California
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August 10, 2021
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In the final days of the spring semester, the Thomas Aquinas College California Choir and Orchestra performed Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1882 comedic opera, Iolanthe, before a full house in St. Cecilia Hall. Under the direction of Dan Grimm (’76), the production was part of the 2020-21 St. Vincent de Paul Lecture and Concert Series, endowed by Barbara and Paul Henkels.

The player below contains both video of the performance as well as a photographic slideshow, followed by a list of the cast members and orchestra.

Slideshow: Iolanthe
  • The orchestra for Iolanthe
  • Five fairies dance in a sheepfield
  • The Fairy Queen addresses the fairies in the sheepfield
  • A young man, presumably Strephon, talk with his mother, a fairy
  • Strephon and Phyllis profess their love for one another
  • Further discussion between the lovers
  • The eminent Peers, in re capes, gold crowns, and high stockings
  • Four of the Peers expound
  • Eight of the peers in enthusiastic chorus
  • The Lord Chancellor makes his appearance, in wig and Court robes
  • The Lord Chancellor expounds his case
  • The Peers attempt to woo Phyllis, without success
  • The Peers, surrounding Phyllis
  • The fairies fall in love with the Peers while the Fairy Queen looks on in dismay
  • Strephon sings unhappily, surrounded by the fairies and the Fairy Queen
  • The fairies and the peers at London. Big Ben forms a centerpiece in the background
  • The Lord Chancellor, in his nightclothes, lies onstage and sings of his plight
  • The Fairy Queen holds court with Iolanthe, sword in hand
  • The fairies, accompanied by the Peers whom they love, beg the Queen to have mercy on Iolanthe
  • With the fairies united with their Peers, Iolanthe returns to the Chancellor
  • Iolanthe takes center stage
  • The Chancellor and Iolanthe sing a duet
  • All the characters, variously married off, in the finale
  • Hand in hand, the cast takes a bow
  • Another shot of the finale
  • Closeup of the Chancellor and his fairy wife in the finale
Cast
Strephon Stephen Cyr (’21)
Phyllis Renata Zepeda (’21)
Fleta Genevieve Urban (’22)
Leila Esther Ruehle (’22)
Celia Susana Sedler (’24)
The Fair Queen Marya Garneau (’21)
Lord Mt. Ararat Michael Grumbine (’21)
Iolanthe Michaela Lessard (’23)
Private Willis Gregory Baer (’24)
The Lord Chancellor Peter Lucas (’22)
Lord Tolloller Michael Scriber (’21)
Chorus of Fairies Allana Donnelly, Josephine Youngblood
Chorus of Peers John Greene, John Kelley, Paul Lessard, Joshua Moore, Joseph O’Hara
 
Orchestra
Violin  I Christopher Atwood (’24), Matthew Loew, Christine Snipes
Violin II Anna Asper (’21), Ann Bulcher
Viola Joseph Teichert
Cello Georgia Snethun (’23)
Bass Carla Capolupo
Flute Sophia Cummings (’23)
Clarinet Kellan Loew
Bassoon Cavit Monezis
Trumpet Garin Ballard (’21), Michael Bishop (’23), Claire Dempsey (’21) 
Horn Lisa McCormick
Percussion Luke Hernandez (’23), Andrew Garcia (’22)
Piano & Keyboard Justin Fox (’21), Ambrose Terneus (’24)