Lionel Hampton School of Music presents historic opera ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’
Performances run March 6-7 in the Hartung Theater
March 3, 2026
MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton School of Music (LHSOM) will present W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s comedic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Hartung Theater, 625 Stadium Drive, Moscow.
This production is brought to life with the LHSOM orchestra, in collaboration with the Department of Theatre Arts, promising a performance filled with humor, heart and exquisite music.
“H.M.S. Pinafore,” or “The Lass That Loved a Sailor,” is set on the quarter-deck of HMS Pinafore, a British Royal Navy ship at the end of the 19th century.
The story follows Josephine, the daughter of the ship’s captain, as she falls in love with a low-class seaman who works aboard the vessel. “H.M.S. Pinafore” is a satirical comedy that explores class divisions while poking fun at the fading British Empire through frivolity, silliness and over-the-top characters.
“These ideas of rank and title may seem distant to a modern American audience, yet parallels are easy to spot,” said Stefan Gordon, assistant professor of voice and director of the U of I production “We hear declarations of equality yet observe that those with power or wealth are often considered ‘more equal than others,’ openly skirting laws and using their power to rob and exploit the weak.”
While the show criticizes aspects of 19th-century British society, Gilbert and Sullivan’s affection for their homeland shines through the music, Gordon said.
“This is not a serious show — it is a comedy, and above all else, it is the joyful, loving celebration of traditional British music that remains the true heart of this historic piece,” Gordon said.
Tickets, which are $10 for students, seniors and children 12 and under and $12 for general admission, can be purchased at uitickets.com or at the door (card only).
Media contact
Alisa Volz
Communication Specialist
Department of Theatre Arts & Lionel Hampton School of Music
208-885-6465
avolz@uidaho.edu