About Us

Hull Savoyards Amateur Operatic Society was founded in 1934. George W.H. Bean (organising secretary), Earnest Green (treasurer) and John Coulson (musical director and organist) formed the society at the Plane Street Methodist church in Hull. This became the regular rehearsal venue until later years when they rehearsed at the Central Methodist Hall.  The Savoyards named themselves after the Savoy Theatre in London where the works of Gilbert and Sullivan were performed by the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. The Savoy operas have been the main focus of the society although other light operatic productions and musicals are performed.

It was the 16th April 1934 when Hull Savoyards gave their first public performance in the presence of Sir Henry Lytton, the famous baritone and actor who was a member of the D’Oyly Carte Opera company. In 1935 Sir Henry Lytton became the President of the Hull Savoyards.
The first production for the Society was The Mikado performed at the Alexandra Theatre in Hull. Unfortunately this theatre was bombed during the war and The Hull New Theatre became the new home for Hull Savoyards. The society’s last production at The New Theatre was Bizet’s opera Carmen in 1997.

Following the production of Carmen in 1997 the society performed many concerts at various venues in Hull until 2001 when they returned with a production of The Mikado at The Hull Library Theatre followed in 2002 with Patience. In 2003 the Society moved to the Hull Grammar School to hold the increased size of audience they were once again attracting, with the continued increase in numbers the Society in 2005 established itself at The Middleton Hall, Hull and The Floral Hall, Hornsea and this continued until 2014 when The Middleton Hall was closed for extensive renovations. In view of this the society went on tour at several venues with The Mikado in 2014. This proved to be very successful and since then the company have toured during June of each year with a G&S operetta. In addition to the annual production in June the society perform autumn concerts at several venues with a variety of music from many stage shows.

After 85 years and 80 productions Hull Savoyards are still performing and in 2020 we return to Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado at The Middleton Hall.