Yum-Yum! Regina Opera Company does 'The Mikado'

By Meredith Deliso

Let’s face it, everyone loves “The Mikado.”

The satirical Gilbert and Sullivan light musical was Regina Opera’s most successful productions when staged nearly 10 years ago, so the Bay Ridge troupe decided to bring it back with a full-scale production from March 5 to 13.

“Operetta is not our bread and butter — we tend toward bigger pieces like ‘Tosca’ and ‘Madame Butterfly’ — so this was a nice addition,” said director Linda Lehr.

Set during late 1800s Japan, the comic plot follows the love affairs of the royal residents of Titipu: the Mikado; the elderly Katisha, who is set to marry the Mikado’s son, Nanki-Poo; his dear love, Yum-Yum; and her fiancee, Ko-Ko.

The Japanese setting was mainly a device to allow the writers to satirize Victorian mores at a time — 1885 — when such things were not done. Still, there’s some authenticity in the company’s production; Regina soprano Yoko Yamashita, who was trained in Japanese classical dance, has been helping with the choreography.

“Our show goes from real Japanese dance all the way to British musical vaudeville choreography,” said Lehr. “We’re having a lot of fun with it.”

“The Mikado” at Regina Hall [1210 65th St. at 12th Avenue in Bay Ridge, (718) 259-2772], March 5-6, 12-13 at 3 pm. Tickets $23 ($18 for students and seniors, $5 for teens, and free for children). For info, visit www.reginaopera.org.


Photo by Matthew Nedbalsky