Swashbuckling Fun for the Whole Family

“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.”

An all-time tongue twister, the “Major-General’s Song” is the most beloved tune from what is perhaps the most beloved operetta of Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert: The Pirates of Penzance. Delivered at breakneck speed and chock-full of wit and humor, this legendary musical number is the very model of the style of Gilbert and Sullivan’s lively, quick-witted comedy. And when the CU Boulder College of Music Eklund Opera Program presents The Pirates of Penzance in March, fun will surely abound.

“The feel and vibe of this show is so much fun. I mean, it takes place on a pirate ship, right?!” says Eklund Opera Program Director Leigh Holman. “It really is a sight to see. We have a luxurious, beautiful set. There’s dance, lots of physicality like tumbling and a ton of swashbuckling fun with the pirates. Then there are the jokes, which just come at you one after the other. It’s the greatest of satire. And the music. The music is gorgeous.”

The Pirates of Penzance tells the story of Frederic, a young man recently finished with his apprenticeship among a kindly group of pirates. He falls in love—don’t they always? —with Mabel, one of the daughters of Major-General Stanley. Hijinks and hilarity ensue as the pirates attempt to find wives and Frederic discovers that his time with the buccaneers is honor-bound to continue because of a Leap Day technicality. 

Like many of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas, The Pirates of Penzance is satire, a lampooning of the concept of duty and of Victorian-era norms. The College of Music’s production will also feature updates to some lyrics and dialogue, a common practice with Gilbert and Sullivan works. “Unlike Mozart or Verdi where you would never change anything that they wrote, we know that Gilbert and Sullivan would prefer updates because that was the point of their satire,” says Holman. “Gilbert as the librettist wanted to relate to what was going on in the audience’s time.”

Perhaps best of all, this swashbuckling musical extravaganza is seriously hilarious fun for the whole family. From young to old and everyone in between, The Pirates of Penzance—with all its music, its comedy and its dynamism—has something for everyone.

The Eklund Opera Program performs The Pirates of Penzance at Macky Auditorium, March 14-16, 2025.