Michael Buchan

Bass-baritone Buchan began his operatic career at the age of nine in "Carmen" with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, later joining the D'Oyly Carte chorus in September 1972. He immediately understudied John Ayldon in some of his principal roles, making occasional appearances in the eponymous role in "The Mikado", and Sergeant Meryll in "The Yeomen of the Guard". He later added Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre in "The Sorcerer", Dick Deadeye in "H.M.S. Pinafore", the Pirate King in "The Pirates of Penzance", Earl of Mountararat in "Iolanthe", Colonel Calverley in "Patience", and Arac in "Princess Ida" to his roll-call of the bass roles he understudied. He also understudied the smaller role of Old Adam in "Ruddigore", and the principal patter role of Major-General Stanley in "The Pirates of Penzance". Buchan also played many of the smaller bass-baritone roles as a regular principal performer. Over his ten years with the D'Oyly Carte, these included Calynx in "Utopia Limited" (also recorded for Decca), Bob Beckett, and later Bill Bobstay, in "H.M.S. Pinafore", Giorgio in "The Gondoliers" (also recorded for Decca), Samuel in "The Pirates of Penzance", and Old Adam in "Ruddigore". Since 1982, Michael Buchan has performed regularly with The London Savoyards and Magic of Gilbert And Sullivan Concert groups, as well as in some of the "Together Again" concerts, and with the Gilbert And Sullivan Opera Company (in it's fledgling years) playing in both the UK and USA as Old Adam in "Ruddigore" and Sir Marmaduke in "The Sorcerer". His marriage to D'Oyly Carte Principal contralto Patricia Leonard predates their D'Oyly Carte careers.