Lakeshore Light Opera
Encyclopedia
Lakeshore Light Opera (LLO), a not-for-profit society, performs Gilbert and Sullivan
operettas
in the West Island
of Montreal
, Canada.
's Trial by Jury
to the Montreal public. The production led to the creation of a permanent operatic society, dedicated to productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in the traditional manner.
In 1957, St Paul’s Operatic Society was born. The first Music Director was Arthur Gough, the Church organist, and the first Stage Director was Doris Hemingway, formerly of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
, based in London. She and her husband, music director Harry Norris, a former D'Oyly Carte conductor, were already well known to Montreal Gilbert and Sullivan audiences through their association with the Lyric Opera Company, Montreal West Operatic Society and various other musical groups.
In 1965, Leonard Langmead took over the stage direction of the St. Paul's Operatic Society. Langmead had grown up in England imbued with the D’Oyly Carte tradition of performing Gilbert and Sullivan. Langmead’s training and wealth of experience, his intimate knowledge of the music, the libretti and the stage business of all the operas, set the tone for LLO’s approach to Gilbert and Sullivan. Langmead remained as stage director for nearly forty years. The company's Musical Director, Marian Siminski, has been directing the company musically since 1984.
For over 35 years, proceeds from the annual production have been contributed to the Lakeshore General Hospital
, through the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation. The annual donations, totaling over $136,000, are used by the Hospital to purchase equipment not covered by its budget or by Provincial grants. LLO donations have made it possible for the Hospital to purchase a ventilating hood for its laboratory, syringe pumps for the Obstetrics Department, word-processing equipment for its administration office, a special gurney for the Orthopedic Department, automatic intravenous equipment, a breast pump and two kidney dyalisis chairs. Most recently, syringe-pushers for newborns have been acquired.
In 2005, LLO celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special production that combined The Pirates of Penzance
with Trial by Jury. The membership has a wide range of ages.
In between production seasons, Lakeshore Light Opera puts on Summer Sing-along sessions in which attendees sing through selected entire Gilbert & Sullivan shows.
, 501 Boul. St. Jean, Pointe Claire, QC.
The society is governed by 12 Board members, including 4 executive members. The Board acts as the producer of the annual production.
took place March 4, 5, 6 and 10, 11 and 12, 2011.
The Current Board President is Carol Johansen.
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
operettas
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
in the West Island
West Island
The West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada...
of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada.
Early years
In 1955, a few members of the Men's Club of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Lachine, in conjunction with the Church Choir, presented Gilbert and SullivanGilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
's Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury is a comic opera in one act, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was first produced on 25 March 1875, at London's Royalty Theatre, where it initially ran for 131 performances and was considered a hit, receiving critical praise and outrunning its...
to the Montreal public. The production led to the creation of a permanent operatic society, dedicated to productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in the traditional manner.
In 1957, St Paul’s Operatic Society was born. The first Music Director was Arthur Gough, the Church organist, and the first Stage Director was Doris Hemingway, formerly of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company was a professional light opera company that staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas. The company performed nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere, from the 1870s until it closed in 1982. It was revived in 1988 and...
, based in London. She and her husband, music director Harry Norris, a former D'Oyly Carte conductor, were already well known to Montreal Gilbert and Sullivan audiences through their association with the Lyric Opera Company, Montreal West Operatic Society and various other musical groups.
In 1965, Leonard Langmead took over the stage direction of the St. Paul's Operatic Society. Langmead had grown up in England imbued with the D’Oyly Carte tradition of performing Gilbert and Sullivan. Langmead’s training and wealth of experience, his intimate knowledge of the music, the libretti and the stage business of all the operas, set the tone for LLO’s approach to Gilbert and Sullivan. Langmead remained as stage director for nearly forty years. The company's Musical Director, Marian Siminski, has been directing the company musically since 1984.
Recent decades
In 1972, the society was incorporated as a non-profit corporation under the name of St. Paul's Operatic Society Inc. In 1980, after the dissolution of ties with St. Paul’s Church, the corporate name was changed to Lakeshore Light Opera Inc. - La Société d'Opérette Lakeshore Inc.For over 35 years, proceeds from the annual production have been contributed to the Lakeshore General Hospital
Lakeshore General Hospital
The Lakeshore General Hospital is a Canadian acute care institution located in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, a suburban municipality near Montreal...
