Learn about us and what we do best.
An introduction to DOS
DOS productions
| 2012 | A Night of 90 Years - 8th & 9th March 2012 |
| 2010 | Boogie Nights |
| 2009 | The Producers |
| 2008 | Annie Get Your Gun |
| 2007 | Thoroughly Modern Millie and Trial By Jury |
| 2006 | Guys and Dolls |
| 2005 | Anything Goes |
| 2004 | The Sound of Music |
| 2003 | HMS Pinafore |
| 2002 | Fiddler on the Roof |
| 2001 | Carmen - the Musical and The All Night Strut! |
| 2000 | Hello Dolly! and Songs of Yesteryear |
| 1999 | Show Boat |
| 1998 | Pink Champagne and A Grand Night for Singing |
| 1997 | Oklahoma! |
| 1996 | Meet Me In St. Louis |
| 1995 | Brigadoon |
| 1994 | King's Rhapsody |
| 1993 | The Dancing Years and Oliver! |
| 1992 | Call Me Madam |
| 1991 | Carousel |
| 1990 | The Sound of Music |
| 1989 | Fiddler on the Roof |
| 1988 | My Fair Lady and Orpheus in the Underworld |
| 1987 | Show Boat |
| 1986 | The King and I |
| 1985 | La Vie Parisienne and Cowardy Custard |
| 1984 | Hello Dolly |
| 1983 | The Yeomen of the Guard |
| 1982 | The Count of Luxembourg and South Pacific |
| 1981 | Oklahoma! |
| 1980 | The Pirates of Penzance |
| 1979 | Die Fledermaus |
| 1978 | The Merry Widow |
| 1977 | The Mikado |
| 1976 | The Desert Song |
| 1975 | Carmen |
| 1974 | My Fair Lady |
| 1973 | Brigadoon |
| 1972 | Show Boat |
| 1971 | Song of Norway and The Sound of Music |
| 1970 | Rose Marie |
| 1969 | The Count of Luxembourg |
| 1968 | The Dancing Years |
| 1967 | Finian’s Rainbow |
| 1966 | The Gipsy Baron |
| 1965 | The Merry Widow and The Bartered Bride |
| 1964 | The Quaker Girl |
| 1963 | The Most Happy Fella |
| 1962 | Pink Champagne |
| 1961 | Annie Get Your Gun |
| 1960 | Summer Song |
| 1959 | Carousel |
| 1958 | Faust and Wild Grows the Heather |
| 1957 | Cavalleria Rustica, I Pagliacci and The Student Prince |
| 1956 | Maid Marian and Bitter Sweet |
| 1955 | Aida and Oklahoma! |
| 1954 | La Traviata and The Vagabond King |
| 1953 | Martha and Rose Marie |
| 1952 | The Bohemian Girl and The Belle of New York |
| 1951 | The Bartered Bride and Katinka |
| 1950 | Carmen and The Desert Song |
| 1949 | Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci and Gipsy Love |
| 1948 | Faust and A Country Girl |
| 1947 | Carmen and The Gondoliers |
| 1946 | Iolanthe |
| 1945 | Ruddigore |
| 1944 | The Pirates of Penzance |
| 1943 | The Yeoman of the Guard |
| 1942 | The Gondoliers |
| 1941 | The Mikado |
| 1940 | Merrie England (Concert Performance) |
| 1939 | Mercenary Mary and Princess Charming |
| 1938 | Show Boat |
| 1937 | Rose Marie, The Girl Friend and Mr Cinders |
| 1936 | Bitter Sweet and The Maid of the Mountains |
| 1935 | The Rebel Maid and No, No, Nanette |
| 1934 | The Three Musketeers and San Toy |
| 1933 | The Desert Song and The Arcadians |
| 1932 | Tom Jones and The Belle of New York |
| 1931 | The Vagabond King and Tonight's the Night |
| 1930 | The Rose of Persia and The Marriage Market |
| 1929 | Merrie England and Gipsy Love |
| 1928 | Martha and The Toreador |
| 1927 | Samson & Delilah and A Country Girl |
| 1926 | Faust and The Geisha |
| 1925 | Nadeshada and The Yeoman of the Guard |
| 1924 | Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci and Dorothy |
| 1923 | Carmen and The Mikado |
Dundee Operatic Society's history
There was a group called The Dundee Amateur Opera Company, which was inaugurated in 1872. This company performed grand opera in the Theatre Royal (Castle Street) and the Kinnaird Hall (Bank Street) over several years in the mid 1870s for the benefit of local charities. The company fell into abeyance but was revived in about 1886 and performances were given from then until 1892.
