Virginia Opera's "The Mikado"

At the George Mason Center for the Arts performance of The Mikado, Russell P. Allen, President and CEO for the Virginia Opera, made a pitch for continued support from the audience to help match a $750,000 challenge grant.  The pitch may or may not have moved members of the audience to consider making donations, but the performance that followed should surely have clinched the deal. 

Under the baton of Gerald Steichen, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra started the evening with the marvelous overture to what was a beautifully executed production of the Gilbert and Sullivan slightly skewed look at Japan.

The attention to detail made this production commendable, from the excellent direction by Dorothy Danner, the costumes provided by Malabar Limited, the scenic design by Peter Dean Beck, the lighting design by Kenneth L. Steadman, to the amazing wigs and makeup by James McGough.

The singing was beautiful, as is to be expected, but the acting is what sets this group above the rest.  The entire cast including Nanki-Poo, (Matthew Plenk), Yum-Yum (Katherine Jolly), Katisha (Dorothy Byrne), and The Mikado (Jeffrey Tucker) was outstanding.

The comedic timing of Pooh-Bah (Aaron St. Clair Nicholson) and Ko-Ko, (Kevin Burdette) was very near perfection.  Most entertaining was Burdette’s spot-on side-splittingly clever delivery of updated lyrics skewering past and present Republican candidates, tv reality shows, televangelist, social networking, and even orchestra conductors in “The List."

 This production of The Mikado should be added to the growing list of stellar presentations by this group.  Also, add my voice to the chorus that advocates supporting the Virginia Opera, which should be recognized as one of Virginia’s finest.