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The Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Manchester, is an appreciation society of the G&S operas. We hold a variety of events, including talks, concerts and study evenings. Our meetings are held monthly from May to October: some via Zoom and others live in central Manchester. The Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Manchester We are not a performing society, but exist to help anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, and the lives of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. The aims of the society are to encourage people of all ages to enjoy and develop their knowledge of the world of Gilbert and Sullivan, and to help maintain the integrity of the operas. Join us on Facebook About Our history & commitment Future Events See what's happening Join Us Support us “To get from ‘p rotoplasmal primordial atomic globule’ (as Gilbert and Sullivan put it) to sentient upright modern human has required you to mutate new traits over and over in a precisely timely manner for an exceedingly long while." Bill Bryson – A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003)

Upcoming Events Tuesday 13th January 2026 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "Happy to meet you all once more" Jane Metcalfe, principal mezzo-soprano with the D’Oyly Carte 1975 to 1979, will stroll down memory lane and tell us some of her activities since then. Tuesday 10th February 2026 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "Red and yellow! Primary colours! Oh, South Kensington" Our member Raymond Walker, co-author of the scenic book Background to a Legend full of excellent images of D’Oyly Carte sets, has fresh historic and interesting Savoy photos to show. Sunday 1st March 2026 at 2.30 pm "he'll give you any further information" Our member Paul Taylor will entertain us with another of his popular evenings at an opera, The Mikado this time. Paul investigates the time in which it was written and details of interest about it. Sunday 19th April 2026 at 2.30 pm "with laughing song and merry dance" CELEBRITY CONCERT WITH PHOEBE SMITH. Phoebe studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and performs regularly with the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. Accompanied on the piano by David Wheeler. Admission: members £5, visitors £7 Tuesday 19th May 2026 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "What ought we to do?" Annual General Meeting. CLICK HERE FOR OTHER EVENTS

2027 Convention The 24th Gilbert & Sullivan Convention will take place from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 May 2027 at the Pinewood Hotel in Wilmslow (pictured below). The hotel has a good number of accessible rooms, a lift, on-site free parking, and is approx. 3.2 miles (9-minute taxi ride) from Wilmslow Railway Station, which is located on the West Coast Main Line. The average journey time from London Euston to Wilmslow by train is 2 hours 19 minutes, although on the fastest services it can take just 1 hour 52 minutes. For further information about the hotel: https://pinewood-hotel.co.uk https://aghotels.co.uk/pinewood-hotel/ what3words location: what3words.com/dust.index.barn The likely cost for the weekend will be £395 (single occupancy) , £375 (double occupancy) and £240 (non residential) . Provisional timetable: Late Spring 2026 — Final version of the programme to be published. January 2027 — Booking forms available.

David's Concert The video below is a recording of the concert arranged by David Goulden, with his friends from Crosby G&S Society, and Anya Maniyar, one of David’s pupils. It was recorded at Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester, on Sunday 9th November 2025.

About Us The Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Manchester , which was founded in 1932, provides an interesting and entertaining programme of events, once a month between October and May. Some of the meetings are held at the Cross Street Chapel , Cross Street, Manchester, usually on Sundays, and other meetings are held via Zoom, usually on Tuesdays. Many members of the society have close links with other related societies, including performing societies, and some members have professional links in the G&S world. The society aims to stimulate interest and develop knowledge of the Savoy operas and their authors; it is not a performing society, but enjoys friendly relations with local amateur societies. Our membership is made up of passionate individuals who share a love for these timeless operas. We invite you to join us in celebrating the music, characters and stories that have delighted audiences for over a century. The society is affiliated to The Gilbert and Sullivan Society which meets in London. It was founded in 1924 and was the first of some twenty affiliated societies formed throughout the world. The annual subscription to The Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Manchester is £22, or £11 for anyone under the age of 18 or receiving full-time education. The year starts on 8th April. Admission to most meetings is free of charge. For one or two meetings a year, when professional singers/performers are involved, there is usually an admission charge of £5 for members, and £7 for visitors. We have a committee of approximately eight members who plan the monthly programmes and make other decisions about the Society. Heading 3

Iolanthe Click on a photograph to enlarge it. Click here to return to Gallery index

Trial by Jury Click on a photograph to enlarge it. Click here to return to Gallery index

Patience Click on a photograph to enlarge it. Click here to return to Gallery index

Rutland Barrington Click on a photograph to enlarge it. Click here to return to Gallery index

Programme for the 2024–25 (93rd) Season Sunday 6th October 2024 at 2.30 pm "I have a pretty turn for anecdote" Our Vice-President David Steadman will be in conversation with David Walton . He has promised some musical surprises. It is always entertaining and amusing when these two chat together. The Sheila Taylor meeting. Sunday 3rd November 2024 at 2.30 pm "The air is charged with amatory numbers" A concert by Sophie Clarke, mezzo-soprano, and James Connolly, baritone, both postgraduate students at the RNCM. Sophie won the award offered by The G&S Society. Accompanied on the piano by David Wheeler. The Harold Sumner meeting. Admission: members £5, visitors £7. Tuesday 3rd December 2024 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "Tell us, tell us all about it" James Hurley, revival director of Opera North's Ruddigore , will enlighten us on this production. The Norman Beckett meeting. Tuesday 14th January 2025 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "Sprites of earth and air" Our Vice-President Martin Lamb will intrigue us with an illustrated talk on ‘Gilbert and Sullivan and the supernatural in Victorian Art‘. Tuesday 11th February 2025 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "All is prepared" John Broad and Rosalind Griffiths share stories of their performing careers from their time in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and beyond. Sunday 23rd February 2025 at 2.30 pm "Oh, joy unbounded!" Our friends from Sale G&S Society will perform Trial by Jury in celebration of its 150th anniversary, and David Walton will share some thoughts about this gem of an opera. Sunday 30th March 2025 at 2.30 pm "And I am right, And you are right. And everything is quite correct!" What are our top three G&S operas? John Coates will encourage us to share our favourites in the G&S canon. Tuesday 13th May 2025 at 7.30 pm "Strange the views some people hold!" Annual General Meeting. POSTPONED TO 28TH JANUARY 2025 DUE TO A TECHNICAL PROBLEM.

The Sorcerer Click on a photograph to enlarge it. Click here to return to Gallery index

The Sorcerer Click on a photograph to enlarge it. Click here to return to Gallery index