Eugene Opera’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’ imports a modern major-general 

Off the top of his head, David Macaluso can’t say how many Gilbert and Sullivan productions he’s been in.

Macaluso is part of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, a theater company dedicated to the famed 19th century repertoire of comic operas written by the dramatist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. For the last 20 years, Macaluso has racked up credits in the duo’s operettas. 

His latest production has brought him from New York City to Eugene. Macaluso is Major-General Stanley in the Eugene Opera’s rendition of “The Pirates of Penzance,” maybe the most famous Gilbert and Sullivan opera, for a two-show run starting Friday, Oct. 3. 

Even non-opera fans are likely familiar with “Pirates,” which premiered in 1879, and this year saw a Broadway revival become a critical darling in New York. As the major-general, Macaluso is tasked with singing the progenitor of patter songs, fast-paced pieces that are traditionally daunting for performers: “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.”

Though he’s been in “Pirates” before, each production — and each major-general — varies.

“He’s a little dancier,” Macaluso said of his major-general in Eugene. “I don’t know what it is about this production, but he just seemed to flow a little more and be a little more ridiculous. In a good way.”

Bringing ‘Pirates’ back to Eugene

“The Pirates of Penzance” is the first Savoy opera, as the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire is called, that Eugene Opera is putting on after a seven-year gap in programming any shows from the pair. (The most recent Savoy opera they performed was “H.M.S. Pinafore” in 2018.)

The last time the opera did “Pirates” was in 2012. After stages opened up again after COVID-19 shutdowns, it was an obvious pick to schedule the show, artistic director Andrew Bisantz said.

In Bisantz’s 18 years with Eugene Opera, he said the company hasn’t repeated many productions. Gilbert and Sullivan shows, though, are expected. 

“There are a lot of opera companies who won’t touch it, who think that it’s too light, or it’s not serious enough music, or it’s not grand opera, so therefore we’re not going to do it,” Bisantz said. “But I saw pretty quickly when I first started working with Eugene that G and S was a big part of what this company was. The audience expects it, and the audience is thrilled by it.”

Director Curt Olds added that while some opera purists look down on Gilbert and Sullivan, a show like “The Pirates of Penzance” is a classic guilty pleasure. 

“It’s also the one show that those patrons and board members and everybody are usually asking for their extra comp tickets,” Olds said.

One general directs another

At a Monday night dress rehearsal, Olds gave precise directions to the ensemble, the merry band of pirates, as they traversed the large ship set, folded a giant Union Jack flag and scrambled around the central singers moving between musical moments.

Olds’ direction comes from onstage experience. He’s a veteran of Gilbert and Sullivan shows, including with Eugene Opera’s productions. “In either directing or performing or helping to produce, I’ve helped about 70 productions of G and S get to the stage, and then probably saw seven times that many as an audience member,” he said. 

Olds played the Major-General the last time Eugene Opera produced “Pirates,” and said that working with Macaluso has been a thrilling experience of figuring out what this performance would look like. 

“We’ve been having so much fun, going through the traditional things we do, while also dreaming what could be unique about this and new,” Olds said. “The great thing about Gilbert and Sullivan is that it can get stagnant, or it can get dated, but it doesn’t have to.” 

If you go

Eugene Opera production of “Pirates of Penzance”
• 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3
• 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5
At Hult Center’s Silva Concert Hall in downtown Eugene.
Tickets start at $36