HOT’s Opera Express presents The Pirates of Penzance in HPR’s Atherton Studio Jan. 24

Pirates of Penzance 1A_0

Hawaii Opera Theatre’s educational touring adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance comes to HPR’s Atherton Studio on Saturday, January 24th. Performed by a small cast from HOT’s Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio, the special child-friendly matinee begins at 1:00 p.m. The show, originally created for grades K – 8, offers opportunities for adventurous audience members of all ages to hoist a sail or swab a deck — and perhaps even sing a bit.
Tickets for this interactive Atherton Studio event for family audiences are specially priced at $10 for adults and free for youth (under 18-years old). Reservations may be made at www.hprtickets.org or by calling the radio station (808.955.8821) during regular business hours. The Atherton Studio is located at Hawaiʻi Public Radio, 738 Kāheka Street. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.

Erik Haines, director of HOT’s education outreach programs, said, “The Pirates of Penzance may be one of the friendliest ways to get involved in the world of opera. You have a very light comedy which we’ve shortened from two-and-a-half hours to 45 minutes or so, and the audience gets to participate, to sing opera, so it doesn’t have to be this foreign thing with large ladies with horns on their helmets shrieking. It’s just good fun.”

The comic plot of “Pirates” follows the misadventures of a young Englishman named Frederic, who was mistakenly apprenticed to a group of pirates, led by the Pirate King. The terms of Frederic’s indenture are that he is to be freed at the age of 21. Just after his 21st birthday, he meets and falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, only to discover that he was born on February 29 in a leap year. Since he has thus technically had only five birthdays, he must remain with the pirates for another 63 years. Mabel promises to wait for him.

A free study guide with background information, suggestions for story-related activities, and the lyrics of the songs are available at www.hotpirates.weebly.com.
About Hawaii Opera Theatre
Since 1961, Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT), formerly a division of the Honolulu Symphony Society and incorporated in 1980, has served to enhance the quality of life in Hawaiʻi by presenting opera performances of the highest standards, while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Through four productions annually in the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall and other venues, HOT offers opera to nearly 22,000 residents and visitors each season thereby increasing the public’s awareness and exposure to opera as a multi-media art form.

HOT’s educational programs for youth serve as both catalyst and active participant in the artistic education of Hawaiʻi’s youth. Opera for Everyone provides a special performance of each opera for a large and enthusiastic audience of students. Opera Express takes operas specially adapted operas, into elementary and middle schools with special tours to all neighbor islands. HOT’s Opera Residency program takes our education and production staff members into an elementary school to work with students and teachers to compose an opera production centered around curriculum components. Adult education is offered with Opera Highlights, a non-credit course at the University of Hawaiʻi; Opera Previews, at the Honolulu Academy of Arts; pre-performance Lanai Lectures on the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall lanai; and other presentations at stores or shopping centers.

Led by Artistic Director Henry Akina and Executive Director Simon Crookall, HOT employs the HOT Orchestra. Auditions are held, generally in NY, to cast principal roles from mainland, European, Asian and local singers. The Opera Chorus is a local volunteer organization.

About HPR’s Atherton Performing Arts Studio
The Atherton Studio seats 75 people and is home to a magnificent Bösendorfer concert grand piano. The Studio is available for rent for musical performances, community group meetings, recordings, and lectures. It is located in the HPR office and studio complex at 738 Kāheka Street, across from the Honolulu Don Quijote. Metered street parking is available, as are paid lots at the First Hawaiian Bank (Kapiʻolani branch) and in the Pan Am building.

Select Atherton Season concerts air on the HPR-produced program Applause in a Small Room, Sundays at 4 p.m. on HPR-2.

About Hawai‘i Public Radio
HPR is a private, non-profit organization which broadcasts classical, jazz, and international music; and in-depth news and informational programming from National Public Radio, American Public Media, Public Radio International, and other local, national, and international program sources, as well as programs produced by Hawai‘i Public Radio. In December 2014, Charity Navigator, the premier charity evaluator, awarded HPR its third consecutive four-star rating for exceptional fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.

HPR’s mission is to serve the entire population of the state of Hawai‘i with two excellent program streams. HPR-1, the news magazine and fine arts stream, can currently be heard on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i (KHPR 88.1 FM and 88.5 FM); Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, and West Hawai‘i (KKUA 90.7 FM); and East Hawai‘i (KANO 91.1 FM (Hilo) and 94.7 FM (Waimea)). HPR-2, the news, local talk, and music stream, is found on Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i (KIPM 89.7 FM and KIPH 88.3 FM (Hana)); West Hawai‘i (KIPM 89.7 FM and KHPH 88.7 FM); the newest station in south Hawai‘i (KAHU 91.7 FM); O‘ahu and Kaua‘i (KIPO 89.3 FM; KIPL 89.9 FM). HPR is online and streaming at hawaiipublicradio.org and hpr2.org; as well as on Facebook (hawaiipublicradio) and Twitter (@hipubradio). Free iOS and Android™ apps for “Hawaii Public Radio” are available for download from the App Store or Google Play™. HPR-1 and HPR-2 may also be heard via cable broadcasts from Oceanic Time Warner (channels 864 and 865) or Hawaiian Telcom TV (channels 661 and 662).