Opera Scotland

Yeomen of the Guard 1906D'Oyly Carte Principal Repertoire Company

Read more about the opera Yeomen of the Guard

The works performed, all by Gilbert and Sullivan, were:  Trial By Jury;  H M S Pinafore;  Pirates of Penzance;  Patience;  Iolanthe;  Princess Ida;  Mikado;  Yeomen of the Guard;  and Gondoliers.

The Dundee schedule was as follows:

W/c 17 December:  Mon 17 Mikado;  Tue 18 Iolanthe;  Wed 19 Gondoliers;  Thu 20 Yeomen of the Guard;  Fri 21 Pirates of Penzance & Trial By Jury;  Sat 22 m Patience;  Sat 22 e Mikado;  Sun 23 Charity Concert.

W/c 24 December:  Mon 24 Gondoliers;  Tue 25 Patience;  Wed 26 Mikado;  Thu 27 HMS Pinafore & Trial By Jury;  Fri 28 Princess Ida;  Sat 29 m Yeomen of the Guard;  Sat 29 e Yeomen of the Guard.

Further Scottish dates to be confirmed.

The weather was unusually vile, blizzards of snow affecting audiences and causing challenges for the singers.  The lead contralto, Theresa Russam, missed the first week due to cold.  No sooner had she returned to performing than the lead soprano, Hope Hastings, and mezzo, Lulu Evans, succumbed in turn.  The understudies were certainly kept busy, though only one performance (Pinafore) seems to have attracted critical wrath.

 

 

A Dundee Review

Dundee Courier & Argus: Friday, December 21 1906

Her Majesty’s Theatre - The Yeomen of the Guard

'The performance of the D’Oyly Carte repertoire company reached high-water mark of excellence last night, when they produced the greatest of the Gilbert and Sullivan series, The Yeomen of the Guard.  There was present the best house of the week, and this fact, coupled with the inspiring music of the really grand opera, resulted in a magnificent performance.

'The Yeomen of the Guard is admittedly the greatest of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s lighter works.  It used to be played as grand, or serious opera, with the dash of comedy necessary to make it popular.  For years past the comedy element has gained somewhat undue prominence, but not so much so as in the case of some of the other Savoy operas.  Last night the company seemed to feel the responsibility of performing a work of great artistic strength and beauty, and, one and all, the members rose to the occasion.

'It is too late in the day to give the story of the opera, or to recall, save incidentally, the many beautiful numbers.  These are all well known, loved, and appreciated, as was evidenced by the enthusiasm of last night’s house.  The point to be emphasised is the fact that last night the company showed themselves to the best possible advantage, and did themselves, as well as the work, ample justice.

'Miss Hope Hastings made a really splendid Elsie Maynard.  She sang that great solo, “I am a bride,” better than we have probably ever heard it, and throughout she acted with delightful freshness and piquancy.  Miss Lulu Evans made a delightful Phoebe Meryll, singing sweetly, notably in “Were I thy bride?” but excelling in the pretty, dainty, expressiveness of her acting.  She filled the part sympathetically from start to finish.  Miss Phyllis Grey, in place of Miss Rassam, whose appearance is promised next week, sang very pleasantly, and added much to the success of the concerted numbers with which she is associated, and Miss Mabel Graham was a delightful Kate.  The famous quartette, “Tower Tomb,” was sung as well as we have ever heard, and was vociferously encored again and again.

'Mr Walenn’s Jack Point had many excellent qualities.  The voice is very pleasant and musical, and if he scarcely seemed to suggest the tragic view of the character in the first scenes, he fully realised it at the end.  He sang his songs crisply and neatly, and is to be congratulated on a fine performance of a difficult and trying part.  Mr Tunks made the Lieutenant the gallant gentleman he is, and sang splendidly throughout, and Mr Billington’s Wilfred Shadbolt was as full of humour as ever.  His acting song, “Were I Thy Bride,” was immensely funny.  Mr Strafford Moss was at his very best as Colonel Fairfax fully realising the dignity of the character, and singing his two songs tunefully and artistically.  Mr Albert Kavanagh was excellent as Sergeant Meryll, and Mr H Blake Johnson sang tunefully as Leonard Meryll.

'The chorus throughout sang well and vigorously, and the opera, like its predecessors, was beautifully staged.

'To-night The Pirates of Penzance, followed by Trial by Jury, will be given, and at to-morrow’s matinee Patience will be played.  On Saturday evening The Mikado, most popular of all the operas, will be reproduced.

'On Sunday evening a sacred service will be held in the theatre, at which the Rev. R Spenser Ritchie will officiate.  The concert is under the patronage of the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council, and the Dundee Military Band, conducted by Mr H E Loseby, will make its first public appearance.  Several members of the D’Oyly Carte Company will sing, and local ladies will assist.  Mr Karpe, we are informed, will recite.'