Harrogate Gilbert & Sullivan Society
News
Cast for 2023 Production of The Mikado complete and tickets are on sale!
March 2023
The cast for The Mikado is as follows
Mikado - Oliver Longstaff
Nanki Poo - Daniel Stanford
KoKo - Vincent Conyngham
Pish Tush - Jonathan Spry
Pooh Bah- Gordon Fawcett
Yum Yum - Alex Mather
Pitti Sing - Brittany Rachin
Peep Bo - Lisa Madden
Katisha - Liz Kelley
It's our 50th Year so our production in May will be Mikado
January 2023
As we do in every anniversary year we will be performing MIkado to celebrate our 75th year. Starting with the get in on 22nd May the show week will run until 27th May, at the Frazer Theatre in Knaresborough. Anyone taking part is also asked to make sure they are available for our travelling production at the Buxton festival on 7th August.
Just one Christmas Concert this year!
October 2022
This year there will be just one performance of the annual Christmas concert with the Brighouse and Rastrick Band - at 6pm. Tickets will be selling fast so you are encouraged to get yours as soon as possible from the Theatre Box Office Tel 01423 502116 or online here
Cast for Iolanthe announced
February 2022
This delightful comic opera contains some of the finest melodies Sullivan ever wrote and was his first major success with WS Gilbert. Directed by Oliver Longstaff, this new version of The Sorcerer brings the plot into the 1940s as the villagers prepare to celebrate. When starry-eyed young lovers, Alexis and Aline, decide everyone in their village should be as happy as they are and hire a magician to brew a love potion for the village, typical G&S mayhem and hilarity ensue.
A great evening of entertainment and wonderful singing is anticipated in this magical 1940s production of The Sorcerer – think ‘G&S meets Dad’s Army’!
The Cast
Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre - Gordon Fawcett
Alexis - Jack Megson
Dr Daly - David Parker
A Notary - John Carter
John Wellington Wells - Graham Weston
Hercules - tbc
Lady Sangazure - Jane Fawcett
Aline - Brittany Rachin
Mrs Partlett - Julie Robinson
Constance - Megan Mead
We are Back!!
6 September 2021
As you may have read on the Stray Ferret we are so happy that we can sing together once more and we would love to welcome new members after such a long time!
On Monday 6th September we will start rehearsals for the (normally) annual Christmas Concert with the Brighouse and Rastrick Band.
As it is so long since we sang together we won't be working too hard this week so come along and have a sing, a drink, a nibble and a chat.
We would love you to join us!
Rehearsals are held at St Pauls Church Hall, just off Victoria Avenue.
If you want more information then do get in touch.
See you soon!!
Sparkling line-up of world class musicians at Fanfare for Christmas
12 December 2019
Renowned international conductor, Russell Gray, will be taking the baton in the Royal Hall, Harrogate on Saturday 21 December when the country’s top brass players, the Brighouse and Rastrick Band make a welcome return for their popular festive concerts, ‘Fanfare for Christmas’, at 2.30pm and 7.30pm with the chorus of Harrogate Gilbert & Sullivan Society.
Russell Gray is an international conductor in great demand across the UK and Europe and is himself a cornet virtuoso and former member of the Black Dyke Band. He has recently appeared as a conductor to great acclaim at the Royal Albert Hall (London), Symphony Hall (Birmingham), the Grieg Hall (Bergen), the Stravinsky Hall (Montreux) and the Sydney Opera House among many professional engagements.
A proud Scot, Russell said he was delighted to be coming to Harrogate to conduct the Yorkshire champions, the Brighouse and Rastrick Band. “It’s always a great pleasure working with one of the most famous Brass Bands in the world” said Russell. “I’m really looking forward to presenting our eclectic program of festive music to suite all tastes.”
The now traditional Christmas concert promises sparkling festive favourites, music from the musicals and superlative musicianship from top professional brass players including virtuoso bass trombonist, Steve Lomas (watch out for his amazing ‘Frosty the Snowman!’), New Zealand champion cornet player, Kyle Lawson, flugelhorn player, Mike Eccles and euphonium legend, Chris Robertson.
This year, with the Harrogate Gilbert and Sullivan singers, the B&R will join forces for some beautiful Christmas carols, as well as a unique medley of music from one of the Gilbert and Sullivan favourites, The Mikado. The choir will also be singing music from a more modern stage musical, Showboat, joining with the band for Gordon Langford’s ‘Christmas Fantasy’ as well as singing some classic Christmas choral music by the likes of John Rutter, Peter Warlock, and David Wilcocks. And local young players, the Tewit Youth Band will be making a guest appearance.
