34^th Festival Season - 2012

THE MIKADO

or The Town of Titipu

Music by Richard Rodgers

Music by Arthur Sullivan

Libretto by William Gilbert

The noble lord Pish-Tush relates that, under the Mikado's law, the tailor Ko-Ko has been condemned to death for flirting, but has been reprieved at the last moment and appointed Lord High Executioner of Titipu. All other duties will be assumed by Pooh-Bah, the Lord High Everything Else. Ko-Ko is betrothed to his ward Yum-Yum, but she has fallen in love with the strolling musician Nanki-Poo. She and her sisters, Peep-Bo and Pitti-Sing, have recently left the confines of the ladies' seminary, see life as a source of fun, and wonder what the world has in store for them. Nanki-Poo reveals to Yum-Yum that he is, in fact, the Mikado's son and has fled from court to escape the marital ambitions of the elderly Katisha. The Mikado sends word of his displeasure that no executions have yet taken place in Titipu, and orders that the situation be rectified soon. Nanki-Poo, in despair and on the verge of suicide because he cannot marry Yum-Yum, agrees to be executed in a month, provided that he can marry her in the meantime. Ko-Ko cannot bring himself to kill anyone; he falsifies an affidavit of execution. The Mikado, accompanied by Katisha, arrives in Titipu in search of his son. When Katisha sees Nanki-Poo's name on the affidavit, the Mikado condemns Ko-Ko to death for compassing the death of the heir-apparent. It is only after Ko-Ko persuades Katisha to love him, she pleads for mercy with the Mikado, and emperor and son are reunited that all ends happily in Titipu.