HMS Pinafore - English National Opera tickets

All aboard HMS Pinafore for this hilarious revival of Gilbert & Sullivan’s nautical love triangle, where the comic opera duo navigate the tricky waters of class, rank, patriotism and power, in their signature slapstick style.

Overview

Join Captain Corcoran and his daughter Josephine as she faces a battle between duty and love on the high seas. While her father makes plans for her to tie the knot with the suitably ranked First Lord of the Admiralty, Josephine has romantic ideas of her own. And after falling for lowly deckhand Ralph, the loved-up pair make plans to elope. That is, until a surprise revelation rocks the boat.

Staging & Score

This laugh-out-loud opera is set aboard the Royal Navy warship HMS Pinafore. And while the ship remains anchored in Portsmouth, it didn’t stop the opera reaching international shores and becoming the first of Gilbert & Sullivan’s operas to find global success. Following its premiere in 2021, this Cal McCrystal production was nominated for an Olivier Award for Set and Costume Design in the Outstanding Achievement in Opera category.

With its fast pace, topical humour and quintessential Britishness, the score includes some of the most popular operatic music in the world, enjoyed both on stage and featuring in popular TV shows like The Simpsons and The West Wing. If quick-fire humour floats your boat, we think you’ll love HMS Pinafore.