President’s Message
John Guy
Greetings everyone.
There are signs that summer is at last here and it being June our 2001-2002 Gilbert and Sullivan season is almost at an end. I say almost because as I write this our annual dinner is still to come and this promises to be a very fitting finale to what I hope you’ll agree has been a very successful season for our Society.
Many people have worked hard on our meetings and activities during the last ten months, but I particularly want to thank the members of the Gilbert and Sullivan Board of Directors for their special efforts: Shirley Huntley, who handled our finances and dealt with innumerable bureaucratic details; Anna Bloom, who looked after membership matters but also worked hard for caring for our members; Anne Ingram, who, despite the difficult personal year, has contributed her forthright personality and good ideas to our meetings; and, of course, my indefatigable Vice-President, Roy Schatz, whose talents and hard work have been evident in so many of our activities this year - the Concert Group, monthly meetings, the great G&S get-together in January, and our end-of-season dinner. Yes, the thought to invite Miss Anna Russell to our dinner was Roy’s and he has worked tirelessly to make sure that everything connected with her visit would go off without a hitch. I would also like to thank François Labbé for his many hours of work setting up our attractive and informative website.
There’s one other person I wish to recognize and that is Sheryl Mercer, who, although she is no longer a member of our Board, has kept us entertained and informed with her regular issues of TORONTO-RA. It is thanks to Sheryl that we have had such an excellent newsletter for so many years.
Later this year, Sheryl will be taking a well-earned sabbatical and Anne Ingram will be taking over production of the newsletter, so for the fall season, please let Anne have your contributions, notices, and announcements so we can continue to publish a really good TORONTO-RA. Please see elsewhere in the newsletter for how to reach Anne.
Board members have already started planning for our new season starting in the fall and I will just remind you that we shall be inviting Concert Group members and anyone who enjoys singing Gilbert and Sullivan choruses to come together, starting in September, to rehearse for our 2002 Concert Group season for seniors.
Early in October we will be holding our Annual General Meeting at Maurice Cody Hall, St. Paul’s Church, and this will consist of a short business meeting followed by entertainment and refreshments.
So now it only remains to wish all of our members and friends health, happiness, and a wonderful summer, and to thank you all for your support of Canada’s premier Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
Painted Emblems
or, Empty walls seek G&S
Are your blank walls crying for attention? Is your living-room decor in need of a boost? Well, American bookstore giant Barnes and Noble has just the solution for you. They are offering for sale G&S colour posters in three formats: 20” x 29” standard paper; 20” x 30” standard canvas; and 32” x 43” large canvas. This exciting collection of many of the shows can be viewed on the web at www.bn.com. Select “prints and posters”. Or, if you are planning a visit south this summer, find a Barnes and Noble and pop in.
Go And Do Your Best Endeavour
or, Annual dinner a great success
The annual dinner marking the close of the 2001-2002 G&S season proved to be a truly special evening. Seventy members braved the questionable weather to come to Runnymede United Church on Saturday, June 15, to spend an evening with the incomparable Miss Anna Russell.
Still the consummate performer after 17 years in retirement, Miss Russell, in her 91st year, answered questions about her life with a wit and verve that many youngsters could envy.
The evening began with pianist Clare Bresee welcoming us all with beloved G&S tunes as we enjoyed punch and an appetizer of smoked salmon and crackers. A dinner of chicken potpie and jellied and green salads followed, with angel food cake, ice cream and strawberries for dessert.
The evening’s entertainment began with a playing of Miss Russell’s classic comic masterpiece, How to write your own Gilbert and Sullivan opera. This timeless piece, as timeless as the subject matter, had us all in stitches. Miss Russell then took centre stage, regaling us with hilarious stories of how she came to be a writer and performer of comic songs. It all began in “Inja”, from which country her father was sent away at an early age, only to be looked after by G&S fans. He shared this love with his daughter, who, after a stint at boarding school in England, and a tiresome job at BBC Educational Music, was freed from these fetters grim by a legacy from her aunt. She then came to Canada to live with her mother. An uncle persuaded her to write some funny songs, since she could sing, play piano, compose music, and make people laugh. So she did. She presented her songs to a live radio audience at CFRB, developed an on-air following, and soon found herself performing at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel for $10 (“That was a lot of money in those days,” she said to the enthralled members.) And her career took off. Spanning many decades and many continents, Miss Russell became a premier comic act, with a worldwide following.
