Milford, PA – The Grey Towers Heritage Association (GTHA) invites the public to the Grey Towers National Historic Site for an afternoon of “innocent merriment” with a performance by the Sylvania Gilbert and Sullivan Society of select songs from the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan (aka G&S) on Saturday, October 10 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a reception with light refreshments.

The performance will include selected songs from a number of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, including “The Mikado,” “Princess Ida,” “HMS Pinafore” and “The Gondoliers.”

Librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan were a renowned Victorian-era theatrical partnership. They are best known for their comic operas, which are considered to be some of the finest examples of British musical theatre. Their profound influence on the development of modern American musical theatre is undeniable, Grey Towers said. 

Theatre scholar and critic John Bush Jones cited Gilbert and Sullivan as “the primary progenitors of the 20th-century American musical.” Their works often satirized Victorian society with elements of fantasy and absurdity. Though written more than 150 years ago, their amusing social commentaries continue to be resonant today, the GTHA said. 

The Sylvania Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s stated purpose is to bring the love and magic of opera, music and theatre to the Delaware Valley area. “The society’s goals are to produce the works of Gilbert and Sullivan for the community, to showcase local talent, lift spirits, educate and to unify us through art,” said Emer Day, GTHA board member and artistic director of the Sylvania Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Grey Towers is located at 122 Old Owego Tpk. The event will be held in the Pool Pavilion, rain or shine.

Tickets cost $25 for GTHA members, $30 for the general public, $15 for students and can be purchased online at www.greytowers.org/events. If any unsold tickets remain, they can be purchased with cash only at the door.

The performance is recommended for those eight years old and above.