The Sir Thomas Beecham Opera Company - Page 1
Historic Opera
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The sets I am aware of are (Note: The operas were performed in
English) :
•
The Marriage of Figaro (set 1) (featuring Desire Ellinger,
Frederick Austin, Miriam Licette, Powell Edwards)
•
The Marriage of Figaro (set 2) (featuring Alfred Heather, Miriam
Licette, Clytie Hine, Frederick Austin, Frederick Ranalow)
•
The Marriage of Figaro (set 3) (featuring Bessie Tyas, Frederick
Austin, Miriam Licette, Frederick Ranalow, Miss Owen Trevitt)
•
Tristan and Isolde (featuring Rosina Buckmann, Frank Mullings)
•
Madame Butterfly (featuring Edith Clegg)
•
Othello (featuring Miriam Licette)
•
La Bohème (featuring Powell Edwards, Olive Townend, Jeanne
Brola, Frederick Austin, Webster Millar)
•
Ivan the Terrible
•
Aida (featuring Rosina Buckmann, Edna Thornton, Norman
Allin, Powell Edwards, Frank Mullings)
•
I Pagliacci (featuring Robert Parker, Olive Townend)
•
Cavalleria Rusticana (featuring Rosina Buckmann, Maurice
D'Oisly)
•
Boris Godounov (featuring Robert Radford, Powell Edwards)
•
Louise (featuring Edith Clegg, Miriam Licette, Frederick
Ranalow, Maurice D'Oisly)
•
Faust (featuring Miriam Licette)
•
Samson and Delilah (featuring Edna Thornton, Norman Allin)
•
Sir Thomas Beecham (at least 3 postcards of the impresario
and conductor)
Norman Allin: (Ashton-under-Lyne: 19 Nov 1884 - London: 27 Oct
1973). English bass. His marriage to the mezzo-soprano Edith Clegg
prompted him to concentrate on his singing. Allin made his debut with
the Thomas Beecham Opera Company as the Aged Hebrew in
Samon and Delilah. Later, he became the director of the British
National Opera Company (1922-29).
Rosina Buckmann. New Zealand soprano (Blenheim, NZ: 16 Mar
1881 - London: 30 Dec 1948). She made her debut in Welling (1906)
in A Moorish Maid (by Hill). She sang with the Melba Grand Opera
Company in Australia (1909, 1911). She appeared at Covent Garden,
and with the Beecham Company from 1915 to 1920. She excelled as
Aida (seen here), Butterfly, and Isolde. She was married to the tenor
Maurice d'Oisly.
Edna Thornton: English contralto (Bradford: 1875 - Worthing: 15 Jul
1964). She sang with Covent Garden (1905-1910, 1919-1923). She
was especially admired for her Wagner roles, personally chosen by
Richter as Waltraute and Erda in the English Ring (1908-1909). She
sang in the world premiere of The Perfect Fool (Holst, 1923).
Sir Thomas Beecham
(1879 - 1961)
Sir Thomas Beecham (St Helens, Lancs.:
29 Apr 1879 - London: 8 Mar 1961).
Sir Thomas Beecham Opera Company: Sir
Thomas Beecham (1879-1961), the
wealthy heir to the Beecham Pill
manufacturer, established his Beecham
Opera Company in 1915 with a short
season at the Shaftesbury Theater in
London. His company initially presented
various English works such as Stanford's
The Critic and Ethel Smyth's The
Boatswain's Mate. It rapidly grew into a
grand opera organization. However,
Beecham's conflicting arrangements with
his conducting duties at Covent Garden
forced the company into liquidation by
1920. Beecham's company eventually
evolved into the British National Opera
Company. These postcards were
published by the Rotary Photographic
Company. There were at least 15 sets
produced including The Marriage of Figaro
(3 sets), Tristan and Isolde, Madame
Butterfly, Othello, La Boheme (possibly 2
sets), Ivan the Terrible, Aida, I Pagliacci,
Cavalleria Rusticana, Louise, Boris
Godounov, Faust, and Samson and
Delilah. Each set came in a postcard
envelope and cost one shilling.
Frank Mullings: English tenor (Walsall: 10 Mar 1891 - Manchester: 19 May 1953). He
made his debut in Coventry (1907) as Faust. He performed with the Beecham Opera
Comapny from 1916 to 1921. He was also associated with that Company from 1922 to
1926. He created the role of Hadyar in Nail (by De Lara) and Apollo in Alkestis (by
Boughton). Otello was his greatest role, although he also excelled as Tristan.
Mullings
Buckmann
Thornton
Buckmann/Edwards
Allin