In 1902 the company was revived once again, taking the name of Dundee Operatic Society. The first performance was a concert recital of Faust given in the Kinnaird Hall on 30th March 1903. There are only four other recorded productions by this company - a fully staged version of Faust in 1904, along with Les Cloches de Corneville at Her Majesty's Theatre in March 1904; in 1905 Jakobouski's Erminie, and again Les Cloches; Offenbach's The Grand Duchess in February 1906; then a break before Audran's La Cigale in November 1909.
DOS as we now know it was inaugurated in 1922 by a group of enthusiasts. Prominent among whom were R B Laing (the first President), the Rev G H Taylor (the first Vice-President) and Arthur J Millar (the first secretary who was active with the company for many years in many capacities - secretary, president, MD, principal, etc - and is remembered by some of our current older members - and was twice National President of NODA). Fletcher Perry was the first treasurer. The first Honorary President was Mr William Boyd JP. At the first meeting 357 people were enrolled as honorary members! Active members were limited to 80 - 110 auditioned to join and 77 were admitted, the remaining being placed on a waiting list.
The first productions were Carmen and the Mikado performed in the Kings Theatre (Cowgate). Costumes, for both sets, cost £105. 'Making-up' services cost £2/1/- per night for a Mr Dow and his two assistants. Seats cost - stalls 5/9, circle 4/3, pit 2/4, gallery 3/11. A profit of £262 was made - the cost of the shows being £982. Both productions were highly acclaimed in the local press.
DOS funding & PayPal Giving
It's so easy and secure to make a donation to DOS via PayPal
DOS relies upon the generosity of its members, supporters and of course its audiences when it comes to funding. Every penny counts no matter how much or how little. We love entertaining the community and helping other charities, but we simply cannot continue without your help. Please take a moment to consider donating to us, to help secure our future for another 90 years.
We have been pleased to benefit from a few bequests and would be delighted to hear from any company interested in sponsoring the Society or one of our productions.
We have been a registered charity in Scotland for many years, number SC002302 in the national register.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every kind donation made.
Join DOS
Click here to find out more about joining us on stage or to become a helping hand behind the scenes.
We have members of all ages and abilities, so if you fancy trying something new or if you're keen to return to amateur theatre, we'd love to hear from you.
DOS Cabaret Group
The cabaret group is a big part of the Society's activities. It's perfect for keeping in practise over the summer, and is an opportunity for all our members to come together, get to know each other better, and make some great music.
With a wide variety of numbers on the go, usually all our members find something they love to sing. Everyone gets the chance to star, as well, since frequently at the group's engagements there is space in the programme for solos. Many members have a song or two they keep ready to whip out when the opportunity arises.
The cabaret group supports our fundraising efforts, and have provided entertainment at many of the society's events, as well as being available for hire. Rates are extremely reasonable - we're eager to provide singing and entertainment in exchange for a donation to the society. To find out more please get in touch !
DOS in the community
We are affiliated to the National Operatic and Dramatic Association which represents and promotes theatre groups across the UK.
The main venue for our productions is the Whitehall Theatre, which hosts theatrics, stand-up, variety acts and competitions. And of course not forgetting musicals!
Nowadays our shows tend to be musicals rather than opera or operetta. Our tickets are somewhat more expensive, but then a typical DOS production now costs in the region of £25,000 and we have to fund raise in order to continue.
Gladys A. Lamond, a soprano with DOS
from 1923 to 1928.
Dundee Operatic Society is proud to be a part of Dundee's active and vibrant musical community. Our members have links to a great many other societies and musical groups in the area.
Our secretary will be happy to put you in touch with our archivist if you are interested in any aspect of our history.
