The Gilbert and Sullivan Society's September Concert

Following on from a number of highly successful and well attended concerts and meetings, The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Sussex is pleased to announce its next event, An Afternoon of Modified Rapture at 2.45pm on 10th September at the Adastra Hall, in Hassocks.

Featuring in this concert of music and humour from the pens of Gilbert, Sullivan and others will be Richard Woodall (baritone), Rebecca Hughes (mezzo-soprano) and Russell Ablewhite (piano).

Richard was a founder member of the reformed D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, for whom he sung a number of roles and recordings, and toured to California. He also sings regularly with the English National Opera and Opera North and, in the past, has sung principal roles for Carl Rosa Opera.

Rebecca won a Kathleen Ferrier Trust award whilst at The Birmingham Conservatoire. Readers who saw Eastbourne’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society productions of Ruddygore last year and Iolanthe this year will definitely remember her outstanding performances as Mad Margaret and The Fairy Queen.

In addition to playing principal roles around the UK, Russell has sung regularly as a freelance chorister with the Royal Opera House and English National Opera. For the last few years, Russell has either been Musical Director or Assistant Musical Director with the Eastbourne Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Tickets for this event are priced at £14.

To round of the year, on 26th November, we are pleased to welcome back one of our Vice Presidents, Barry Clark, a former D’Oyly Carte member, to give us one of his Christmas themed concerts.

Gilbert and Sullivan enthusiasts may also be interested that friends of the late Melvyn Tarran, who had an internationally renowned museum of G&S memorabilia, will be presenting a second tribute concert, this time at the New Bury Theatre within Hurstpierpoint College at 2.45pm on Sunday 22nd October. We have a long list of former members of both the original and new D’Oyly Carte Opera Company lined up to perform or support the event by being in the audience.

Tickets for this event are priced at £15.

This very friendly Society is always eager to welcome new members, be they putting their toes in the water for the first time or those who are existing G&S fans who first came to The Savoy Operas during their schooldays. We hold four concerts a year along with an annual get together involving food!

Currently our membership rates are £20 per year per person or £30 per year for a couple. Membership includes the Society’s three magazines per year, discounts on admission fees for our concerts and regular newsletters letting you know what is happening locally in the world of Gilbert & Sullivan.

Further details about these events and the Society generally can be found by contacting us on gandstodaysussex@gmail, phone 07785505224 or by visiting our website at www.gilbertandsullivantoday.org.uk.