![Pin15 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Pin15_1.jpg)
Ruth Vincent (born Amy Ruth Bunn, 3 December 1873
[Baptism of Amy Ruth Bunn (1879)]
via Ancestry.com – 8 July 1955) was an English opera singer and actress, best remembered for her performances in
soprano roles of the
Savoy Operas
Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which im ...
with the
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. The ...
in the 1890s and her roles in the
West End during the first decade of the 20th century, particularly her role as Sophia in ''
Tom Jones''.
Vincent joined D'Oyly Carte in 1894 in the chorus at the age of 17. She began to play small roles in 1896, taking on larger roles in
Gilbert and Sullivan revivals the following year and soon creating leading roles including Iza in ''
The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1897–98), Laine in ''
The Beauty Stone'' (1898) and Princess Laoula in ''
The Lucky Star
''The Lucky Star'' is an English comic opera, in three acts, composed by Ivan Caryll, with dialogue by Charles H. Brookfield (revised by Helen Lenoir) and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Aubrey Hopwood. It was produced by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Co ...
'' (1899). She also continued to sing leading roles in Gilbert and Sullivan revivals, including Casilda in ''
The 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 (at that time the ...
'' and Aline in ''
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 Lo ...
'' in 1898 and Josephine in ''
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, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, whic ...
'' in 1899. Unhappy to be passed over for the leading soprano role in ''
The Rose of Persia
''The Rose of Persia''; ''or, The Story-Teller and the Slave'', is a two-act comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by Basil Hood. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 29 November 1899, closing on 28 June 1900 after a profitabl ...
'', Vincent left the company near the end of 1899.
After this, Vincent went on to a substantial career in
Edwardian musical comedies
Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the Ame ...
, opera and concert singing. She created leading
West End roles in ''
Véronique'' (1904–05), ''
Tom Jones'' (1907), ''
The Belle of Brittany
''The Belle of Brittany'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts set in 'Daffodil Time' in rustic 18th-century Brittany. It premiered at the Sondheim Theatre, Queen's Theatre in London on 24 October 1908. The music is by Howard Talbot and Ma ...
'' (1909) and several others, and she also performed on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
. From 1910, she began a
grand opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...
career at
Covent Garden and
Drury Lane and then toured in
oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is ...
and concerts and also in variety shows, performing until 1930.
Biography
Vincent was born as Amy Ruth Bunn in
Yarmouth,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, in 1873 to Emma ( Long and Henry Vincent Bunn, a butcher.
[ She studied singing with a teacher in ]Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
, then Herman Klein
Herman Klein (born Hermann Klein; 23 July 1856 – 10 March 1934) was an English music critic, author and teacher of singing. Klein's famous brothers included Charles Klein, Charles and Manuel Klein. His second wife was the writer Kathleen Cla ...
in London.[Woodbridge Wilson, Fredric]
"Vincent, Ruth"
Grove Music Online, accessed 3 January 2009[
]
D'Oyly Carte years
Vincent joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. The ...
in the chorus of ''The Chieftain
''The Chieftain'' is a two-act comic opera by Arthur Sullivan and F. C. Burnand based on their 1867 opera, '' The Contrabandista''. It consists of substantially the same first act as the 1867 work with a completely new second act. It premiered a ...
'' at the Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy P ...
in 1894 at the age of 17. In 1895, she toured the British provinces in the chorus. At the Savoy, she created the small part of Gretchen in ''The Grand Duke
''The Grand Duke; or, The Statutory Duel'', is the final Savoy Opera written by librettist W. S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan, their fourteenth and last opera together. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 March 1896, and ran for 12 ...
'' in 1896 and also occasionally played the larger role of Lisa. She sang in the chorus during the subsequent revival of ''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 Gilbert and Sullivan, operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, whe ...
'' and then created the small role of Dorothea in '' His Majesty'' (by F. C. Burnand and Alexander MacKenzie) in 1897. She sang the role of Kate in the first revival of ''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. This was the eleventh ...
'' beginning in 1897, filling in briefly in the leading role of Elsie in July of that year, then was given the part in August when Ilka Pálmay
Ilka Pálmay (often erroneously written Ilka von Pálmay; 21 September 1859 – 17 February 1945), born Ilona Petráss, was a Hungarian-born singer and actress. Pálmay began her stage career in Hungary by 1880, and by the early 1890s, she wa ...
left the company.
For the next two years, Vincent was the company's principal soprano, playing the leading roles of Iza in ''The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1897–98) and Casilda in ''The 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 (at that time the ...
'' (1898), creating the role of Laine in '' The Beauty Stone'' (1898), singing Aline in ''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 Lo ...
