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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)

Video/Audio Recordings Tuesday 13th January 2026: Jane Metcalfe, principal mezzo-soprano with the D‘Oyly Carte Opera Company 1975 to 1979, talks about her career both in the Company and afterwards. Sunday 5th October 2025: Our President David Mackie is in conversation with our Chairman, David Walton, and enchants us with some piano music. It is fifty years this year since David Mackie joined the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company.

Upcoming Events 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 Backdrop to a Legend: The Scenic Design of the D‘Oyly Carte Opera Company 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

Ruddigore 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

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

Convention 2022 Convention — 13 to 15 May 2022 CLICK HERE CLICK HERE Programme Booking Form CLICK HERE CLICK HERE Booklet for Conference Attendees Alma Lodge Hotel Prices CLICK HERE Budget Calculations CLICK HERE CLICK HERE Balance Sheet Expenditure Pages 1 & 2 are a summary of the information taken from Alma Lodge Hotel's invoice — there are a few inaccuracies, which were highlighted on the original invoice by either Jean or Barbara, such as John & Angie Penn being charged twice for 13 May. Page 3 gives a breakdown of the expenditure items listed on the balance sheet. CLICK HERE Costings and Mark-ups Page 1 shows the mark-ups of the fees paid by attendees, based on hotel charges only (i.e. B&B and refreshment costs). Page 2 distributes the "other" costs equally amongst the 52 attendees (£63.40), and then divides that equally by the five convention sessions (£12.68) . Page 3 shows the fees I would suggest we would have charged for non-residential attendance by individual sessions. (The total we actually charged for the whole weekend non-resident was £195.00 per person.) The last column is the fee rounded up/down to the nearest pound. 2024 Convention — 24 to 26 May 2024 CLICK HERE Programme CLICK HERE Flyer

Programme for the 2011–12 (80th) Season Sunday 23rd October 2011 at 2.30 pm “how sweetly he carols forth his melody” Celebrity concert by Joseph Shovelton (tenor) and Ian Townsend (piano). [ Professional engagements permitting.] One not to be missed. Admission: members £5, visitors £7 The Sheila Taylor meeting. Tuesday 1st November 2011 at 7.15 pm “O man of learning!” ‘ Silent Witness; or, Tales of a Musical Detective ’ – talk by Dr David Russell Hulme, conductor, musicologist, expert on Britis h music, well known for his research and publications on Sullivan. The Norman Beckett meeting. Tuesday 6th December 2011 at 7.15 pm “fear nothing, but enjoy yourselves, I pray!” Sing-It-Ourselves Evening – we will celebrate the Festive Season with a Sing-It-Ourselves evening with bring-and-share refreshments. Sunday 8th January 2012 at 3.00 pm “Every journey has an end.” Outing to a semi-staged c oncert at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, – The Pirates of Penzance with Alistair McGowan and several of our G&S favourites. De tails from Jean Dufty. Sunday 5th February 2012 at 2.30 pm “They sing so nicely” Concert by Bridget Budge (contralto) and John Patchett (bass-baritone), accompanied by Jonathan Ellis. [Professional engagements permitting.] Admission: members £5, visitors £7. Tues day 6th March 2012 at 7.15 pm “And now I look more closely at it” Paul Taylor will give us another of his informative study evenings, this time on The Pirates of Penzance . The Harold Sumner meeting. 20th - 22nd April 2012 “And echo forth the joyous sound” Gilbert and Sullivan Society National Convention at The Alma Lodge Hotel, Stockport. Tuesday 1st May 2012 at 7.15 pm “let u s grasp the situation” Annual General Meeting plus entertainment. Review Review

Programme for the 2025–26 (94th) Season Sunday 5th October 2025 at 2.30 pm "I have a pretty turn for anecdote" Our President David Mackie will be in conversation with David Walton and will enchant us with some piano music . It is 50 years this year since he joined the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. The Norman Beckett meeting. Sunday 9th November 2025 at 2.30 pm "let the air with joy be laden" Our member David Goulden has organised a concert for us of professional young singers he taught when they were at school . The Sheila Taylor meeting. Tuesday 2nd December 2025 on Zoom at 7.30 pm "wher ever that isle may be" Andy Hill, the present owner of D’Oyly Carte Island on the Thames, will tell us about restoring the house and his plans for the future. The Harold Sumner meeting. 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, Backdrop to a Legend : The Scenic Design of the D‘Oyly Carte Opera Company , 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.

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

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