After thoroughly charming the members, Miss Russell was entertained by us, as the Society sang a rousing rendition of the wonderful Act I Finale of Iolanthe. The madrigal from Ruddigore followed. Roy Schatz and Warren Hughes then did a comic repartee from Patience, culminating in the charming “When I go out of door.” Jennie Friesen Garde and Laura Schatz next performed “Long Years Ago,” also from Patience, followed by Ron Orenstein, who gave a spirited reading of a Bab Ballad selected expressly for Miss Russell. The members next joined in for when the foeman bares his steel, from The Pirates of Penzance. Allan Cobham next sang I am the Captain of the Pinafore, from HMS Pinafore, and Laura Schatz followed with “The Hours Creep On Apace.” Laura had an unusual paramour to whom she sang her numbers. Young Evan Garde could not keep away from Laura, and even joined in the singing with his own style of vocalization. The assembled throng sang with gusto the closing number, the Act II Finale from Pinafore.
John Guy closed the evening with a presentation to Miss Russell of a beautiful framed scroll which bore the words: The Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Toronto Branch, is pleased to honour Miss Anna Russell in recognition of her great contribution in promoting the enjoyment of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan throughout the world. June 2002. Miss Russell expressed great pleasure with the presentation and with the evening in general.
The evening could not have taken place at all, of course, without the efforts of many people. Many thanks are offered to the evening’s organizers, John and Jean Guy, Allen and Anna Bloom, Sheryl Mercer, but primarily Roy Schatz. Roy had the brilliant idea of inviting Miss Russell and structuring the entertainment around her. He masterminded the rest of the evening, and saw to it that every detail was dealt with, and thanks to his efforts the dinner and entertainment ran with clockwork precision. Thank you, Roy!
Many thanks are also offered to the talented performers, who included Allan Cobham, Jennifer Friesen Garde, Warren Hughes, Melanie Kelch, Sheryl Mercer, Ron Orenstein, Diane Sankey, Laura Schatz, Roy Schatz, and Ron Turner.
We wish to extend our gratitude as well to the many people who pitched in to prepare and serve food, clean up, drag tables, mop up muck from the backed up drain, and so on, These include Elsie Simpson, Merfyn and Eleanor David, Warren and Jean Hughes, Fred and Meryl Leslie, and many others. Everyone who pitched in: A Big Thank You to You! And thanks to the members for coming and rounding off the season with a bang.
A View From The Hill
or, Reminiscences of a Savoyard
Your article about Andrew Cumine and his quest for copies of The Savoyard gave me much pleasure, and brought back many memories.
The first editor of the magazine - and therefore, of course, the person who gave it the style and character it retained all through its years of publication - was William R. Edes, always known as Bill. Bill was a friend and colleague of mine, and only a few years older than I, and my guess is that he was probably around 25 at the time he began editing The Savoyard, which first appeared in April 1962. Can it really be 40 years ago? Far from being “jolly serious”, Bill used to laugh a lot, and I don’t remember him ever wearing a dark suit - casual elegance was the order of the day for the younger male members of the D’Oyly Carte staff in those days I Mind you, the only younger male members were Bill and me!
Editing the magazine wasn’t Bill’s principal job, he was actually assistant to the General Manager at the time; he may even have become Assistant General Manager eventually, I can’t remember. We worked at the D’Oyly Carte offices at No.1, Savoy Hill, which was part of the Savoy Hotel, and I recall that although the reception area had no windows, and was lit entirely by artificial lighting, the offices themselves were well lit by natural daylight, though rather small. Sorry, Mr. Cumine - bang goes another illusion!
Bridget D’Oyly Carte (not yet Dame - I think she was awarded that honour in 1975) had the best and most spacious office in the suite, but even that wasn’t especially large. She was a fairly remote figure and, although she was at her desk virtually every day, the rest of the staff hardly ever saw her. I haven’t the remotest idea what she actually did! She was a very introverted person, and seemed to find conversation rather difficult with people she didn’t know well. Albert Truelove, who was the Treasurer of the company, and Secretary to Miss Carte, always appeared to be terrified of her. He was staggered when he discovered that I sometimes took in her morning coffee and stayed to chat.
Albert was a chain smoker, wore thick spectacles, and occupied a minuscule office in which most of the room was taken up by a vast desk, covered with mountains of paper. It always amazed me that he could ever find anything, but when you went to ask about something, Albert was invariably able to put his hands on the relevant documents almost immediately. He loved Gilbert and Sullivan with a passion he even lived in a house called “Gilvan” (better than “Sullibert”, I always thought!) and there wasn’t much he didn’t know about the operas. It was Albert who first got me a job working in the hotel, and subsequently in the D’Oyly Carte office. When I was out of work in the theatre, or “resting” as actors said in those days, I could rely on Albert to hire me to work in the Music Library until I found work as a performer again. I remember him with great affection as a very kind man.
