Parodies of Victorian Society in Gilbert and Sullivan were enjoyed

Speaker musician, Peter Medhurst, and Chairman, Mike Jones.

How many of his audience Peter supposed had cut their opera teeth on the music of Gilbert and Sullivan, underneath the surface rich in contemporary satire and witty personal allusions?

Drawing inspiration from the world in which they lived, celebrities, politicians, artistic taste and the class system, Gilbert and Sulliavan poked fun at them all.

For example the first Lord of the Admiralty, WH Smith who had never been to sea became the model for Sir Joseph Porter in HMS Pinafore, how Oscar Wilde in part inspired the poet ‘Bunthorne’ in Patience and how Gilbert himself was arguably the model for the Judge in ‘Trial by Jury’.

Sullivan’s scores were examined in relation to music by Handel, Donizetti, Wagner and Mendelssohn and also the influence of poetry and plays from Shakespeare and Tennyson in many aspects of these popular operas.

Peter showed fine illustrations and playing the clavinova sang excerpts from Gilbert and Sullivan to much acclaim.

The next meeting of the Society is on Thursday 5th June when Mary Yule will speak on “A View from the Plinth”, A Review of Public Sculpture Today at 1.45pm at the Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough.

For membership call 01427 788568.

Visitors always welcome for £5 entrance.