The Madison Savoyards, Ltd.
It's Madison; It's summer; It's Savoyards!

Fanfare Magazine publishes a second review of The Mikado in their January/February 2010 issue (Vol 33, #3). Read complete review

Mark your calendars:

Summer 2010: HMS Pinafore
July 23, 24, 25 and 30, 31, Aug 1 - Music Hall

A Song To Sing O

On Friday February 12, 2010, at 7:30 PM, in the traditional auditorium at the First Unitarian Society, the Madison Savoyards’ talented singers will entertain you.  They also will invite you to sing along in some of Gilbert and Sullivan’s favorite music.  The delights and focus will be on the tuneful melodies of Sullivan – a rich tapestry.  Expect to hear some songs from The Yeomen of the Guard, last year’s great show, and enjoy a foretaste of the July 2010 production of HMS Pinafore.  You’ll have time to talk with the singers and meet program organizer, John Kruse, and many G&S fans. The cost is still only $10 with tickets sold at the door.  The pleasure swells each year.

Mark your calendar and plan to come early.  Parking near the First Unitarian Society is limited and fills quickly so bring friends and family, leave them at the door, and find space for your car in Marshall Court, one block away.

The Yeomen of the Guard DVD Released

The July 2009 production of The Yeomen of the Guard has been released and is now available from The Madison Savoyards and Amazon. The DVD contains the complete performance in wide format video and surround sound. Two numbers deleted by Gilbert & Sullivan shortly before the premier (When jealous torments rach my soul and A laughing boy but yesterday) were restored and orchestrated by Maestro Alexander for this production. Sullivan included a bell that tolls in the Act 1 finale representing the bell of the Chapel inside the Tower customarily run before executions. In this performance the bell is the Music Hall clock tower bell. The orchestra includes the additional players specified in Sullivan's score (a third trombone and a second bassoon) needed for the somewhat darker and richer orchestral textures required in this score. The usual 12 channel audio recording was augmented by a 13th channel for the tower bell. Preview clips of The Yeomen of the Guard DVD are available via this link. Subscribe to Madison Savoyards podcasts via this link.

Savoyards Appearances

Two veteran Savoyards, Julie Hutchinson and Bill Rosholt, are thrilled to appear as soloists in J. S. Bach’s St. John Passion with the Wisconsin Chamber Choir. Julie will sing the soprano arias, and Bill will assume the role of Pilate. The performance will take place at the Atrium Auditorium of the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive, on Good Friday, April 2, 2010, at 8:00 PM. For tickets and further information see www.wisconsinchamberchoir.org.

Our Mission

The Madison Savoyards, Ltd. presents fully staged productions with orchestra of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas every summer in Madison, WI. Beginning in 1963 with Iolanthe the Savoyards has produced all the G&S works over its history.

Madison Savoyards DVDs and CDs

To order, print the order form, fill out, send with check to Madison Savoyards. Ltd. All Madison Savoyards DVDs and CDs are also available from Amazon.com.

Contribute on-line to the Madison Savoyards Ltd.

The Madison Savoyards has a "passthrough" fund at the Madison Community Foundation. This is a service provided by the Madison Community Foundation for organizations having endowment funds at the Madison Community Foundation. The passthrough fund is not an endowment fund but was established as a mechanism for contributors to make on-line donations to the Madison Savoyards. The purpose of the fund is to support the recording of performances and to enhance the production values of our annual performances. You may contribute directly to this fund on line via this link. (Note: using this link selects the Madison Savoyards, Ltd. Passthrough Fund) If you would like to contribute to the Madison Savoyards Endowment Fund, see the following section.

Madison Savoyards Ltd. Endowment Fund

The Madison Savoyards has an endowment fund at the Madison Community Foundation. You may contribute directly to this fund on line via this link. (Note: using this link selects the Madison Savoyards, Ltd. Endowment Fund)

Gilbert & Sullivan

Prof. John W. Barker has written a wonderful piece on Gilbert and Sullivan, their backgrounds, the collaboration, with interesting details about the work they produced. The mission of the Madison Savoyards is to present the works of Gilbert and Sullivan with careful attention to the elements that made them so great. Prof. Barker's article provides much insight into these unique creations.

Previous Program Archive

We are scanning programs from prior productions and making them available on this site in PDF format. To date we have 1972 and 1977 through 2005 completed and posted. If and when we can locate the remaining programs, they will be added. If you have any programs for the years 1963 - 1971 and 1973 - 1976, we would like to borrow them so we could scan and add to the web site. Please contact us if you have any we are missing.