The Music Library rented out scores and band parts to amateur companies all over the world. It was my job to check them, and to go through them erasing all the pencil marks that the musicians had made on the music. It was a very boring job, though sometimes I came across some interesting jottings... Some of the music was very old, and had been written on and rubbed out so many times that the paper had worn very thin, so I had to do a good deal of repair work, too. Whenever a set of parts went out they were always in good condition - we took great pride in making sure that that was so. The Librarian was also called Bill; he was a retired trumpeter and extremely deaf. Communication could be very difficult sometimes! Another part-timer in the library was Fred. He, too, was a retired orchestral musician, and had wonderful stories of his days in the pit in various West End theatres just after World War I right through to the 1950’s. He and I used to laugh together a lot, and poor Bill (who could never hear what we were saying) was always rather suspicious that we were laughing at him, though I don’t think we ever were!
The General Manager of the company was Frederic Lloyd, always known as Freddie, although not actually to his face! He was a very imposing gentleman, always beautifully dressed, and I liked him tremendously. It was Freddie who used to write the notes and the plot summaries which appeared on the record sleeves of the LP’s the company made. It was also Freddie who used to interview each member of the company annually and tell them whether or not their contract was to be renewed for another year. The rest of the staff could always tell how well or badly an interview had gone by the expression on the face of the person leaving the office... I liked Mr. Lloyd a lot, and he was wonderfully encouraging to me when he discovered that I thought I had a vocation to the priesthood. He was a churchwarden at the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy, round the corner from the office.
Freddie’s secretary was Joan Robertson, and there was NOTHING that Joan didn’t know about the operas or the company. In fact, everybody who worked at Savoy Hill was a G&S fan and expert - that’s why they had joined the staff in the first place. Joan was a bit like one of Gilbert’s middle-aged ladies, a bit fearsome until you got to know her! She was always very nice to me. I remember that Joan had a special affection for the baritone Allan Styler - he would sweep into the room and announce very grandly, “The Golden Voice is here again!” and we would watch Joan go weak at the knees! Alan would then turn to me and wink!
The remaining members of staff were Margaret (who looked after all the Associate Members), and two young typists/general assistants, with whom I fraternised and giggled. The General Office was remarkably informal, and the person whose job it was to answer the phone was whoever was nearest to it when it rang! And of course, you never knew who might be on the other end - it was just as likely to be one of the stars of the company as an enthusiastic amateur with a query about something. Invariably, one of the staff knew the answer!
One of my favourite places to be was a small storage room, which contained the archives - photos, posters, cuttings books and all sorts of memorabilia. I would often spend my lunch hours there, turning up treasures. At the time of the centenary of Trial by Jury the company published a souvenir book, and I helped with the research on that, which meant that I was often in that room, trying to find the answer to questions posed by the author of the book. I loved it!
On several occasions I wrote articles for The Savoyard. The most important one was probably a brief biography of Richard D’Oyly Carte. Believe it or not, there has never been a full-length biography of him (there probably isn’t enough material, which is a pity, because he was a shrewd and highly successful business genius, who kept two such completely different men as Gilbert and Sullivan working together, which couldn’t have been easy at all). Not so long ago, I was researching something on the Internet and came across my own article. Fame at last, after all these years! I also contributed several profiles in the “Old Favourites” series of articles about former D’Oyly Carte stars, and reviewed some non-D’Oyly Carte recordings. The nice thing about that was that I got to keep the records I’d reviewed.
Incidentally, there was never any need for the staff to write the whole magazine, as Mr. Cumine suspected; there were always contributions from the members of the public. One or two enthusiasts used to submit two or three articles for every issue. They weren’t always used, which sometimes caused problems.
Looking back, I suppose I worked in the D’Oyly Carte offices over a period of about 10 years. Sometimes for only a couple of weeks at a time, but full time in 1974 between leaving the theatre and beginning my training for the priesthood. Bill Edes had moved by then, and we lost touch.
I have tremendously fond and happy memories of the people with whom I worked, most of them long dead now. There was a real family atmosphere, and much laughter. We all got on well with one another (most of the time, at any rate) and we took what we were doing seriously, without taking ourselves too seriously.
Mr. Cumine was right about one thing, however - it all was “perfectly English”.
