THEY CALL it light opera, but mounting a_ perfor- mance with a live orchestra and a 60-member cast is heavy-going. By Evelyn Jacob News Reporter The Greater Vancouver Operat-’ ic Society (GVOS) is putting a massive effort into their produc- tion of Gilbert and. Sullivan’s Yeomen of the Guard — and they're doing it for free. “No one is paid except for our directors, who get a = small honorarium — enough for gas,’’ laughs GVOS president Tom Wright. **We all do it for nothing — well, pleasure and satisfaction of doing it.” ‘An all-volunteer cast and crew, the GVOS has been going strong since 1949, when founders John Gillespie, Doreen Bell, the socie- ty’s first stage director, and music director Bev Fyfe mounted the. Pirates of Penzance in a Van- couver high school gymnasium. Over the past 43.years over 1,000 music lovers and students of opera have performed with the GVOS, and Wright says it’s still a valuable stepping stone to profes- sional careers for many young singers. : In addition to performing for live audiences, members receive instruction in voice, dance and music from the company’s direc- tors — Deep Cove choreographer Norman Leggatt, music director Earl Hobson and artistic director {Bursting withs l | -everyone pitches in not for nothing, for. the” Keith Simpson — and may apply tor scholarships. Many, says Wright, have gone on to sing on the professional stage and some have performed in London and New York. The society itself is run some- thing like a kibbutz, where and helps. There’s no special treatment, not even for the actors or artistic director, when it comes to trans- porting stage props to the theatre. *““We have managed to survive all these years because of the devotion of these people,"’ says Wright, who has worked with the Vancouver Opera and CBC Radio and TV for two decades. ‘‘It car- ties over from one year to the next.”” Yeomen of the Guard, set against a backdrop of 16th cen- tury London, opens Thursday at North Vancouver’s Centennial . Theatre, where the company has performed every year since 1969. Of all their light operas, Sir Humphrey Gilbert considered _Yeomen to be his and Arthur Sullivan’s finest work. Wright says the piece was chosen because of the strength of this vear’s cast. ‘“*The Yeomen of the Guard was ‘the piece Gilbert and Sullivan considered the nearest thing to ‘opera. It’s not done very often because the singing in it is quite difficult.”” The GVOS has been producing the work of Gilbert and Sullivan since day one, and Wright says public appeal for it has never fad- ed. “Light opera is still as popular as ever. It’s fun, it’s comedy and, best of all, you can hear and un- NGS OFF sug. § retail j . A “GOLOURBURST — A Top qualiiy 7” ‘mini blind for an unheard of price. _Ofter ends Feb. 29192 Specializing in Blinds and Draperies for over 7 years 4877 Marine Drive, N.Van. 084-44 041 #4-38948 Progress Way, Squamish 892-5857 Whistler _ 932-6647 , 1992 - North Shore News - 41 NEWS photo Paut McGrath JENNIFER POOLE, Don Jabour (centre) and Michael Wild rehearse a scene from Gilbert and | Sullivan’ 's Yeomen ‘of the Guard, which opens tomorrow night at Centennial Theatre. oe derstand what the characters are saying.” The society, he says, sells an average of 70% of its tickets each year. Last year’s scason ended with a $3,000 profit, and Wright expects to do as well this year despite a recession. ‘*People have to go out and. relieve their anxiety, and that’s where we come in. We'll do well as long as we keep our ticket prices low. Then again, look at the Phantom — tickets were $80 each and it sold out. I think peo- ple are looking for entertainment, provided it’s good entertain- ment.’* Yeomen of the Guard opens Feb. 20 at Centennial Theatre and runs until March 7..On March t8, it moves to Richmond’s Gateway Theatre. For tickets, phone 987-7529 or 280-4444. Maximize your RRSP investment return Whether you are an income, balanced or growth investor, Royal Trust’s portfolio of 17 mutual funds can help you achieve your long-term goals. All of our funds are NO LOAD. You pay NO COMMISSION to purchase, redeem or transfer from one fund to the other. This provides you with the flexibility to adjust your portfolio as your financial circumstances and the financial markets change. What’s more, your initial investment can be for as little as $500. Additional purchases may be as little as $25. e Professional e No Load e Wide Selection of Funds ¢ Daily Valuation * Management Excellent Liquidity To find out more about any of the mutual funds offered by ROYAL = TRUST Royal Trus Trust visit us today. * Except for the Royal LePage Commercial Real Estate Fund and the Japanese Stock Fund. Note: Royal Trust Mutuat Funds are sold by Royal Trust Investment Services inc. an affiliate of The Royat Trust Company (Royal Trust), by prospectus only, copies of which may be obtained in any branch.