Valley Light Opera to celebrate 50th anniversary with ‘HMS Pinafore’

NORTHAMPTON — Talk with just about any member of the Valley Light Opera, who will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a production of “H.M.S. Pinafore or The Lass That Loved a Sailor” at the Academy of Music next weekend, and they will tell you the company is all about community.

“I still feel very much a part of the company after conducting my last show for Valley Light Opera in 2017,” said Michael Greenbaum, co-founder of Valley Light Opera.

“That is their greatest achievement, building a sense of community which has helped us to survive as a mostly volunteer organization in the Pioneer Valley where 50 years later there are many more musical theaters to choose from,” he added.

It is the sense of community that keeps Kathy Blaisdell, who will be playing Little Buttercup in “H.