Choir & Orchestra Delight Audience with Princess Ida

The students, faculty, and many families at Thomas Aquinas College, California, enjoyed another round of live theater on April 5 — though Gilbert & Sullivan’s farcical Princess Ida was a far cry from the tragic tale that unfolded last month on Trojan shores.

Prince Hilarion, played by Patrick Murphy (’25), was betrothed at the tender age of two to Princess Ida, played by Susana Sedler (’24), when she was only one year old. Twenty years later, Hilarion seeks at last to fulfill the vow of his toddler years and marry Ida. But in the intervening decades, his bride-to-be has dedicated herself to modern education — and forsworn all thoughts of marriage. Should the couple not wed, their bellicose fathers — played by Alex Roberts (’25) and Paul Lessard (’24) — will immediately go to war. Hilarion therefore sets out to win Ida’s affection, at whatever cost.

Featuring the Thomas Aquinas College Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Dan Grimm (’76), the performance was a resounding success. The audience enjoyed the solos, duets, and choral numbers, as well as the rip-roaring comic absurdity of a tale that only Gilbert & Sullivan could tell.

“My favorite part of playing Princess Ida was making a beautiful thing together with such dear friends,” said Miss Sedler. “I’m thankful to Mr. Grimm for giving us the chance to bring to life the humor and sparkle of Princess Ida.”