January 2009

Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year!!

“They’d none of ‘em be missed” is published –a great gift!

--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 twelve months 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 £11.00 plus £1.50 postage and packing (UK); credit cards can be used on www.pallasathene.co.uk – my publisher’s website. ISBN 978 1 84368 036 9.

Please send a cheque for £12.50 (payable to Richard Suart) together with your name and address to:

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

Additional copies at £12.00 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.

Incidentally I would just like to say how utterly delighted I am to have been invited to be the Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society’s first Patron – this is a very vibrant group with enthusiasm and ability – I went to see their production of The Pirates of Penzance last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Susan and I will be doing a fund-raising Patter evening for them on Sunday, 8th February 2009 in central Bristol.

I am now in rehearsal at Opera North with Gershwin’s Let ‘em eat cake, opening at the end of Januaryand next month, we bring back Of Thee I Sing so that we can perform both in tandem – Saturdays on tour bring the two together on the same day.  I then stay with the Company for Shostakovitch’s musical Paradise Moscow – these shows tour the North of England and visit the Bregenz Festival in August 2009. Further details www.operanorth.co.uk .

The recording for Naxos of Edward German’s Tom Jones which I made in early September should be in the shops next Easter.

I am looking forward to working again with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in March - with the wondrous Frances McCafferty. We shall be doing three concerts together – Weymouth 11th March; Exeter 12th March and Bournemouth 14th March.

In June, I shall be making my debut with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in four semi-staged performances of Iolanthe, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas – further details www.sfsymphony.org

I return to Amsterdam in August to rehearse for further performances of Afterlife by Michel van der Aa which will take place at The Netherlands Opera in early October.