When the curtain rises this week on the debut of the Young Victorian Theatre Company's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance," it'll also mark the beginning of Towson University associate professor Phillip Collister's tenure as the company's music director and conductor.

The summer repertory opera company's production opens in Centennial Hall at Bryn Mawr School this Saturday, July 11, at 8 p.m. Additional performance dates are July 12, 16, 17, 18 and 19.

Collister, an associate professor of voice and opera at Towson, has been a member of the music faculty since 1998.

In addition to leading the TU voice division, he's producer and director of Towson's Music for the Stage program, and teaches private voice.

Collister also has a background as a conductor and stage director of operas and musicals. He has produced, directed or conducted operas including "Dido and Aeneas," "The Magic Flute," "The Stoned Guest," "Mahagonny Songspiel" and others, as well as musicals such as "A Little Night Music," "Forever Plaid," "Hair," "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Chicago."

From 2001 to 2006, Collister was producer and music director for the Maryland Arts Festival; and from 2001 to 2003 he was the conductor of the opera studio at the Fairbanks (Alaska) Summer Arts Festival.

He's also a solo singer, having performed with the Bach Sinfonia, in Washington; the Handel Choir of Baltimore and the Baltimore Opera; and also with the Washington Bach Consort, the Maryland Handel Festival and at the Handel Festival in Germany.

Collister, who holds a doctorate in musical arts from the University of Maryland, College Park, maintains a solo schedule that includes performances at St. Peter's Concert Series, in New York; a tour of "American Art Song" in the United States and Germany, and recitals at Towson University.

The Young Victorian Theatre Company was founded in 1971 as a high school troupe.

Collister's debut show with the Young Vic follows the company's tradition of combining professional performers in leading roles and a chorus of area talents of all ages.

"The 'Pirates of Penzance' is a timeless classic," said Brian Goodman, general manager of Young Vic. "Our ... audiences know to pay special attention for Young Vic's irreverent and localized takes on how classics, such as 'Pirates,' are relevant in 2009."

Goodman himself follows in that tradition of professional people making a creative turn on stage. An attorney with the Towson law firm of Hodes, Pessin & Katz, he began his tenure with the Young Vic as a student performer -- 32 years ago.

'Pirates' of Bryn Mawr

The Young Victorian Theatre Company's production of "The Pirates of Penzance," will be on stage at Centennial Hall at Bryn Mawr School, 109 W. Melrose Ave., Baltimore, on July 11, 16, 17 and 18 at 8 p.m.; and July 12 and 19 at 3 p.m. Admission is $36 for all shows. Group rates are available. Call 410-323-3077 or visit www.yvtc.org.

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