Get ready for opera on the high seas with Gilbert and Sullivan's popular piratical comedy--Seattle Opera's first-ever G&S operetta! A lively, classic production of the family-friendly farce comes to Seattle October 2025 following rave reviews at The Glimmerglass Festival, The Atlanta Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Featuring an exciting cast of operatic talent and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, you'll be thrilled with rapid-fire lyrics and toe-tapping tunes. More info at https://www.seattleopera.org/pirates. 

The Pirates of Penzance

In Act Two of Gilbert & Sullivan’s THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE the pirates plan to storm Major-General Stanley’s house in the middle of the night, unaware that a crowd of policemen, relentlessly imitating trumpets to embolden themselves, are waiting to ambush and arrest them. After failing to be as quiet as they claim, the pirates sing one of Sullivan’s most beloved tunes—actually, Sullivan’s copyright piracy of Verdi’s “Anvil Chorus” from IL TROVATORE. The chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera were conducted by David Charles Abell. Photo by Sunny Martini.

PIRATES: With cat-like tread,
Upon our prey we steal; 
In silence dread,
Our cautious way we feel.
No sound at all,
We never speak a word, 
A fly’s foot-fall
Would be distinctly heard.
POLICE: (Tarantara, tarantara!)
PIRATES: Come, friends, who plough the sea,
Truce to navigation; 
Take another station;
Let’s vary piracee 
With a little burglaree!

PIRATES: “With cat-like tread”

Of all the daughters of Major-General Stanley only Mabel agrees, “for pity’s sake,” to answer young Frederic’s plea for redeeming love. (“The question is, had he not been / A thing of beauty, / Would she be swayed by quite as keen / A sense of duty?” American soprano Vanessa Becerra made her Seattle Opera debut as Mabel, with the chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera conducted by David Charles Abell. Photo by Sunny Martini.

SISTERS: Take heart; no danger lowers; 
Take any heart-but ours!
MABEL: Take heart, fair days will shine; 
Take any heart – take mine!
Poor wandering one!
Though thou hast surely strayed, 
Take heart of grace,
Thy steps retrace, 
Poor wandering one!

PIRATES: VANESSA BECERRA as Mabel

In what’s probably the most famous number Gilbert & Sullivan ever wrote, Major-General Stanley describes his own accomplishments—and limitations—in glorious detail to an admiring crowd of pirates and his own many daughters. American baritone Thomas Glass made his Seattle Opera debut with this patter song on Saturday, October 18, with the chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera conducted by David Charles Abell. Here’s his encore, presented (at his own request “Presto agitato, s’il vous plait.”) Photo by Sunny Martini. 

I am the very model of a modern Major-General, 
I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical 
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, 
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical, 
About binomial theorem I’m teeming with a lot o’ news –
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
I’m very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous: 
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, 
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

PIRATES: Major-General’s Song

This full-company chorale, sung as the Act One Finale of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE approaches its delirious conclusion, is a response to how General Stanley’s (false) claim of being an orphan has softened the stern hearts of the cruel pirates. Gilbert & Sullivan, who have just been mocking the Victorian propensity to sentimentalize orphanhood, mock British church singing in this impressive passage. An “emollient” is a softener. The cast, chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera were conducted by David Charles Abell. Photo by Sunny Martini.

Hail, Poetry, thou heav’n-born maid!
Thou gildest e’en the pirate’s trade.
Hail, flowing fount of sentiment!
All hail, divine emollient!


PIRATES: “Hail, Poetry”

American bass-baritone Nathan Stark makes his Seattle Opera debut as the timid Sergeant of Police in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. When he enters, he and his fellows of the fearful force are trying to stiffen their spines by imitiating trumpets. Émeute is a French word meaning “riot.” The chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera were conducted by David Charles Abell. Photo by Sunny Martini.

SERGEANT: When the foeman bares his steel…
POLICE: Tarantara! Tarantara!
SERGEANT: We uncomfortable feel,
And we find the wisest thing,
Is to slap our chests and sing.
For when threatened with émeutes,
And your heart is in your boots,
There is nothing brings it round 
Like the trumpet’s martial sound!

NATHAN STARK as the Sergeant

American baritone Reginald Smith Jr makes his Seattle Opera debut as the Pirate King in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. In his big aria he defends his choice of profession, saying that “contrasted with respectability, it [piracy] is comparatively honest.” The chorus and orchestra of Seattle Opera were conducted by David Charles Abell. Photo by Sunny Martini.

When I sally forth to seek my prey 
I help myself in a royal way.
I sink a few more ships, it’s true,
Than a well-bred monarch ought to do; 
But many a king on a first-class throne, 
If he wants to call his crown his own, 
Must manage somehow to get through 
More dirty work than ever I do,
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is a glorious thing 
To be a Pirate King!

REGINALD SMITH JR as the Pirate King

Founded in 1963, Seattle Opera is a leading American opera company. The company presents the classics of the European repertoire as well as new works of American opera. Frequent productions of Wagner's RING, beginning in 1975, established the company's worldwide reputation. Seattle Opera usually presents five opera productions each year.