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Eaton Operatic Society was a Canadian musical organization located in Toronto, Ontario that presented operas, operettas, musicals, and choral works from 1919 to 1965. Originally a choir that specialized in mounting oratorios, the group eventually morphed into a light opera company in the early 1930s. [1]
Originally a choir, the Eaton Operatic Society was titled the Eaton Choral Society when it was formed by employees of the T. Eaton Co department store in 1919. The group performed annual concerts in Massey Hall, assembling an orchestra mainly of players from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Notable performers to have appeared with the choir included harpist Carlos Salzedo and singer Paul Althouse. Herbert M. Fletcher was the group's first conductor, serving in that role until 1925 when he was succeeded by T.J. Crawford. [1]
In 1931 the organization was retitled the Eaton Operatic Society and then began to produce operetta productions in addition to presenting choral concerts, at a new auditorium at The Carlu. Eventually the choir was completely disbanded during the mid-1930s. The first operetta staged by the society was Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe at the Eaton Auditorium on 2 March 1932. The group continued to mount operettas at the Eaton Auditorium every Spring through 1965. The group also toured frequently with their productions to other cities in southern Ontario and performed at Canadian army bases during World War II. In its early years, the Savoy operas of Gilbert and Sullivan were the chief part of the society's repertoire, including Iolanthe (1932, 1938, 1950), The Gondoliers (1933, 1939, 1948, 1954), The Mikado (1934, 1940, 1949), The Yeoman of the Guard (1935, 1941, 1952), and The Pirates of Penzance (1936, 1942, 1953). Beginning in 1954, the society's repertory consisted exclusively of musicals and other operettas, including The Vagabond King (1957, 1965) and Rose-Marie (1959). [1]
In 1947 Harry Norris succeeded T.J. Crawford as the Eaton Operatic Society's music director. He left after only one season when Godfrey Ridout became director. Ridout remained for nine years, and then was succeeded by Lloyd Bradshaw (1959-1961) and Horace Lapp (1962-1965). Lois Marshall performed with the company. [1]
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan was an English composer. He is best known for 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. His works include 24 operas, 11 major orchestral works, ten choral works and oratorios, two ballets, incidental music to several plays, and numerous church pieces, songs, and piano and chamber pieces. His hymns and songs include "Onward, Christian Soldiers" and "The Lost Chord".
Victor August Herbert was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is best known for composing many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway from the 1890s to World War I. He was also prominent among the Tin Pan Alley composers and was later a founder of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). A prolific composer, Herbert produced two operas, a cantata, 43 operettas, incidental music to 10 plays, 31 compositions for orchestra, nine band compositions, nine cello compositions, five violin compositions with piano or orchestra, 22 piano compositions and numerous songs, choral compositions and orchestrations of works by other composers, among other music.
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Music Theater Works is a resident professional not-for-profit musical theatre company in Evanston, Illinois. It was founded in 1980 by Philip Kraus, Bridget McDonough, and Ellen Dubinsky.
Thomas Round was an English opera singer and actor, best known for his performances in the leading tenor roles of the Savoy Operas and grand opera.
Alexander Meston Reid , better known as Meston Reid, was a Scottish opera singer and actor, best known for his performances in tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After working his way up through the ranks for four years with Sadler's Wells Opera and on tour, Reid joined D'Oyly Carte as one of the company's principal tenors, where he eventually played most of the leading tenor roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas until the company closed in 1982. He continued to sing and direct until his sudden death in 1993.
Patricia Leonard was an English opera singer, best known for her performances in mezzo-soprano and contralto roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.
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Barry Clark is an English opera singer and actor. Beginning in the 1970s, Clark played tenor roles in the Savoy Operas for over a decade with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. He then sang in various opera companies, including New Sadler's Wells and Scottish Opera, and played in musicals on the West End. Later, Clark concentrated on oratorio and, in recent years, appeared with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, among others.
Wilbur Whilt "Wib" Evans was an American actor and singer who performed on the radio, in opera, on Broadway in films and early live television.
Leonid SkirkoUkr. Леонід Миколайович Скірко was a Canadian bass-baritone opera singer of Ukrainian origin.
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Joseph Eaton Faning, known as Eaton Faning, was an English composer and teacher. The son of a music teacher, he became the organist of a church at the age of twelve. He attended the Royal Academy of Music, where his teachers included Arthur Sullivan. He was an outstanding student, winning many awards. He joined the staff of the Academy in 1874 and later taught at the Guildhall School of Music, the Royal College of Music and Harrow School.
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The Toronto Light Opera Association was an opera company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that specialized in performing the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. It was founded in 1940 and disbanded in 1955.
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