The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players celebrate the troupe's 40th anniversary this year.

The renowned theater company, which began in 1974 as a group of talented young people who performed on street corners, has gained international recognition and is one of the most accomplished and widely-acclaimed presenters of Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

The NY G&S Players will present the comic operetta "The Mikado," 8 p.m. Jan. 17, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.

Albert Bergeret, NY G&S Players founder, director and general manager, says the troupe is composed primarily of post-college individuals who have a strong interest in the arts.

"I have people who've been with the company for 25 years," says Bergeret in a phone interview from his home in New York. "They're veterans, and also mentors to the younger performers."

Bergeret does not want a theater company that is stodgy. "We strive to strike a balance between tradition and growth. We're part of a family … that evolves and grows."

Bergeret's career spans nearly five decades. The resident stage director with New York Grand Opera received a BA from Columbia University. He's made a professional specialty of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. Bergeret has sung, conducted, directed and designed every opera in the G&S repertoire.

This will be the third time the NY G&S Players performs with Bergeret conducting the Allentown Symphony Orchestra at Miller Symphony Hall.

"The Mikado Or The Town of Titipu," which is its full title, is about the son of the ruler of Japan, a wandering minstrel, who falls in love with a girl who is engaged to her guardian.

The show, which is in two acts, opened in 1885 at London's Savoy Theatre, where it was one of the longest-running shows of that era. It remains a fan favorite.

"It's an iconic piece," says Bergeret. "It is a satire on institutions and individual behavior. All of Gilbert and Sullivan's works are about the excesses of human nature.

"It satirizes an Asian dictator [the Poo-Bah, the Lord High Everything Else], who gets fatter every time he takes a bribe."

Characters, with names such as Ko-Ko, Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum, present an entertaining storyline that delights audiences.

The premise of a sadistic but benevolent dictator is relevant today, which proves how timeless Gilbert and Sullivan's universal themes are.

"Gilbert was under heavy censorship laws in 19th-century Britain," says Bergeret. "He had to create things that were less offensive, generic and cleverly-worded."

Although set in Japan, the show pokes fun at British government.

"Yet the Japanese representation is very authentic," says Bergeret. "It contains authentic melodies and costumes."

For those who may be seeing "The Mikado" for the first time, Bergeret says, "It's funny, visually-stunning, with beautiful and satirical music, sentiment and human moments.

"The other side of Gilbert and Sullivan's satire are touching, heartfelt scenes that are very relatable for the audience."

Tickets: Miller Symphony Hall Box Office, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown; allentownsymphony.org; 610-432-6715