There is a real family feel to the Royal Hall Christmas Concerts this year – tickets for children under 16 are free if accompanied by a paying adult, and the audience will be get a chance to join with the choir and band in one or two Christmas carols.
The two Royal Hall concerts on Saturday December 21 at the Royal Hall are at 2.30pm and 7.30pm Tickets are £16.50 (free for children under 16) with the usual concessions including free tickets for carers. They can be booked in person at the Harrogate Theatre Box Office, Oxford Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QF, by calling 01423 502 116 or online at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk
Festive surprises at the Royal Hall …and children go free!
12 Nov 2019
A firm favourite in Harrogate’s Christmas calendar is the annual gala concert at the Royal Hall given by the world-famous Brighouse and Rastrick band. This year the band have some festive surprises up their sleeve when they make their welcome return for ‘Fanfare for Christmas’ at the Royal Hall on Saturday 21 December with two performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
The renowned band are well known for their superlative musicianship and will be filling the magnificent Royal Hall with their magical arrangements of the Christmas classics and music from the movies. They are joined by the singers of Harrogate Gilbert and Sullivan Society, joining forces for some beautiful Christmas carols, as well as a unique medley of music from one of the Gilbert and Sullivan favourites, The Mikado. The choir will also be singing music from a more modern stage musical, Showboat, joining with the band for Gordon Langford’s ‘Christmas Fantasy’ as well as singing some classic Christmas choral music by the likes of John Rutter, Peter Warlock, and David Wilcocks.
This year’s matinee and evening concerts have the added local ingredient of an appearance from Harrogate’s own Tewit Youth Band, coming up on stage in the second half to join their musical heroes. The Junior band will performing in the matinee performance with the Intermediate band taking part in the evening concert.
There is a real family feel to the Royal Hall Christmas Concerts this year – tickets for children under 16 are free if accompanied by a paying adult, and the audience will be get a chance to join with the choir and band in two Christmas carols.
The two Royal Hall concerts on Saturday December 21 at the Royal Hall are at 2.30pm and 7.30pm Tickets are £16.50 (free for children under 16) with the usual concessions including free tickets for carers. They can be booked in person at the Harrogate Theatre Box Office, Oxford Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QF, by calling 01423 502 116 or online at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk
Knaresborough Lions support as G&S classic comic opera staged at Frazer Theatre
18 Mar 2019
Harrogate Gilbert and Sullivan Society have received the support and backing of the Knaresborough Lions as they bring their latest magical production, ‘Iolanthe’, to the Frazer Theatre this May.
One of Gilbert & Sullivan’s most popular comic-operas, with the emphasis firmly on the comical, Iolanthe is being staged from Thursday 9 May to Saturday 11 May with performances at 7.30pm each evening and a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. It’s a first for Harrogate G&S and they have received the support of the Knaresborough Lions in publicising the show throughout the town.
Described as a ‘magical musical fantasy’, Iolanthe is Gilbert & Sullivan at their sublime and satirical best. The world of politics and the world of fairy-tales collide in this funny and irreverent send-up of parliament, set to some of the most beautiful music ever written by Sir Arthur Sullivan. The excellent cast includes former Welsh National Opera baritone, Donald Stephenson, (Lord Mountarrarat) as well as (pictured) Liz Kelley as the Fairy Queen, and Philip Jennings as the Lord Chancellor.
Also pictured, coming under the spell of the Fairy Queen are Knaresborough Lions members, (l to r) Alan Gilbert, Carole Reid, Alwyn Davies, Amanda George, Bob Godsell (Lions’ President) and Pam Godsell. The Lions is a voluntary group which serves the communities of Knaresborough, Nidderdale and Pateley Bridge. It supports local charities, projects and individuals in need, using funds raised from putting on the Great Knaresborough Bed Race and the Feva Beer Festival, as well as many other activities.
Says Bob Godsell, President of Knaresborough Lions, “We are delighted to work in partnership with the Harrogate Gilbert and Sullivan Society and to welcome them to Knaresborough. The Lions will be supporting the society by helping to publicise the show, while HGSS in turn are using the production as an opportunity to publicise the Knaresborough Lions and raise funds for the causes they support.”
Tickets for the show are £12 , available online at www.frazertheatre.co.uk/events, from Pear Records, 24 High St, Knaresborough or by calling 01765 676561 or 07788 875526.