ABOUT THE SOCIETY
OUR HISTORY
In 1937, a number of enthusiasts met and decided to form what became known as The Holy Trinity Operatic and Dramatic Society, chaired by the Rev’d L. J. B. Snell, father of Col. Blashford Snell, the famous explorer. The first production was “Merrie England” , staged in the Holy Trinity Institute in October of that year. the following year, the Society produced ” The Gondoliers” with a cast of 50. Rehearsals for “Iolanthe” commenced in 1939 but were abandoned after the outbreak of WW2.
The group reformed in 1947 as the Hereford Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society, rehearsing for “The Gondoliers” which was presented from April 27th to May 1st, 1948 at the Garrison Theatre, Bradbury Lines under the baton of Arthur Cole, then Director of Music to the Cheltenham Corporation.
In 1937, a number of enthusiasts met and decided to form what became known as The Holy Trinity Operatic and Dramatic Society, chaired by the Rev’d L. J. B. Snell, father of Col. Blashford Snell, the famous explorer. The first production was “Merrie England” , staged in the Holy Trinity Institute in October of that year. the following year, the Society produced ” The Gondoliers” with a cast of 50. Rehearsals for “Iolanthe” commenced in 1939 but were abandoned after the outbreak of WW2.
The group reformed in 1947 as the Hereford Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society, rehearsing for “The Gondoliers” which was presented from April 27th to May 1st, 1948 at the Garrison Theatre, Bradbury Lines under the baton of Arthur Cole, then Director of Music to the Cheltenham Corporation.
The Society has since performed all the well-known Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and other productions have included “The Arcadians”, “Bless the Bride”, “Brigadoon”, “The Gypsy Baron”, “La Belle Helene”, etc. Producers in the early years included several ex-members of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company including notably, Leslie Rands, Beryl Dixon and Thomas Round and the tradition of inviting professional and high quality producers continues to the present day, Martyn Harrison and Alistair Donkin being the most recent to take on that role.
From 1949 to 1962 the Society’s shows were staged at The Kemble Theatre, Broad Street and after its demolition, at the Regal theatre (now a bingo hall), the Garrison theatre and Belmont Abbey school. In 1979 the Society staged its first production at The Nell Gwynne Theatre, later renamed The New Hereford Theatre and later still redeveloped as The Courtyard.
The Hereford G&S Society has formed strong links with Hereford’s twin town of Dillenburg, Germany and has hosted members of the Glück-Auf Choir here in Hereford as well as visiting Dillenburg on several occasions to perform shows.
The Society celebrated 75 years of bringing G&S to the people of Hereford and the Welsh Marches in 2022.
Musical Director & Conductor
Hannah Roper-Smith is a professional violinist andanimateur with a particular passion for grassroots music making and widening access to musical education. She read music at Cambridge, and studied violin with Mateja Marinkovic at the Royal Academy of Music, and with Rodney Friend and James Clark.
Alongside an active performing career that has taken her to major venues including Carnegie Hall, New York, Hannah is currently UK Manager of the charity Music in Action, which aims to support disadvantaged children to grow their talents through musical experiences.
Hannah is a recorded artist on the Albion label. She has been critically acclaimed for “poetry and virtuoso technique” (Seen and Heard International) and “fluent and intelligent” playing with “expressive simplicity and directness” (Music Web International).
ARTISTIC Director
‘Alan studied music and gained a degree from Birmingham University. He is also a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music. A busy career led him into many aspects of the profession: teaching, examining and performing as conductor, soloist and accompanist.
He studied singing in Oxford and has performed most of the G & S patter roles. He has been Musical Director for many productions, including most of the G&S operettas, British amateur premieres of ‘Grease’, ‘Bugsy Malone’ and ‘Blondel’, Gershwin musicals and operas by Mozart and Menotti. Alan has written three successful musicals of his own.
Alan joined the Society in 1992, has played many leading roles and was its Musical Director for 16 years until he retired in 2018. He pioneered the popular Schools’ Matinee performances, spreading the joy of G&S to younger generations. He has been Artistic Director for the society’s productions since 2021. His Facebook pages ‘Alan Durman on Gershwin’ and ‘Alan Durman on Gilbert and Sullivan’ have over 1000 followers around the world.