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A Brief History
The Society was founded in 1995, when in response to a newspaper advertisement,
twenty six like minded people came together to produce, for public performance,
the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan. The Societies aim was to produce each
year a different operetta. To-date we have produced and performed twelve (two of
them twice) of the major operettas. Cyril Willoughby was appointed Musical
Director and Joan Rice provided piano accompaniment. Joan retired in 2001 and
was succeeded in 2002, by Susan Brace Guest, who is now our full time
accompanist. In 1999, the Society became a fully registered association, with
the Valencia authorities. In 2005, the Society celebrated the tenth anniversary
of its foundation.
Productions to-date :-
1996 - Trial by Jury.
1998 - Pirates of Penzance
1999 - The Mikado.
2000 - HMS Pinafore.
2001 - Trial by Jury.
2001 - G&S excerpts in Concert.
2002 - Iolanthe.
2003 - The Gondoliers.
2004 - The Yeomen of the Guard.
2004 - G&S excerpts in Concert.
2005 - Patience.
2005 - Grand Gala Concert.
2005 - St Cecilia Concert.
2006 - Pirates of Penzance
2006 - Autumn Concerts
2006 - St Cecilia Concert
2007 - The Mikado
2007 - St Cecilia Concert
2008 - The Sorcerer
2008 - Saint Cecilia Concert
2008 - The Mikado
2009 - H.M.S. Pinafore
2009 - Saint Cecilia Concert
The Society also performs Christmas Carol concerts at various venues.
Support for Charities
As a result of its productions, the Society has donated in excess of €6,000 to
local and international charities. The following charities have received
donations: Help Association Torrevieja, AEBE, AECC, ANDE, APENEE, Multiple
Sclerosis, Spina Bifida, Caritas International, Caritas Espanla, Cruz Roja
Espanola, Regidoria de Benestar Social Guardamar, Alzheimers Association, "ASPANION"
and Age Concern, Costa Blanca Sur.
Membership
Full members are now in excess of forty and pay an annual fee of 50 Euros. This
is necessary to help to pay for the cost of renting a rehearsal room and a
storage facility together with costumes and sets. Our members have a multitude
of talents including: Singing, Dancing, Acting, Stage & Music Direction, Musical
Accompanist, Choreography, Costume Design, Sewing Machinists, Stage Electrics
and Sound, Set Design and Construction, Stage Prompting, Front and In-House
Staff. If you feel that you could offer your expertise in any of the above, we
would like to meet you. For further information, please see under "Contacts"
Contacts
For any information about our Society, please contact :-
a) The Society Publicity Officer, Jeff Myers,966 714 445,
jeffanddallas@hotmail.com
b) The Society Social Secretary, Cindy Willoughby, or Musical Director Cyril
Willoughby on 966 785 877, or email cwillo.es@gmail
We would heartily welcome new singers, male and female and anyone who is
interested in production support If you would like to join us, why not come
along to our rehearsals which are held every Tuesday and Friday mornings, 10am
to 12:30, at the Restaurante Casa Ventura, San Luis, Torrevieja. We would be
delighted to see you and you will find we are a very friendly lot.
There is also an opportunity for a person with choral conducting experience and
a piano accompanist to assist in the musical side of our productions. Why not
join us and enjoy using your skill?
FORTHCOMING SHOW
Tickets now available
The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria, was the twelfth opera written together
by Gilbert and Sullivan. Opening on December 7, 1889 at the Savoy Theatre, The
Gondoliers ran for 554 performances, and was the last of the G&S operas that
would achieve wide popularity. Its lilting score has, perhaps, the most
sparkling and tuneful music of them all and calls for the most dancing.
In this opera, Gilbert returns to satire of snobbery regarding class
distinctions and begins his fascination, which will play an even larger part in
the next opera, Utopia Limited, with the "stock company act"? using the absurd
convergence of natural persons and legal entities. Again setting his work
comfortably far away from mother England, Gilbert is emboldened to level
somewhat harsh criticism on the noble class, and the institution of the monarchy
itself.
Two just-married Venetian gondoliers are informed by the Grand Inquisitor that
one of them has just become the King of Barataria, but only their foster mother,
presently at large, knows which one. As Barataria needs a king to put down
unrest in the country, they travel there to reign jointly, leaving their wives
behind in Venice until the old lady can be interviewed.
It turns out that the king was wed in infancy to the daughter of the Spanish
Duke of Plaza-Toro, and so it seems he is an unintentional bigamist. Of course,
the beautiful daughter is in love with a common servant! When the young Spaniard
and the two Venetian wives all show up wanting to know which of them is queen,
complications arise. No worries, the true identity of the king is revealed, and
all is combed out spectacularly well by the end.
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