Marjorie Eyre
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Eyre was an English
opera singer, best known for her performances in the soprano
and mezzo-soprano
roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
. She married another D'Oyly Carte performer, Leslie Rands
, in 1926.
, England and studied at the Royal College of Music
.
. In 1925, she took over her first major role, Yum-Yum in The Mikado
, and two more small ones, Lady Ella in Patience
and Celia (and also Phyllis, briefly) in Iolanthe
. In 1926, she took over the title role in Patience, Rose Maybud in Ruddigore
and Gianetta The Gondoliers. In 1928, Eyre continued playing these principal soprano roles (sometimes sharing them), but after the 1928–29 North American tour, Rupert D'Oyly Carte
decided to assign mezzo-soprano roles to her.
In 1929, Eyre studied with a voice teacher to lower her range to prepare for her new assignments and became the company's principal soubrette, playing Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore
, Edith in The Pirates of Penzance
, Saphir in Patience, the title role in Iolanthe, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Mad Margaret in Ruddigore, and Tessa in The Gondoliers. She gave up the latter four roles from October 1929 to May 1930, when the popular Nellie Briercliffe
rejoined the company for the London season, but Eyre added Constance in The Sorcerer
at the same time.
In 1930, Eyre resumed all her principal soubrette roles, except switching to Lady Angela in Patience and adding Melissa in Princess Ida
and Phoebe Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard
. She played these roles for the next 15 seasons, until she left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1946.
, Helen Roberts
, John Dean
and Anna Bethell
in Australia, where they were engaged by Frank Tait for a Gilbert and Sullivan tour of Australia and New Zealand with the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. In 1952, Rands and Eyre played the Earl of Essex and Jill-All-Alone in a week's run of Merrie England
for charity in Priory Park, Chichester.
Eyre maintained her interest in Gilbert and Sullivan throughout her life. At the time of her death, at the age of 90, she was a Vice-President of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society in London.
Eyre died in Brighton
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
opera singer, best known for her performances in the soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
and mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company was a professional light opera company that staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas. The company performed nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere, from the 1870s until it closed in 1982. It was revived in 1988 and...
. She married another D'Oyly Carte performer, Leslie Rands
Leslie Rands
Leslie Rands was an English opera singer, best known for his performances in baritone roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. He married D'Oyly Carte soprano Marjorie Eyre in 1926.-Life and career:...
, in 1926.
Life and career
Marjorie Eyre-Parker was born in DerbyDerby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, England and studied at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
.
D'Oyly Carte years
She joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a chorister in 1924, also appearing in the small part of Giulia in The GondoliersThe Gondoliers
The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances , closing on 30 June 1891...
. In 1925, she took over her first major role, Yum-Yum in The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
, and two more small ones, Lady Ella in Patience
Patience (opera)
Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride, is a comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. First performed at the Opera Comique, London, on 23 April 1881, it moved to the 1,292-seat Savoy Theatre on 10 October 1881, where it was the first theatrical production in the...
and Celia (and also Phyllis, briefly) in Iolanthe
Iolanthe
Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh collaboration of the fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan....
. In 1926, she took over the title role in Patience, Rose Maybud in Ruddigore
Ruddigore
Ruddigore; or, The Witch's Curse, originally called Ruddygore, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas and the tenth of fourteen comic operas written together by Gilbert and Sullivan...
and Gianetta The Gondoliers. In 1928, Eyre continued playing these principal soprano roles (sometimes sharing them), but after the 1928–29 North American tour, Rupert D'Oyly Carte
Rupert D'Oyly Carte
Rupert D'Oyly Carte was an English hotelier, theatre owner and impresario, best known as proprietor of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and Savoy Hotel from 1913 to 1948....
decided to assign mezzo-soprano roles to her.
In 1929, Eyre studied with a voice teacher to lower her range to prepare for her new assignments and became the company's principal soubrette, playing Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
, Edith in The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
, Saphir in Patience, the title role in Iolanthe, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Mad Margaret in Ruddigore, and Tessa in The Gondoliers. She gave up the latter four roles from October 1929 to May 1930, when the popular Nellie Briercliffe
Nellie Briercliffe
Nellie Briercliffe was an English singer and actress best known for her performances in the mezzo-soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company....
rejoined the company for the London season, but Eyre added Constance in The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was the British duo's third operatic collaboration. The plot of The Sorcerer is based on a Christmas story, An Elixir of Love, that Gilbert wrote for The Graphic magazine in 1876...
at the same time.
In 1930, Eyre resumed all her principal soubrette roles, except switching to Lady Angela in Patience and adding Melissa in Princess Ida
Princess Ida
Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. Princess Ida opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 5, 1884, for a run of 246 performances...
and Phoebe Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard
The Yeomen of the Guard
The Yeomen of the Guard; or, The Merryman and His Maid, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888, and ran for 423 performances...
. She played these roles for the next 15 seasons, until she left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1946.
Later years
In 1949, Rands and Eyre joined fellow senior Savoyards Richard WalkerRichard Walker (singer)
Richard Walker, was an English opera singer and actor, best known for his performances in the baritone roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Between 1932 and 1939 Walker was married to D'Oyly Carte chorister Ena Martin...
, Helen Roberts
Helen Roberts
Helen Florence Roberts , later known by her married name, Betty Walker, was an English singer and actress, best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company....
, John Dean
John Dean (singer)
John Dean was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in the tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.-Life and career:...
and Anna Bethell
Anna Bethell
Anna Bethell was an English actress, singer and stage director. She is best known for her performances in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After playing other small mezzo-soprano parts, she played the role of Mrs. Partlett in The Sorcerer for many years. She...
in Australia, where they were engaged by Frank Tait for a Gilbert and Sullivan tour of Australia and New Zealand with the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. In 1952, Rands and Eyre played the Earl of Essex and Jill-All-Alone in a week's run of Merrie England
Merrie England (opera)
Merrie England is an English comic opera in two acts by Edward German to a libretto by Basil Hood. The patriotic story concerns love and rivalries at the court of Queen Elizabeth I, who is portrayed as jealous of the affection of Sir Walter Raleigh for Bessie Throckmorton. Its sunny depiction of...
for charity in Priory Park, Chichester.
Eyre maintained her interest in Gilbert and Sullivan throughout her life. At the time of her death, at the age of 90, she was a Vice-President of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society in London.
Eyre died in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.
Recordings
Her recordings with D'Oyly Carte included only Lady Saphir in Patience (1930) and Pitti-Sing in The Mikado (1936).External links
- Marjorie Eyre at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte
- Profile of Eyre
- Photos of Eyre in Iolanthe
- Information about D'Oyly Carte members who performed with the J. C. Williamson company