Fonds CR-117 - Delta Choral Society fonds

The Delta Choral Society began as the Delta Glee Club around 1907. Under the direction of E.T. Calvert, the Club gave its first concert in 1909 in the Ladner Town Hall. The Glee Club changed its name to the Delta Musical Society in 1919, followed by a last change of name to Delta Choral Society around 1922. In 1925 the Society turned from concerts of choral works, solos, instrumentals and short plays, to focus on productions of light opera. Between 1925 and 1935 the Delta Choral Society performed Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, beginning with HMS Pinafore on April 16-17, 1925. The initial performance was a resounding success with calls for repeat performances. Although the Society had 10 successful seasons (a season began with planning in the fall, followed by practices and the performance in February or March with a wrap-up party in April), success depended solely on members' committment to a demanding and time consuming enterprise. The 1926-27 season was abandoned due to lack of interest, as was the 1935-36 season; the 1929-1930 season production was with the New Westminster Orchestra to stretch resources. In 1935 the Society incorporated in part to protect the Directors from liability. The Society folded in 1936. Mr. E.T. Calvert was a leading member of the Society and its musical director throughout. The Society and its performances, however, involved many people in the small community of Delta as caste, chorus, and orchestra members as well as members of the executive and committees. Some of these people included Mr. C.O Lambert (stage and property manager), Mrs. K.M. Brown and Mrs. J. Trainor (accompaniests), Mr. and Mrs. V. (Ted) Taylor, Mrs. O.A. Murphy, Miss Jessie Fawcett, Jonathan Mole, Margaret McIntyre, Mrs. V. deR Taylor, S.N. Honeyman, and D. Morrison.