are still packing out theatres today and have become part of our pop culture lexicon (thanks, The Simpsons!).

Take a ride through their greatest musical moments in this concert directed by Gilbert & Sullivan aficionado Stuart Maunder AM.

Hear highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore and Iolanthe performed by an all-star cast of operatic talents, with Orchestra Victoria. Discover how these operettas changed the worlds of music, theatre and satire forever.


The program

Iolanthe – Overture Medley
Trial By Jury / Ruddigore / Iolanthe / The Pirates of Penzance / Patience / The Mikado Medley
The Gondoliers – From the sunny Spanish shore
The Gondoliers – We're called Gondolier
The Gondoliers – Then one of us will be a Queen
Ruddigore – The battle's roar is over
Ruddigore – In sailing o'er life's ocean wide
HMS Pinafore – Now give three cheers
HMS Pinafore – I am the monarch of the sea
HMS Pinafore – When I was a lad
HMS Pinafore – The hours creep on apace
HMS Pinafore – Never mind the why and wherefore
The Gondoliers – When a merry maiden marries
The Pirates of Penzance – I am the very model of a modern Major-General
The Pirates of Penzance – When a foeman bares his steel

Interval

The Yeoman Of The Guard – Overture
Utopia LTD – A tenor all singers above
The Mikado – Three little maids
The Mikado – The sun whose rays
The Mikado – A more humane Mikado
The Gondoliers – Take a pair of sparkling eyes
The Pirates of Penzance Stay Frederic stay, Oh here is love
Iolanthe – If you go in
The Lost Chord (Adelaide Proctor) The Lost Chord
The Pirates of Penzance – Hail Poetry
Ruddigore – My eyes are fully open
HMS Pinafore Act 2 Finale

The song list is subject to change without notice.

Cast & Creative

Conductor
Director
Lighting Designer
Alex Lynn
Sound Designer
Based on a concept by
Patrick Togher
Gilbert & Sullivan: A Musical Celebration

6 essential Gilbert & Sullivan operettas

A quick tour through their most beloved creations.

Their operettas are witty, tuneful and surprisingly modern in their humour, which is why they continue to pop up in places you’d never expect them.

Find out more

Artwork: Paull-Anthony Keightley