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Walnut Creek Magazine

Princess Ida

Lamplighters' update to a satire of feminism and Darwin. In a year with many women running for president, why not a Princess choosing her own path?

The Bay Area's acclaimed Lamplighters Music Theatre will present their own version of Gilbert and Sullivan's PRINCESS IDA, in San Francisco (February 1-2), Walnut Creek (February 8-9), and Mountain View (February 22-23).

Stage Director and creator of Lamplighters' unique PRINCESS IDA is the wonderfully creative Artistic Director Emerita, Barbara Heroux, and Conductor is Lamplighters' highly regarded Resident Music Director, Baker Peeples.

PRINCESS IDA has arguably Arthur Sullivan's finest score of all the famous operettas he created with W.S. Gilbert. The opera, based on the poem "The Princess" by Tennyson, was written originally as a satire on the feminist and Darwinian movements of the late 19th Century. The original ending, with its defeat of the Princess's dream of running a women's university, is difficult for modern audiences and performers to accept. Ms. Heroux went back to the Tennyson poem and found a rich love story that argued for a better ending. With subtle changes in dialogue, the characters are allowed to maintain Gilbert's humor and give us a plot that is pleasing to our 21st Century views.

Lamplighters' production of PRINCESS IDA has received multiple awards internationally for past performances in the U.S. and the U.K. Ms. Heroux has continued to adapt the script in this production to be even more relevant to 2020. In a year with so many women running for president, why not have a Princess choose her own path?


Date & Time

February 8, 2020

8:00PM - 10:30PM

Location

Lesher Center for the Arts - 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, CA, 94596 1601 Civic Dr. Walnut Creek 94596 CA US

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More Info

Event Website

415-392-4400

$26-$66.

Performing Arts & Dance Theater classic musical