 RuddigoreRuddigore, or The Witch’s Curse, is the ninth of the collaborations between Gilbert and Sullivan. Set in a fishing village in Cornwall, the play revolves around the theme that the current Baronet of Ruddigore, whoever he may be, is cursed to commit a crime each day in order to live. The comic twists in which the two brothers Murgatroyd, Despard and Ruthven, switch roles and face the contempt of their ancestors for not upholding the family curse, is played out amidst a chorus of villagers and the world’s only troupe of professional bridesmaids.
The Savoy performances feature a full professional orchestra that brings Sullivan’s grand music to life. Whether it is against the backdrop of custom-created sets at Philadelphia’s grand Academy of Music or in the tranquil setting of Longwood Gardens, Ruddigore promises to be a delight for audiences. This year’s production features the return of Roberta Morrell of London’s D’Oyly Carte Opera Company as Savoy’s artistic director, Maestro Dan Rothermel, in his 30th season as music director, and sets inspired by famed cartoonist & illustrator Arnold Roth.
Come see this entertaining parody of the melodrama so popular in the days of Victorian England, presented by one of the largest choruses to perform Gilbert and Sullivan, as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd faces his dilemma of choosing between his conscience and the Ruddigore curse.
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