The Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society (EDGAS) is celebrating its centenary this year with a new production of The Gondoliers at the Festival Theatre which opens on Wednesday.
The Gondoliers is a funny caper where love, laughter and mistaken identities collide and it includes many familiar melodies.
Founded on 18th December 1924 at the North British Station Hotel which is now the Balmoral Hotel, EDGAS is dedicated to promoting and showcasing the timeless works of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. It also provides a platform for some of Scotland’s finest talent, nurturing singers, actors and production crew.
Usually homed at the King’s it is temporarily using the Festival Theatre while the renovation at the Old Lady pf Leven Street continues.
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said: “It is fantastic to celebrate EDGAS’s phenomenal milestone−100 years of spreading the joy of Sir W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s timeless works!
“It has been a real pleasure to play a part in their journey over the years, hosting their dazzling performances in our theatres. As they light up the Festival Theatre
stage with The Gondoliers for their centenary, amidst the redevelopment of our beloved King’s Theatre, we look forward to much laughter, music and theatrical splendour. We know this special production will continue to captivate our audiences as EDGAS always has. Here’s to many more years of joy and unforgettable moments!”
Andrew Crawford, The Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society President said: “For our 75th anniversary we took the brave decision to fully stage Sullivan’s only Grand Opera, Ivanhoe in the King’s Theatre. This is one of the only times Ivanhoe had been staged since its original successful professional run in London in 1891 and our own production was also met with great praise. We are so looking forward to our brand new production of
The Gondoliers at the Festival Theatre for our centenary celebrations.
We’ve delighted many thousands of people and given hundreds of people the opportunity to perform at the highest level, working with some of the best exponents and experts of the Savoy operas in the world. Many of our performers have successfully gone on to professional acting and singing careers or prominent roles in other theatrical groups around the world.
“We have chosen to focus our centenary around the following themes: Quality; Commitment; Passion; Education & Outreach; and Looking to the Future. All of these are key to our unique ethos of delivering professional standard performances, featuring our diverse and enthusiastic membership, to a wide and engaged 21st-century audience; and we aim to ensure that these themes are also at the heart of our activities as we look to the future”.
The Gondoliers is at the Festival Theatre on 8-12 May 2024.
https://www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/all-shows/edgas-the-gondoliers/2260
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
