PRESS RELEASE  Roanoke Island Festival Park
A Division of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
MORE INFORMATION     Press: Tanya Young, (252) 475-1500 ext. 244
tanya.young@ncdcr.gov / www.roanokeisland.com

UNC Greensboro Brings “A Celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan”
to Roanoke Island Festival Park Performance Series

ROANOKE ISLAND- University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Opera Theatre will present two performances of “A Celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan” on September 18, at 2 and 7 p.m. The performances will take place in the indoor theatre at Roanoke Island Festival Park and are a part of RIFP’s Performance Series. Showcasing the works of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, the shows will bring pirates, sailors, fairies, ghosts, geishas, and more to the stage. All performances are free and open to the public.

“A Celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan” promises two “topsy-turvy” performances from some of the best English satirical stage works. Presented works during the productions include well known shows by the partners such as The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Pirates of Penzance. “A Celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan” and its twenty member cast will delight fans and newcomers to the charming lyrics of Gilbert combined with the memorable tunes of Sullivan.

David Holley directs the UNC Greensboro Opera Theatre. Annually, they perform four productions. The theatre has won the National Opera Association’s Opera Production Competition seven times. In the spring of 2009, it commissioned and premiered American composer Libby Larsen’s newest opera, as adaptation of William Inge’s Picnic.

Gilbert and Sullivan was a partnership for creating comic operas by librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. Their partnership produced fourteen operas between 1871 and 1896. Today, their operas continue to have a following and performances are popular.

Some of North Carolina’s best young talent performs at Roanoke Island Festival Park during the Performance Series. Offering year round music, dance, drama, opera and children shows for the community to enjoy, the series invites performing arts departments from all campuses of the University of North Carolina system to participate. All performances are free and open to the public, promising great entertainment for family and friends of all ages.

Also at Roanoke Island Festival Park, visit the attractions that highlight Roanoke Island’s history. Learn from historical interpreters in their Elizabethan era clothing at the Settlement Site and the Elizabeth II, the park’s 16th century representative ship. Visit our newest exhibit, the American Indian Town. Imagine and learn at the interactive Adventure Museum, with exhibits that portray over four hundred years of Outer Banks history. View artwork in the Art Gallery, or watch the film, The Legend of Two-Path. Play and discover in the Fossil Pit. Relax in Roanoke Island’s tranquil nature while strolling on the Boardwalk beside the marsh. Try out the front porch rocking chairs and visit the Museum Store for a unique memento.