Iolanthe

By Arthur S. Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert

May 3, 2023 at 7:00PM | Carnegie Hall

David Garrison

Christine Ebersole

Shereen Ahmed

Schyler Vargas

Ashley Fabian

Santino Fontana

Jason Danieley

Phillip Boykin

Tiler Peck

MasterVoices | MasterVoices Orchestra | Ted Sperling, Conductor

Music by Arthur S. Sullivan
Lyrics and Libretto by W.S. Gilbert

Choreography and associated directed by Andrew Palermo
Costume Design by Tracy Christensen
SOUND design by Scott Lehrer

Our season finale! Join us May 3 at Carnegie Hall for a concert staging of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1882 satiric comic opera, directed and conducted by Ted Sperling. IOLANTHE’s battle of the sexes pits members of Britain’s House of Lords against the Fairy Queen and her kin. Out-of-touch male elites making rules that dominate a tranquil civilization of women… what could possibly go wrong? Our production will honor “one of Sullivan’s finest scores” (The New York Times) with lush orchestration and top vocal talent from the worlds of opera and Broadway.

Tickets starting from $30 to $165, may be purchased online at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800 or in person at Carnegie Hall’s box office at 57^th and Seventh Avenue. Ticket holders need to comply with the venue’s health and safety requirements, which can be found here.

RUNNING TIME: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 15-minute intermission

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Read full bios

THE LORD CHANCELLOR, David Garrison
THE QUEEN OF THE FAIRIES, Christine Ebersole
IOLANTHE (a Fairy—Strephon’s mother), Shereen Ahmed
STREPHON (An Arcadian Shepherd), Schyler Vargas
PHYLLIS (an Arcadian Shepherdess and Ward of Chancery), Ashley Fabian
GEORGE, THE EARL OF MOUNTARARAT, Santino Fontana
THOMAS, THE EARL TOLLOLLER, Jason Danieley
PRIVATE WILLIS (of the Grenadier Guards), Phillip Boykin
CELIA, Nicole Eve Goldstein
LEILA, Kaitlyn LeBaron
FLETA, Emy Zener
DANCING FAIRY, Tiler Peck

Listen to Larry Maslon’s interview with David Garrison on Broadway to Main Street

Click here to view the Concert Press Release.
MasterVoices 2022-23 season visual created by Asia Pietrzyk.

In The Media

Read the reviews of “Iolanthe”

It is the members of MasterVoices, a volunteer chorus, and their supporters who make a production like this possible. With this performance of Iolanthe, they and their director again proved what an invaluable asset they are to New York’s artistic life. – New York Classical Review

Sperling’s directorial decisions every step of the way seemed absolutely apt, and his musical leadership impeccable. I look forward to his next foray into G&S whenever that may be. – Forbes on Film and Footlights

To be sure, the longstanding MasterVoices fills a specific niche in the city’s rich cultural landscape by bridging classical music and musical theater, effectively fostering the cross-pollination between the two worlds. – The Hangover Report

As for Fabian, with her glistening soprano, and Vargas, with his warm commanding baritone, they not only shone every time they sang but also when they spoke, grasping both the comedy and pathos of their roles. These two are among the finest operatic actors I’ve seen recently, and I predict very bright futures for them both. – Theater Pizzazz

“Last night’s show, being a concert staging, put the focus on the music and lyrics. But it was a banger of a concert staging, providing the steak-and-kidney pie — if not the fancy trimmings — of a true Gilbert and Sullivan production.” – blogcritics | Jon Sobel