TORONTO—Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth is having a blast working on “The Pirates of Penzance” this December with the Toronto Operetta Theatre. Gilbert and Sullivan’s more than 100-year-old operetta is still entertaining today with its satirical, romantic story of kind-hearted but overzealous pirates and officials, married with joyful melodies.
“Gilbert and Sullivan were so clever at writing these memorable characters and beautiful songs and it’s a really fun project to be involved in,” says Ainsworth, who has sung in the operetta several times but never tires of it.
There are many layers that account for “The Pirates of Penzance’s” popularity, he says. One is the story’s timeless quality, poking fun at our shared humanity—love, honour, and social relationships.
