Lakeshore Light Opera (LLO) is an amateur community theatre group that performs Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada.Schwartz, Susan Lakeshore Light Opera helps hospital buy new equipment The Gazette February 7, 2011 The company produced its first show in 1955. Early in its history, the group was directed by former D'Oyly Carte Opera Company member Doris Hemingway, and briefly conducted by her husband, former D'Oyly Carte conductor Harry Norris. The group was known as St Paul's Operatic Society until 1980, when it changed its name to Lakeshore Light Opera. For over 35 years, proceeds from its annual production have been contributed to the Lakeshore General Hospital.
History
Early years In 1955, a few members of the Men's Club of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Lachine, Quebec, in conjunction with the church choir, presented Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury in Montreal. The production led to the creation of a permanent operatic society dedicated to productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operas in the traditional style.Whitehead, J. Rennie. Memoirs of a Boffin , Chapter 8: Multinational, 1995 In 1957, St Paul's Operatic Society was formed. Its first Music Director was Arthur Gough, the church organist, and the first Stage Director was Doris Hemingway, formerly of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.Stone, David. "Doris Hemingway", Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, September 1, 2014, accessed September 16, 2016 She and her husband, music director Harry Norris, a former D'Oyly Carte conductor, were already well known to Montreal Gilbert and Sullivan audiences through their association with the Lyric Opera Company, Montreal West Operatic Society and various other musical groups. In 1972, the society was incorporated as a non-profit corporation under the name of St. Paul's Operatic Society Inc.
In 1965, Leonard Langmead became stage director of the St. Paul's Operatic Society and served as stage director for nearly 35 years. Marian Siminski has been the company's music director since 1984.
Later years
In 1980, after the dissolution of ties with St. Paul’s Church, the name of the company was changed to Lakeshore Light Opera Inc. – La Société d'Opérette Lakeshore Inc. For over 35 years, proceeds from the annual production have been contr, 2009ibuted to the Lakeshore General Hospital, through the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation. The annual donations, reaching as high as $171,000,"Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience gets the LLO treatment", The Suburban, February 24, 2016 are used by the Hospital to purchase equipment not covered by its budget or by Provincial grants.Lakeshore Light Opera Donates $10,000 to Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation , The Gazette, February 16, 2009; and Cohen, Mike. "Lakeshore General to benefit from production", The Suburban, February 3, 2010
In 2005, LLO celebrated its 50th anniversary with a production of The Pirates of Penzance together with Trial by Jury, and since then it has continued to produce the Savoy operas. In 2015, LLO celebrated its 60th anniversary with another production of Pirates. In 2017 Lakeshore Light Opera was awarded the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation's humanitarian award for its contributions to the foundation over the years. Two years later it won the Montreal English Theatre Award. Later stage directors have included Colleen St-James and Fred Gagnon (2018) and Coralie Heiler (2025).
In 2025, LLO celebrated its 70th anniversary, again with a production of Pirates, raising $12,000 for the Lakeshore Hospital Foundation.
Theatre and membership Lakeshore Light Opera performs at the Louise Chalmers Theatre at John Rennie High School, in Pointe-Claire, Quebec.Shelton, Daniel The Gazette, March 10, 2011
All actors, crew, ushers, front of house people and board members are volunteers. The members of the company span a wide range of ages.Amend, Elsie, LLO back with a new show, The Chronicle, February 26, 2008
Past productions
1955 – Trial by Jury 1957 – The Sorcerer 1958 – H.M.S. Pinafore 1959 – The Pirates of Penzance 1960 – The Mikado 1961 – Patience 1962 – Iolanthe 1963 – The Yeomen of the Guard 1964 – The Gondoliers 1965 – The Mikado 1966 – Ruddigore 1967 – The Pirates of Penzance 1968 – H.M.S. Pinafore 1969 – Merrie England 1970 – The Geisha 1971 – The Gondoliers 1972 – Iolanthe 1973 – The Yeomen of the Guard 1974 – The Pirates of Penzance 1975 – Patience 1976 – The Mikado 1977 – Trial by Jury / H.M.S. Pinafore 1978 – The Gondoliers 1979 – Princess Ida 1980 – Iolanthe 1981 – Ruddigore 1982 – The Pirates of Penzance 1983 – The Mikado 1984 – The Yeomen of the Guard 1985 – Cox & Box / H.M.S. Pinafore 1986 – The Gondoliers 1987 – Patience 1988 – Ruddigore 1989 – The Pirates of Penzance 1990 – Princess Ida 1991 – Iolanthe 1992 – The Mikado 1993 – The Yeomen of the Guard 1994 – The Gondoliers 1995 – Trial by Jury & H.M.S. Pinafore 1996 – The Pirates of Penzance 1997 – Patience 1998 – Ruddigore 1999 – The Mikado 2000 – Iolanthe 2001 – Princess Ida 2002 – The Gondoliers 2003 – The Yeomen of the Guard 2004 – H.M.S. Pinafore 2005 – Trial by Jury / Pirates of Penzance 2006 – Patience 2007 – The MikadoComtois, Vanessa. "Mikado opera benefits hospital", The Chronicle, February 21, 2007 2008 – Ruddigore 2009 – The GondoliersLakeshore Light Opera presents another Gilbert and Sullivan classic . The Gazette, February 26, 2009 2010 – IolantheRunning Afoul of Fairies, The Chronicle, March 5, 2010 2011 – The SorcererLeavitt, Sarah Lakeshore Light Opera presents The Sorcerer The Chronicle, February 23, 2011 2012 – H.M.S. Pinafore / Cox & BoxLyng, Walter. More than just an opera theatre group, The Suburban, March 7, 2012Fabio, Carmen Marie. Lakeshore Light Opera sets sail with H.M.S. Pinafore, The Chronicle, March 7, 2012 2013 – Princess Ida 2014 – The Yeomen of the Guard 2015 – The Pirates of Penzance 2016 – Patience 2017 – Ruddigore 2018 – The Mikado 2019 – Thespis 2020 – Iolanthe 2021–2022 – No production, due to Covid 2023 – The Gondoliers 2024 – The Grand Duke 2025 – The Pirates of Penzance 2026 – H.M.S. Pinafore and Trial by Jury
References
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