The Moab Music Festival will formally close out its run with a concert celebrating English music on Sept. 7. On the program will be arrangements of English folk songs by Benjamin Britten, the Piano Quintet in G minor by Arnold Bax and the Phantasie Trio by Alice Verne-Bredt, a contemporary of Bax whose music today is unduly neglected.

Robert Breault

The featured work, though, is Gilbert and Sullivan’s one-act operetta Trial by Jury, the duo’s first unqualified success. Performing it will be tenor Robert Breault and members of his Utah Lyric Opera Ensemble. Directing will be Julie Wright-Costa, a colleague of Breault’s at the University of Utah’s opera department. Also taking part from the U. is pianist Jeffery Price.

“The piece is a lot of fun. It’s a spoof of everything,” Breault said in an interview with Reichel Recommends.

The plot is simple and ludicrous as only librettist William S. Gilbert could fashion. It revolves around a case of breach of promise of marriage which, after the usual antics, is finally resolved with the judge offering to marry the wronged lady himself. “None of the characters are warm hearted people,” said Breault, who sings the role of the Defendant, “but we still love them.”

This will be Breault’s first G & S role. Wright-Costa, however, has had considerable experience with the G & S repertoire through her yearly engagements at the Ohio Light Opera. “That’s why I’m excited she has accepted the job to direct,” Breault said.

Festival co-founder Michael Barrett, who will conduct the performance, wants the piece sung with an English accent, Breault said, but differently than native speakers would speak. “He wants to bring out the rhyming schemes. But we have to be careful and not overdo it, otherwise the audience will miss the clever lyrics.”

Besides being his first Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, this performance also marks Breault’s debut at the Moab festival. “Michael wanted me to do it and some other pieces on the program,” Breault said. “Up to now I’ve always avoided singing with the students.” But he added that it’s been a great experience for him and for the young singers. “It’s been a unifying experience for my class,” he said.

The production will be staged, but with minimal costumes and sets.

“This is really a great way to close the festival,” Breault said. “Trial by Jury is a nice dessert.”

Also performing on the concert will be Marc Teicholz, guitar; Ayano Ninomiya, Arnaud Susmann and Paul Woodiel, violin; LP How and Leslie Tomkins, viola; Tanya Tomkins and Jeremy Turner, cello; and Eric Zivian, piano.

• CONCERT DETAILS
• What: “There Will Always Be an England”
• Venue: Star Hall, 159 E. Center St., Moab
• Time and Date: 7 p.m. Sept. 7
• Tickets: $30
• Phone: 435-259-7003
• Web: www.moabmusicfest.org

(For a schedule of events please click here.)