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 IU OPERA THEATER PRESENTS
THE MIKADO
By Gilbert and Sullivan
July 28, 29 and August 4, 5
8 p.m. in the Musical Arts Center
Guest Conductor: Raymond Harvey
Stage Director: Vincent Liotta
Set Designer: Peter Dean Beck
SYNOPSIS
A year before the action of this work begins, Nanki-Poo, son of the Mikado of Japan, fled his father’s imperial court to escape marriage with Katisha, an elderly lady. Disguised as a traveling musician, he met and fell in love with Yum-Yum, the young ward of Ko-Ko, a cheap tailor in the town of Titipu. Yum-Yum, however, was already engaged to her guardian, and Nanki-Poo left Titipu in despair.
ACT I
The Courtyard of Ko-Ko’s Official Residence in Titipu
The act opens with a group of Japanese nobles milling in the courtyard. Nanki-Poo, still in disguise as a musician, returns to Titipu eagerly seeking Yum-Yum, as he has heard that Ko-Ko was condemned to death for flirting and was beheaded. He introduces himself and, to his dismay, learns from Pish-Tush that though Ko-Ko was condemned to death, his sentence was reprieved, and he was instead named the Lord High Executioner. Since tradition dictates that all criminals must be executed in order, and Ko-Ko was next, no one else can be executed until Ko-Ko cuts off his own head.
For a small fee, Pooh-Bah, who is the Lord High Everything Else, reveals that Yum-Yum is on her way home from school and will be wed to Ko-Ko that very afternoon. Ko-Ko enters and explains how it is that he became the Lord High Executioner. He is full of ideas for his first official victim, as he discusses with Pooh-Bah the plans for his forthcoming marriage.
A procession of school girls arrive, followed by Yum-Yum and her sisters, Pitti-Sing and Peep-Bo. Yum-Yum greets her fiancée with very little enthusiasm, as she sees Nanki-Poo. Ko-Ko introduces Pooh-Bah, who greets the girls very reluctantly.
Taking advantage of a few minutes alone with Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo declares his love and reveals to her his true identity. Because of the strict laws against flirting, Yum-Yum urges him to stay away from her. Nanki-Poo devises a plan to flirt by imagining what they could do if it were not for the law.
Ko-Ko, meanwhile, has received a letter from the Mikado, who is disturbed because there have been no executions in Titipu and threatens severe consequences—such as reducing the status of the town to a village—if an execution does not take place within a month. Pooh Bah points out that the next in line for execution is in fact Ko-Ko, who understandably, would prefer someone else for that honor. Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah, and Pish-Tush debate who should be executed. Ko-Ko finds Nanki-Poo contemplating suicide rather than face life without Yum-Yum. The two men strike a bargain: Ko-Ko will let Nanki-Poo marry Yum-Yum now and in return Nanki-Poo agrees to be beheaded at the end of the month, and Ko-Ko to marry his widow.
The citizens of Titipu want to know how Ko-Ko will comply with the Mikado’s degree. Ko-Ko introduces Nanki-Poo as his volunteer and Nanki-Poo embraces Yum-Yum. The townspeople rejoice over this fortuitous resolution; but the celebration is interrupted by the arrival of Katisha. All cower except Pitti-Sing, who taunts Katisha, who is furious at Nanki-Poo’s rejection. She attempts to reveal his true identity, but is silenced by the crowd. Katisha vows revenge as Act I concludes.
ACT II
Ko-Ko’s Garden, Later the Same Day.
Act II begins as Yum-Yum, aided by her sisters and friends, is preparing for her wedding. She comes to the conclusion that she is indeed more beautiful than any other woman because she is a child of nature and resembles her mother.
Yum-Yum and her sisters are very sad at the prospect of her very brief marriage. Nanki-Poo enters and tries to lift their spirits. But the wedding plans come to a grinding halt when the Mikado discovers that according to the law, when a married man is beheaded, his wife must be buried alive. Yum-Yum suddenly becomes much less enthusiastic about her upcoming nuptials.
To spare his beloved Yum-Yum from this fate, Nanki-Poo decides to kill himself at once. The only flaw with this plan is that it would leave Ko-Ko with nobody to behead. To compound matters, word arrives that the Mikado is at that very moment approaching Titipu. Nanki-Poo offers himself for immediate decapitation, but Ko-Ko can’t bring himself to do this. Suddenly, Ko-Ko realizes that he can accomplish the same thing by swearing a false affidavit that he has done the deed. However, this means that Nanki-Poo has to leave immediately never to return. Since Nanki-Poo will not leave without Yum-Yum, Ko-Ko sends her with him, and the happy couple escape just as the Mikado is arriving in town.
As the Mikado enters, he describes how he governs, in a fatherly kind of way, each tribe and sect. He is delighted to learn that an execution has taken place and is eager to hear the details. Ko-Ko, assisted by Pitti-Sing and Pooh-Bah describe a highly creative version of the event.
But matters take a turn for the worst when the Mikado, at Katisha’s urging, asks for the whereabouts of his son. It is unfortunate that this is, of course, Nanki-Poo, whom Ko-Ko has just admitted he beheaded. Ko-Ko and his accomplices are found guilty of killing the heir apparent and scheduled to die after luncheon by a method that will be ”something humorous, but lingering, with either boiling oil or melted lead.”
The Mikado expresses his regret at what is about to happen, but consoles himself by saying that this is an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical productions. Ko-Ko’s only hope is to admit the lie and produce Nanki-Poo alive and well. However, since Nanki-Poo has already married Yum-Yum, he is not free to marry Katisha, and thus, can’t reveal himself without risking his life and that of his wife, Yum-Yum. Ko-Ko is left with no other choice but to woo, win, and wed Katisha. Katisha, upset at the loss of Nanki-Poo, at first rejects Ko-Ko’s advances. But he then sings her a tender ballad, and she finally accepts him.
Nanki-Poo returns with his bride and presents her to his father. Ko-Ko devises a complicated explanation of his actions that manage to satisfy the Mikado who commutes his death sentence to one of life with Katisha. All ends well with laughter and song. |
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