As we emerge from the pandemic, hopeful for a return to entertaining our audiences and doing what we love, we’re launching a new website and a new look.
It’s not the first time since our first show in 1924 that we’ve metamorphosed. When Edith Ashdown formed the society, we were known as the Above Bar Guild Musical and Dramatic Society. In 1930 the musical and dramatic wings of the Society separated and we became known as Southampton (Above Bar) Operatic Society.
We have continued with Operatic in our name ever since, but in recent years there has been more of a demand for modern musicals from our audiences and members alike. When selling tickets for the disco/gospel musical ‘Sister Act’ in 2019, we had to assure our friends that it wasn’t going to be performed as an opera, despite the name Southampton Operatic Society on our marketing!
So although we retain this as our registered charity name, and we are proud of our long and successful history, we are now marketing ourselves as SOS Presents, keeping our link with the past but looking forward to presenting more great shows in future.
