Rté - Lyric Fm - Opera Cereal Podcast

Yum Yum’s to marry the Lord High Executioner KoKo, though she fancies a handsome minstrel called Nanki Poo. Little does she know Nanki Poo is in fact the son of the Mikado, who’s in disguise so as to avoid being married to a grumpy old sourpuss.

Anyone who flirts in the kingdom of Titipu will be decapitated, and KoKo must carry out the killings. Since there’ve been no executions in the past month, the kingdom's in danger of demotion to a village. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of candidates.

Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado is based in the mythical land of Titipu. Nanki Poo,son of the Mikado, has been ordered to marry crotchety old Katisha. His true love Yum Yum had been promised to a tailor called KoKo, now condemned to death for flirting.

Rinaldo realises what he has become, and resolves to return to duty with his friends. The three are about to make their escape when Armida rushes in and begs him to stay. But he stands firm, and she is left alone to destroy her airy castle of desire.

While Rinaldo’s frolicking away, his comrades resolve to rescue him. As they enter Armida’s magical gardens, they’re briefly swayed by it. As they struggle with temptation, they meet up with a troop of nymphs, who whisper to them of profane delectations.

Rinaldo, lured from the path of good by the charms of the sorceress Armida has killed a fellow knight, Gernando, a rival for her hand. Now Rinaldo has fled his troop, and is with Armida who has transformed an enchanted forest into a palace of pleasure.

The Christian crusade is in disarray, the warriors bedazzled by sorceress Armida. There’s history between their leader, Rinaldo and Armida. The witch reminds the knight that she once saved his life, and finally he admits his consuming desire for her.

Jerusalem during the Crusades, and a group of Christian soldiers are approached by a beautiful damsel. Armida claims to be the rightful ruler of Damascus, deposed by her uncle Idraote. She is actually a powerful sorceress, in league with Idraote.

Ellen and Balstrode discover Peter driven insane with grief and remorse. Balstrode tells Grimes to sail his boat out to sea, and sink it. With the outcast’s death, the mob breaks up and the village returns to normal.