Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan (Concert Version)

The CSU Summer Conducting Seminar continues its fun tradition of presenting a delightful concert version of a popular operetta or Broadway musical. The project serves as the master’s thesis for working music educators from around the world who participate in the seminar for three consecutive summers.

“Patience,” or “Bunthorne’s Bride,” opened at the Opera Comique on April 23, 1881, transferring to the new Savoy Theatre on October 10, 1881. The opera ran for a total of 578 performances. Patience satirizes the “aesthetic craze” of the 1870s and 80’s, when the output of poets, composers, painters and designers of all kinds was indeed prolific but, some argued, empty and self-indulgent. This artistic movement was so popular, and also so easy to ridicule as a meaningless fad, that it made Patience a bit hit.

All the well-born young ladies in the village rapturously caught up in aestheticism, are in love with two contrasting aesthetic poets a “fleshy” poet and an “idyllic” poet. But the poets are both in love with Patience, the simple village milkmaid, who cares nothing for poetry. Patience learns that true love must be completely unselfish it must wither and sting and burn! The girls’ military suitors don’t see the point to aesthetics, but they decide to give it a try to win the women’s hearts. It is touch and go for a while, but everyone ends up with a suitable partner, even if it is only a tulip or lily.

Also check out other Arts events in Fort Collins, Literary Art events in Fort Collins, Concerts in Fort Collins.