, through the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation. The annual donations, totaling over $136,000, are used by the Hospital to purchase equipment not covered by its budget or by Provincial grants. LLO donations have made it possible for the Hospital to purchase a ventilating hood for its laboratory, syringe pumps for the Obstetrics Department, word-processing equipment for its administration office, a special gurney for the Orthopedic Department, automatic intravenous equipment, a breast pump and two kidney dyalisis chairs. Most recently, syringe-pushers for newborns have been acquired.
In 2005, LLO celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special production that combined The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
with Trial by Jury. The membership has a wide range of ages.
In between production seasons, Lakeshore Light Opera puts on Summer Sing-along sessions in which attendees sing through selected entire Gilbert & Sullivan shows.
Theatre
Lakeshore Light Opera currently performs at The Louise Chalmers Theatre at John Rennie High SchoolJohn Rennie High School
John Rennie High School , located in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada, is an English language secondary school which opened in 1955. The school was named after Hon. John Rennie, , the Union Nationale Member of the National Assembly for Huntingdon from 1947 to 1952...
, 501 Boul. St. Jean, Pointe Claire, QC.
Volunteers and Board
All actors, understudies, backstage, ushers, front of house people and Board of Directors are all volunteers and are not remunerated for their work for the society.The society is governed by 12 Board members, including 4 executive members. The Board acts as the producer of the annual production.
Current Season
The 2011 production of The SorcererThe Sorcerer
The Sorcerer is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was the British duo's third operatic collaboration. The plot of The Sorcerer is based on a Christmas story, An Elixir of Love, that Gilbert wrote for The Graphic magazine in 1876...
took place March 4, 5, 6 and 10, 11 and 12, 2011.
The Current Board President is Carol Johansen.
Honorary Life-Time Members
Over the years, LLO has bestowed Life-Time membership on individuals who have made a lasting impact on the Society. Currently there are eleven Life-Time members:
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Past Musical and Stage Directors
| Production Years | Musical Director | Stage Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 - 1959 | Arthur Gough | Doris Hemingway |
| 1960 - 1963 | Richard McLaughlin | Doris Hemingway |
| 1964 - 1966 | Richard McLaughlin | Leonard Langmead |
| 1967 - 1968 | Harry Norris | Doris Hemingway |
| 1969 | Henry Rzepus | Leonard Langmead |
| 1970 - 1976 | Paul Barber | Leonard Langmead |
| 1977 - 1980 | Alex Thompson | Leonard Langmead |
| 1981 | Eric Adams | Leonard Langmead |
| 1982 - 1984 | Graham Knott | Leonard Langmead |
| 1985 - 1999 | Marian Siminski | Leonard Langmead |
| 2000 - 2001 | Marian Siminski | Geoffrey Hall |
| 2002 - 2004 | Marian Siminski | Corey Castle |
| 2005 | Marian Siminski | Daveen Garland and Leonard Langmead |
| 2006 - 2009 | Marian Siminski | Jonathan Curzi |
| 2010 - 2011 | Marian Siminski | Jonathan Patterson |
| 2012 - | Marian Siminski | Jonathan Curzi |
Past Presidents of the Society
| Production Years | President |
|---|---|
| 1955,1957 | Rexford Buckland |
| 1958-1960 | J. Rennie Whiteland |
| 1961,1962 | Les Elvidge |
| 1963-1965 | Steven Rabbitts |
| 1966,1967 | Les Elvidge |
| 1968 | Warren Evans |
| 1968 | Warren Evans |
| 1969 | Peter Kyle |
| 1970 | Douglas Page |
| 1971,1972 | Allan Bates |
| 1973,1974 | Hugh McKellar |
| 1975-1977 | Gerald Racine |
| 1978,1979 | Robert Gill |
| 1980,1981 | Peggy Haigh |
| 1982-1992 | John Woodard |
| 1993,1994 | Brian Callaghan |
| 1995-2001 | Kathryn Woodard |
| 2002,2003 | Robert Schaap |
| 2004 | Rob St. Martin |
| 2005 | Kay Thorpe |
| 2006 - 2011 | Carol Johansen |
| 2012 - | Robert Schaap |
Past Productions
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Princess Ida Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. Princess Ida opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 5, 1884, for a run of 246 performances... |
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