An opera that is nearly 130 years old is getting a fresh coat of paint starting this weekend at Kansas University.KU Opera is staging Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Patience,” a satirical look at the “aesthetic craze” of the 1870s and 1880s in England during the boom of poets, composers, painters, designers and other artists. The opera, which opened in 1881 in London, ran for 578 performances.But this KU production has some more modern twists.”We are placing the action in Lawrence, Kan., in the 1920s,” says Mark Ferrell, musical director for KU Opera. “Any reference to military men has been changed to athletes, and we’ve added a few local references in terms of street names, people, places and more. There also are references to current events.”The opera opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 14, all at Swarthout Recital Hall inside KU’s Murphy Hall.Tickets are $15 for the public, $10 for senior citizens and $7 for students. They are available at the Lied Center Box Office (864-2787) and the Murphy Hall Box Office (864-3982).Click here to listen to an audio excerpt from the production.