It has been a great pleasure to be the Patron of an appeal to raise money to restore a Grotrian-Steinweg grand piano at The Musical Museum in Brentford – the piano was built in 1928, but it is no simple grand! It is equipped with the Ampico ‘A’ Reproducing Roll system, which means that it can play special rolls made by the great pianists in the 1920s just as if they were playing themselves - this wonderful instrument will be ready for an opening concert in November and I shall be singing at this event., ‘accompanied’ by Michael Broadway.

Christmas may well be spent in a very sunny climate, but very close to Riverside Studios still…more anon.

I shall be singing Ko-Ko for the Raymond Gubbay organisation in the New Year – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, London (Barbican), Nottingham and Manchester – one night in each.
 
The ENO Mikado returns in February 2011! It will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of this glorious production.

“They’d none of ‘em be missed”

SALE PRICES!! See below

--here’s a source of innocent merriment for all G&S fans – The Stage August 2008
--this lavishly-illustrated book—The Stage
--with a combination of waspish wit and obvious genuine respect for the original, the result is a delightful couple of hours chortling to oneself—The Stage

--a delightful volume, and I cannot imagine any G&S enthusiast who would not want to have a copy—Gilbert and Sullivan News Spring 2008-08-30
--it is also an amusing review of recent political scandal and sleaze –John Allison in The Sunday Telegraph 24 February 2008

I first sang Ko-Ko for English National Opera in 1988, and to celebrate my first 20 years, I have cast my mind back over some of those ‘Society Offenders’ whom I have included; 192 pages in full colour! – Written with ASH Smyth  and published by Pallas Athene,  it was launched two years ago; twenty years of my lists are condensed into a dozen chapters, and there are guest lists – Tim Rice, Jeff Randall and the great American poet John Hollander are among those who have offered their parodies, as well as many well loved G&S enthusiasts. Nicholas Garland has allowed me to reprint one of his famous cartoons of Margaret Thatcher with her ‘list,’ and there are many other illustrations and cartoons – I promise you, there are some fascinating surprises!

Cover price is £12.99, but signed copies are available from me at £10.00 INCLUDING postage and packing (UK); ( ISBN 978 1 84368 036 9).

Please send a cheque for £10.00 (payable to Richard Suart) together with your name and address to:

Richard Suart
29 Yardley Park Road,
Tonbridge
Kent
TN9 1NB

Additional copies at £8.00 each - and, if you like, let me know how you would wish me to sign them!

The book is now on sale in the USA as well.