In this picture-book-pretty production, Simone McIntosh’s mezzo soprano sails into some dazzling acrobatics for the punishing final aria, while prince Charles Sy shows off a bright and flowing bel canto tenor.
The direction-design team has slipped a postmark up into the sky above the sepia scene—turning the set into a kind of three-dimensional vintage postcard.
With gifted actor-singers, swirling dance numbers, and ornate Art Nouveau sets, the operetta invites you to time-travel to turn-of-the-last-century Europe—complete with its mannerisms and upper-class concerns.
Canadian composer James Rolfe lets loose with quirky yet tuneful orchestrations for Morris Panych's playful lyrics, and the performers are strong, versatile, and physically active across the board.