Letter To The Editor
May 14, 2002
As I recall, Sheryl, Grim’s Dyke Hotel was more than “near London”; I recall at least an hour’s drive to Gilbert’s gravesite, hard by the hotel’s location, and at that a trek of perhaps a half-mile until it hove into sight.
It was magical. As I entered the building proper, and fully aware that Gilbert had drowned in a nearby pool in an attempt to help a couple of young women who were in some difficulty, I was possessed of a desire to... sing!... something... anything. So, I asked a pair of pretties seated at a window table if they would mind... and immediately broke into Tit willow... Tho ’I probably shall not exclaim as I die... and I literally began to sob...
I was to learn later in a tour of the premises, that there was a hearing on the main floor, to determine the natators’ culpability, perhaps, in William Schwenck’s demise. Both were however declared innocent. I made my way down to the pilings, the only remnants of the pool area, now/then overgrown almost to imperceptibility...
I’m truly grateful that I learned of, and later grew up with, traditional G&S performances; my first experiences were in Eaton Auditorium, done by the Canada Packers troupe (dear Arthur Sclater).
“Delicious nonsense” loses its flavour for me by the current “take out” appeal of the fast foodists. Indigestible.
Mort Greenberg
Welcome As Flowers That Bloom In The Spring
or, Children’s Mikado sparkles
Catherine Kentridge is a G&S aficionado and sometime performer as third soprano fairy/Contadina, or daughter on the left, with occasional forays into solo work
In May, on Mother’s Day, I took my family to see The Mikado, performed by the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus at the DuMaurier Theatre at Harbourfront.
My six-year-old was already very familiar with the music, words and plot of the opera and had seen snippets of it in carefully chosen excerpts from Topsy-Turvy.
I could not have asked for a more magical and enjoyable introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan for a child.
The production was a delight from beginning to end; they got everything right - from length of performance, about an hour and a half with no intermission, to length of “numbers” - mostly just one or at most two verses from each song, enough to give you a strong flavour of the music without straining the interest and attention of the predominantly young audience. And the dialogue was skillfully edited to just the right amount carry the plot forward and contain some of the best jokes without going too long for the interest, understanding and patience of its audience.
The set was a backdrop of a giant Japanese vase. What I initially took to be a striped pattern turned out to be raised platforms within the vase, which were skillfully used for various scenes in the opera.
All the leads, except for Nanki-Poo and Ko-Ko, were played by girls or young women. The two gentlemen were played by boys with beautiful soprano voices and great dramatic and comic flair. And the orchestra was a piano, again the perfect accompaniment for that space and voices of that power. Music director Ann Cooper Gay conducted in fan and kimono.
The words of songs and dialogue were articulated clearly and with great dramatic flair.
A great treat was to see “Three Little Maids From School” who actually looked and were about the right age for the plot rather than the very tuneful though very mature ladies one usually sees in these roles!
I have seldom enjoyed a G&S performance so thoroughly. As a way of introducing young audiences to the fun and delight of Gilbert and Sullivan, I cannot imagine anything better.
All Gilbert and Sullivan societies with an eye to developing future audiences and performers would do well to follow the example of the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus.
I can’t wait for their next G&S production. As for my daughter, she has already decided what role she will play in any CCOC production of Iolanthe - Phyllis, of course - or at least one of the fairies with solo words AND music.
All The Most Terrific Thunders
or, Community theatre scores again
Peers at the Posluns? Fairies on Bathurst Street? What on earth is Toronto coming to?
Well, that’s what happened when the Alexander Singers and Players, directed by our good friend Angela Hawaleshka, presented a very successful production of Iolanthe at the Leah Posluns Theatre from May 11th to 19th.
The show opened on the most ethereal fairy glade I’ve seen in a long time, thanks to the set and lighting effects devised by the designer Ed Rosing. However, we were intrigued by the appearance of three fairy apparitions, the Willaloos - non-speaking non-singing characters - whose appearance and gestures were made to trigger many of the magical happenings in this most magical G&S opera.
Iolanthe, nicely played by Ceris Thomas, made an impressive entry from her stream at the behest of a dominating Fairy Queen, played by Rosalind McArthur. The outstanding voice of Esther Tse was used to good effect in the role of Phyllis who was well partnered by the Strephon of Darrell Hicks. One more surprise in this show of surprises was the appearance of some little sheep (two-legged kind), one of which was obviously the “black sheep of the family.”
