Země úsměvů

Gilbert and Sullivan: Their Greatest Hits

On the centenary of the opening of the operetta Iolanthe, Gilbert & Sullivan return to the Royal Albert Hall London to attend a performance of their most popular works.

The Mikado

In a small Japanese town, Ko-Ko is appointed to the unenviable position of executioner. Knowing he must successfully perform before the appearance of the Mikado in a month's time, Ko-Ko finds a suitable victim in Nanki-Poo, who is distraught over his unrequited love for the maiden Yum-Yum. Nanki-Poo agrees to sacrifice his life if he is allowed to spend his remaining days with Yum-Yum, who is betrothed to Ko-Ko. Filmed live from the 1982 Stratford Festival in Ontario.

Orpheus in the Underworld

This musical comedy based on an opera by Jacques Offenbach incorporates a twist on the classic Greek myth: Orpheus, a music teacher at a girls’ school in the ancient Greek city of Thebes, actually does not miss his wife Eurydice that much – until the gods and Offenbach himself pressure him to retrieve her from Hades.

The Blue from the Sky

Out of unlikely circumstances an underground ticket vending girl and a mail pilot fall in love.

Mam’zelle Nitouche

Bílý oficír

Gräfin Mariza

A Hungarian countess, wanting to dissuade unwanted suitors, announces her engagement to a fictional count Zsupán. Things go awry when a count Zsupán shows up, having heard of his engagement in the papers.

Fatinica

Wind of Freedom

Based on the operetta of the same name by Isaak Dunayevsky. The port town of one of the small southern countries. After the Nazi occupiers left, the port's berths were empty, the steamers did not smoke, cargo cranes stood. Fearing retaliation for collaborating with enemies, port owner Georg Stan fled the city. After waiting a while and securing the support of local authorities, Stan nonetheless returns - and loading operations begin in the port. While loading oranges, the sailor Yango and the beautiful Stella are preparing for the wedding. Suddenly, Stan makes a proposal to the girl and tricks her into agreeing. Upon learning of the deception, the girl runs away to Yango. Having discovered weapons intended to support fascism in the drawer of the hold, the heroes do everything possible to make the boxes fall to the bottom of the sea.

The Husbands and The Knives

Where the Lark Sings

Country girl Margit sits for the artist Sándor, from Budapest. She is fascinated and charmed by him, and agrees to accompany him to the capital, so he can complete the painting there. Disillusionment sets in, however, when Sándor wins a prize with the finished portrait and loses interest in her. Margit recognizes that her true happiness lies at home, with Pista, her faithful lover.

Der Vetter aus Dingsda

The Desert Song

French General Birabeau has been sent to Morocco to root out and destroy the Riffs, a band of Arab rebels, who threaten the safety of the French outpost in the Moroccan desert. Their dashing, daredevil leader is the mysterious "Red Shadow". Margot Bonvalet, a lovely, sassy French girl, is soon to be married at the fort to Birabeau's right-hand man, Captain Fontaine. Birabeau's son Pierre, in reality the Red Shadow, loves Margot, but pretends to be a milksop to preserve his secret identity. Margot tells Pierre that she secretly yearns to be swept into the arms of some bold, dashing sheik, perhaps even the Red Shadow himself. Pierre, as the Red Shadow, kidnaps Margot and declares his love for her.

Song of the West

Captain Stanton, who because of a misunderstanding over a woman with Major Davolo, has been cited for a court martial. As a scout, he is sent to escort a wagon train which is under military escort. It turns out that this escort is his own former regiment. When he meet Davolo, there is another fight and between Stanton and Davolo in which Davolo is killed.

Děvče z předměstí

Natalka Poltavka

The trials and tribulations of Natalka and Petro. The sweethearts plan to get married, however, Natalka's father does not approve of the marriage because Petro's not affluent enough to keep Natalka in the manner he thought that she should be kept. Petro goes off to earn the required fortune. With no news from Petro for five years, Natalka succumbs to her mother's wishes and finally accepts her next offer of marriage, which happens to come from an old, but relatively wealthy government official.

The Merry Widow

Lotfi Mansouri's spectacular last production as General Director of The San Francisco Opera with Yvonne Kenny making her debut in the title role, new dialogue specially commissioned from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Wendy Wasserstein and an original ballet to set the scene ‘Chez Maxime’ bringing fresh insight into Lehár's classic operetta. This production also features another world premiere, Njegus's song, ‘Quite Parisian’.

Dům u tří děvčátek

Bride of the Regiment

As they are leaving the church following their wedding, Count Adrian Beltrami and Countess Anna-Marie are told that the Austrians are marching on the town to quell an Italian uprising. The bride and relatives induce the count to flee to his castle, but Tangy, a silhouette cutter, brings word from the revolutionary committee asking him to return; the count goes, asking Tangy to pose as the count and protect Anna-Marie.

Not on the Lips

A musical drawing room farce set in Paris circa October, 1925. Middle-aged Gilberte flirts with men but loves her husband Georges, wishing he were more demonstrative. He's negotiating a deal with American Eric Thomson, who turns out to be Gilberte's first husband from an annulled and secret stateside marriage. Along with her sister Arlette, Gilberte begs Eric not to tell Georges about their past. Meanwhile, a young artist, Charly, pursues Gilberte while Arlette tries to match him with the young Huguette, who loves him. Will Eric play along or try to re-win Gilberte's affection? Can Gilberte play one off against another? And who will manage to kiss whom on the lips?