In 1966 a band of Moray music enthusiasts got together, called a public meeting, and reconstituted the Elgin Operatic Society after a lapse of 29 years. Despite competition from the cinema and television, the society flourished.

Their first event after reforming was a concert in Elgin Town Hall on December 21, 1966 - there was no money in the coffers to finance an operatic production - and the society chose to stage another concert to mark their anniversary, again in the town hall on March 14, 1987.
But this was a far more lavish and ambitious presentation. Guest performers were the popular Scottish opera singer Bill McCue, a former society member Alison Rodger, and well-known violinist Peter Zanre, who also played in the 1966 concert.
Members of the society itself sang popular works, including several by Gilbert and Sullivan, and the second half of the programme featured Act II of "Die Fledermaus", which is, appropriately, a party scene. The society staged the whole of the opera some 15 years earlier. Also in on the act were Margaret Gow's young dancers from the Moray Youth Theatre.

"A 21st birthday is a significant event so we wanted to put on something special in addition to our usual autumn production," said John Marshall, anniversary planning committee convener, and founder member."The society folded in 1939, probably because of the war but possibly also because of a shortage of men, which is always a problem. But since it was reconstituted we have gone from strength to strength and our annual production, which runs for four nights, plays to full houses and has become one of the major events in the musical calendar in this area". The musical director for the 1967 Mikado was another founder member, the late Alwyn Laxton, who had been involved in conducting and accompanying the society and other musical groups since the 1920s.One of Moray's leading figures in music-making, he was organist and choirmaster at St Giles Church, Elgin, for 63 years, and music teacher at Elgin Academy until his retirement in, 1959.His last show for the operatic society was "The Gondoliers" in 1970, and he died in 1981 at the age of 88. Brian Anderson followed him as musical director, then Michael Appleford and Steve Merson, and from 1979 the baton was held by John Howden. Isobel Burnie followed him both as accompanist and then musical director for ten tears. (More recently Gillian Anderson and Bob Garrity have been our musical directors.)

The producers over the 21 years have been even more numerous, beginning with Alexander Pirie and including many well-known names in Moray music and drama circles - among them Joy Jackson, Eric Mudie, Helen Wallace, Glenda Anderson, Helen McKidd, Jean Maciver, Geoff Dugdale, Ailsa Urquhart, Jimmy Cameron and Ian Duncan.

The Society has maintained a reputation for staging tuneful and colourful shows which have entertained members and audiences.And in the best theatrical tradition, members have always determined that the show must go on, whatever mishap may befall - and there have been quite a few of them. In 1974, when "The Merry Widow" was produced, musical director Steve Merson of Buckie was hospitalised during rehearsals and Graham Wiseman, then county music organiser, stepped in. The star, Anne Rodger, snapped her achilles tendon during an early performance in public and had to retire. Her place was taken, literally at a few hours notice, by Glenda Anderson.Then in 1980, and a repeat production of "The Mikado", Anne Souter who was playing Yum-Yum went down with laryngitis, and Gladys Carter had to step into her shoes for the opening night. It says much for the professional attitude of the company that major blows like these have never prevented them from carrying on."

	Elgin Musical Theatre
	In 1966 a band of Moray music enthusiasts got together, called a public meeting, and reconstituted the Elgin Operatic Society after a lapse of 29 years. Despite competition from the cinema and television, the society flourished. Their first event after reforming was a concert in Elgin Town Hall on December 21, 1966 - there was no money in the coffers to finance an operatic production - and the society chose to stage another concert to mark their anniversary, again in the town hall on March 14, 1987. But this was a far more lavish and ambitious presentation. Guest performers were the popular Scottish opera singer Bill McCue, a former society member Alison Rodger, and well-known violinist Peter Zanre, who also played in the 1966 concert. Members of the society itself sang popular works, including several by Gilbert and Sullivan, and the second half of the programme featured Act II of "Die Fledermaus", which is, appropriately, a party scene. The society staged the whole of the opera some 15 years earlier. Also in on the act were Margaret Gow's young dancers from the Moray Youth Theatre. "A 21st birthday is a significant event so we wanted to put on something special in addition to our usual autumn production," said John Marshall, anniversary planning committee convener, and founder member."The society folded in 1939, probably because of the war but possibly also because of a shortage of men, which is always a problem. But since it was reconstituted we have gone from strength to strength and our annual production, which runs for four nights, plays to full houses and has become one of the major events in the musical calendar in this area". The musical director for the 1967 Mikado was another founder member, the late Alwyn Laxton, who had been involved in conducting and accompanying the society and other musical groups since the 1920s.One of Moray's leading figures in music-making, he was organist and choirmaster at St Giles Church, Elgin, for 63 years, and music teacher at Elgin Academy until his retirement in, 1959.His last show for the operatic society was "The Gondoliers" in 1970, and he died in 1981 at the age of 88. Brian Anderson followed him as musical director, then Michael Appleford and Steve Merson, and from 1979 the baton was held by John Howden. Isobel Burnie followed him both as accompanist and then musical director for ten tears. (More recently Gillian Anderson and Bob Garrity have been our musical directors.) The producers over the 21 years have been even more numerous, beginning with Alexander Pirie and including many well-known names in Moray music and drama circles - among them Joy Jackson, Eric Mudie, Helen Wallace, Glenda Anderson, Helen McKidd, Jean Maciver, Geoff Dugdale, Ailsa Urquhart, Jimmy Cameron and Ian Duncan. The Society has maintained a reputation for staging tuneful and colourful shows which have entertained members and audiences.And in the best theatrical tradition, members have always determined that the show must go on, whatever mishap may befall - and there have been quite a few of them. In 1974, when "The Merry Widow" was produced, musical director Steve Merson of Buckie was hospitalised during rehearsals and Graham Wiseman, then county music organiser, stepped in. The star, Anne Rodger, snapped her achilles tendon during an early performance in public and had to retire. Her place was taken, literally at a few hours notice, by Glenda Anderson.Then in 1980, and a repeat production of "The Mikado", Anne Souter who was playing Yum-Yum went down with laryngitis, and Gladys Carter had to step into her shoes for the opening night. It says much for the professional attitude of the company that major blows like these have never prevented them from carrying on."