The Lord Chancellor, played by Ted Grosberg, really fried hard to persuade himself of his suitability as a suitor for Phyllis, but Lords Mountararat and Tolloller, played by Tom Roedding and Michael Edmunds, win Phyllis over in the Act I finale when Strephon is discovered with Iolanthe.
Act II opened with a stalwart Private Willis, played admirably by Seth Mukamal, standing guard over a very familiar Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, with the London skyline in the background. *
Soon the Queen got launched into “Oh Foolish Fay” but any thoughts we might have had about this being the traditional performance were soon dispelled as the fairies played with and gushed over Private Willis. This number turned out to be the evening’s showstopper as the Queen and Willis segued into what I can only call the “Foolish Fay Tango.” This was hilarious, complete with a rose in clenched teeth, and, yes, you can fit Sullivan’s melody to a tango beat.
Of course it all comes right in the end. Phyllis breaks away from her pompous lords and finds true love with Strephon; Iolanthe is reprieved and is reunited with the Lord Chancellor; and the Fairy Queen, having conjured fairy wings for everyone from the upper reaches of the Leah Posluns Theatre, gets to fly off to Fairyland with Willis.
So Alexander Players gave us a bright, lively and colourful Iolanthe with many original moments and quite a few topical references in the musical numbers, thanks to the efforts of Angela Hawaleshka and her talented company.
* Footnote: The Act II set, which Warren Hughes designed for the stage at Hart House, was loaned by the Society for this production of Iolanthe.
News Of Our Members
or, Many Happy Returns
Many congratulations are in order for long-time Society member the Reverend Canon Michael Burgess. He recently celebrated his 25th year of ordination as an Anglican priest, his 20th year in Canada, and his 6Oth birthday.
Father Peter Orme, who is familiar to Society members as rector of St. Anne’s Anglican Church and accompanist at many Society functions, has recently celebrated his 25th year as an Anglican priest.
Best wishes to you both from the Society!
Our Dark Career
or, New book enchants G&S fans
With cat-like tread, the story sneaks up on you arid doesn’t let go until you must finish the book arid find out whodunnit. Who dun what? One must read Roberta Morrell’s first novel, Vengeance Dire, to find out.
The indefatigable Miss Morrell, who directed the splendid 1988 G&S Society production of Iolanthe, and who was a D’Oyly Carte Opera Company lead for many years, has turned her boundless energy to novel writing, having already completed a G&S-related book in the past - a wonderful biography of D’Oyly Carte megastar Kenneth Sandford. Vengeance Dire, according to a reviewer in the Gilbert and Sullivan News, the London Society’s newsletter, is “compulsive reading”, with “a pace that at times leaves the reader quite breathless”.
The plot takes place in the context of a production of The Pirates of Penzance by the Castlethorpe Players. Miss Morrell uses her considerable experience in the theatre to great advantage, giving readers a feeling of being part of the action, yet totally unable to solve the mysteries presented by innumerable plot teases arid twists.
Miss Morrell plans to write a series of books covering the G&S canon, arid that is certainly something to watch for.
The first novel in the series, Vengeance Dire, is available to Canadians for $25, which includes shipping and handling. For telephone orders or enquiries, please call 01144-(O)1758 721397. Email rob@rederring.freeserve.co.uk. Please send sterling cheques to ‘Rederring’, Madryn Castle, Pwllheli Gwynwedd, Wales LI53 8UE.
Now For The Pirates’ Lair!
or; Away, away to Lake Huron
Summer promises to be full of delights in Grand Bend, on the sunny shores of Lake Huron. Among them is a run of the wonderful Pirates of Penzance, sponsored by the Waterloo Branch of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society presented by Drayton Entertainment, and directed by Alex Mustakis. Heading a talented cast is Canadian star of stage and screen, Douglas Chamberlain, as the Major-General. At the Huron Country Playhouse from August 13 to 31.
While you’re there, enjoy delightful beaches and shops in Grand Bend, with the nearby historical village of Bayfield offering antiques, boutiques and lots of old-fashioned charm. As an added attraction, the Waterloo Society is having a reunion for members and friends on August 24, with a Pirates matinee as part of the fun. All are welcome to join them.
Accommodations are available at the Oakwood Inn Resort, at 519-238-2324, and the Lilacs and Lace Tower Bed and Breakfast, at 519-236-7640. For tickets and information, call the Drayton Box office toll-free at 888-449-4465. Ask for Frank Parks and receive the G&S rate of $20.00 per ticket. Ta-ran-ta-ra.
The editor wishes to thank the many contributors to this edition: Canon Michael Burgess, Mort Greenberg, John Guy, and Catherine Kentridge.