The 28th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival
With the Covid restrictions well behind us we can look forward to a return of the International G&S Festival to be held at Buxton (30 July – 6 August), Harrogate (10 – 21 August) and Great Malvern (8 – 10 September). The events promise to be even better than last year’s brave resumption to normality at short notice after Lockdown. With new productions and fresh faces they will accompany those familiar ones that many festival-goers continue to love. A particular highlight will be Together Again (12 August) a unique occasion where members of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company will come out of retirement to talk about the golden age of G&S. The amateur productions will return more securely than last year with appealing interpretations of Gilbert’s libretti. A society from Brussels is making its debut with The Pirates of Penzance.
An exciting new production of Utopia Ltd produced by Jeff Clarke of Opera della Luna is planned. Jeff is admired for his originality in productions that always give a breath of fresh air. Utopia Ltd was previously presented by the Festival eleven years ago to great acclaim and many attended this Gilbert & Sullivan opera unknown to them. They were not disappointed. This version will no doubt command even greater interest to attend its performances.
Other highlights in this year’s programme are likely to be the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company’s productions of The Pirates of Penzance and Iolanthe; the Opera della Luna’s HMS Pinafore; Charles Court’s Patience and Forbear! Theatre’s The Gondoliers. University productions which include Oxford (The Gondoliers), Birmingham (The Pirates of Penzance), Royal Holloway London (HMS Pinafore), York (Patience), Newcastle (The Sorcerer) and Southampton (The Pirates of Penzance) are likely to be trimmed with fun and originality.
Various fringe talks will reveal some hidden detail about the original D’Oyly Carte Opera Company and introductions to Utopia Ltd. Perhaps of the most interest will be the tribute given to Company members by conductor, David Steadman when members of the D’Oyly Carte Company are likely to be present.
CLICK HERE for the full programme.
Raymond J Walker