The timeless and memorable tunes of Gilbert and Sullivan have made it into the album charts, and in my opinion, not before time.

The Gala Ensemble, which has recorded the album, and scooped a cool £1.25 million from SonyBMG for doing it, has made chart history, I’m told by the publicity guys.

For the first time in UK the work of the seminal G & S songwriting partnership has entered the official album chart appearing alongside the likes of Paul McCartney, Sugababes, James Blunt and Adele.

The Best Of Gilbert And Sullivan features 15 classic cuts from spirited inventions as The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Ruddigore and HMS Pinafore, including tunes Three Little Maids From School Are We, Modern Major General and When I was A Lad - written and composed by one of the greatest British songwriting duos in history.

Now, the Gala Ensemble just happens to include the delightful and extremely gifted Penrith soprano Sally Johnson.

Sally and the other four singing teachers from around the UK were specifically assembled by the label to record and promote the first significant new recording of Gilbert and Sullivan in more than 25 years.

Many feel that Gilbert and Sullivan has fallen out of favour, even scoffed at.

However, here in South Lakeland we have two lively and popular Gilbert and Sullivan societies – Staveley, and Kendal and District Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

And I’m sure there’s plenty of others dotted around the theatrical communities of our green and pleasant land. KADGASS are in the throes of preparing for its 2009 production of Patience and looking to bolster its membership.

One thing I did mentioned recently was how well I thought the G & S comic operas would go down in schools, enough to gladden the hearts of any drama teacher, wouldn’t you say.

Try a few scenes and see!

Meanwhile, back to Sally whose pretty chuffed with the album and tells me that the quintet has already wowed audiences with performances on BBC Breakfast and the Alan Titchmarsh Show.

Collectively, the Gala Ensemble, is five singing teachers - Bournemouth’s Jonathan Prentice (baritone), Liverpool’s Sally Johnson (soprano), Stoke’s Elinor Moran (soprano), Lichfield’s Richard Knight (tenor) and Leeds’ Hannah Pedley (mezzo soprano).

A princely gathering, indeed.