The Opera Tattler

* Notes * 
Lamplighters Music Theatre began a charming run of Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore (ovation pictured, photograph by the author) yesterday at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. The production is polished and entertaining.

The plot is somewhat similar to Verdi's Il Trovatore, but on a ship in England. There are babies switched at birth, fortune telling, and a love triangle.

Maestro Brett Strader kept the music light and jaunty.  The singing and acting were likewise frothy and amusing. Baritone Noah Evans was impressive as Dick Deadeye, contorting his body into a triangle for most of the evening. Soprano Sarah Szeibel had a lot of warmth as Buttercup, a Portsmouth bumboat woman.

Baritone Tony DeLousia has a bright and light voice as Captain Corcoran and soprano Syona Ayyankeril has an attractive and agile sound as his daughter Josephine. Tenor Max Ary makes for plaintive, sweet-voiced Ralph Rackstraw and mezzo-soprano Carly Ozard is very strong and extremely amusing as Sir Joseph Porter.

Jane Erwin's direction is cute. The sets and costumes look perfectly Victorian and the choreography was in keeping with the very silly proceedings. There was much hilarity happening in the background projections, and there was always something to look at.

* Tattling * 
The audience was enthusiastic and attentive.