The Pirates of Penzance | York Opera

The Pirates of Penzance is one of the early Gilbert and Sullivan operas but, since its first performance in 1879, it has been one of the most popular and most frequently performed. With its succession of memorable songs including 'Poor wand’ring one', 'When a felon’s not engaged in his employment' and 'I am the very model of a modern Major-General' it still retains its freshness and sparkle 135 years on!

The story of Frederic, the pirate apprentice, and his desperate attempts to avoid a life of crime with the infamous 'Pirates of Penzance', takes us through a colourful pageant of characters – from the dashing but gullible Pirate King to the knowledgeable Major-General Stanley, from the prim but beautiful Mabel to the timid members of the Metropolitan Police Force!