'' (1898), creating the part of Princess Laoula in ''The Lucky Star
''The Lucky Star'' is an English comic opera, in three acts, composed by Ivan Caryll, with dialogue by Charles H. Brookfield (revised by Helen Lenoir) and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Aubrey Hopwood. It was produced by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Co ...
'' (early 1899), and playing Josephine in ''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, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, whic ...
'' (later in 1899).[Stone, David]
Ruth Vincent
at ''Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company'', 9 October 2001, accessed 11 April 2021 When she was passed over for the leading soprano part of Sultana Zubedyah in ''The Rose of Persia
''The Rose of Persia''; ''or, The Story-Teller and the Slave'', is a two-act comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by Basil Hood. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 29 November 1899, closing on 28 June 1900 after a profitabl ...
'', Vincent rejected the part that she was offered ("Scent-of-Lilies") and left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in November 1899. As it turned out, Ellen Beach Yaw
Ellen Beach Yaw (September 14, 1869 – September 9, 1947) was an American coloratura soprano, best known for her concert career and extraordinary vocal range, and for originating the title role in Arthur Sullivan's ''The Rose of Persia'' ...
, the American soprano cast as the Sultana, was dismissed after only two weeks in the role, and the opportunity to replace her went to young Isabel Jay
Isabel Emily Jay (17 October 1879 – 26 February 1927) was an English opera singer and actress, best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and in Edwardian musical comedies. During ...
.
Vincent's younger sister, Madge Vincent, was a D'Oyly Carte chorister from 1898 to 1900 and also had a subsequent musical theatre career.[
]
West End and grand opera career and later years
Vincent did eventually get a chance to play the Sultana in ''The Rose of Persia'' in New York in the 1900 Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...
production at Daly's Theatre (co-starring John Le Hay
John Le Hay was the stage name of John Mackway Healy (25 March 1854 – 2 November 1926), an English singer and actor known for his portrayal of the comic baritone roles in the Savoy opera, Savoy Operas. He also appeared in non-musical plays, adap ...
). She married Lieutenant Colonel John Fraser of the Royal Horse Guards and retired from the stage for a few years while continuing her vocal studies in Paris with Jacques Bouhy
Jacques-Joseph-André Bouhy (18 June 1848 – 29 January 1929) was a Belgian baritone, most famous for being the first to sing the " Toreador Song" in the role of Escamillo in the opera ''Carmen''.
Bouhy was born in Pepinster. After studying at ...
.[ She later studied in Berlin with Mme. Corelli. Vincent returned to the London stage in musical theatre roles, including as Merva Sunningdale in ''The Medal and the Maid'' in 1903 (and in New York in 1904). She played the title roles in the West End in '' Véronique'' in 1904–05][''The Play'']
Vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 25–52, London: Greening & Co., Ltd., 1904 (and in New York 1905–06) and ''A Girl on the Stage'' in 1906. She was the Plaintiff in ''Trial by Jury
A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions.
Jury trials are used in a significan ...
'' in the Ellen Terry
Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 184721 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and tour ...
Jubilee celebration on 12 June 1906 and the title role of Princess Amasis in ''Amasis: An Egyptian Princess'' in 1906–07. ''The English Illustrated Magazine
''The English Illustrated Magazine'' was a monthly publication that ran for 359 issues between October 1883 and August 1913. Features included travel, topography, and a large amount of fiction and were contributed by writers such as Thomas Hardy, ...
'' wrote that Vincent "has some charming songs, to which her full rich voice gives admirable effect." She next starred as Sophie in '' Tom Jones'' (1907) and in the title roles in ''The Belle of Brittany
''The Belle of Brittany'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts set in 'Daffodil Time' in rustic 18th-century Brittany. It premiered at the Sondheim Theatre, Queen's Theatre in London on 24 October 1908. The music is by Howard Talbot and Ma ...
'' and '' A Persian Princess'', both in 1909.[
In 1910 Vincent made her debut in ]grand opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and orchestras, and (in their original productions) lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on o ...
in Thomas Beecham
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (29 April 18798 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic and the Roya ...
's seasons at Covent Garden and Drury Lane, singing in ''Hansel and Gretel
"Hansel and Gretel" (; german: Hänsel und Gretel ) is a German fairy tale collected by the German Brothers Grimm and published in 1812 in ''Grimm's Fairy Tales'' (KHM 15). It is also known as Little Step Brother and Little Step Sister.
Hansel ...
'' (as Hansel), '' Così fan Tutte'' (as Fiordiligi), ''The Tales of Hoffmann
''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died i ...
'' (as Antonia), '' Carmen'' (as Micaela) and '' Don Giovanni'' (as Zerlina). She created the role of Vrenchen (the Juliet role) in Delius's opera, ''A Village Romeo and Juliet
''A Village Romeo and Juliet'' is an opera by Frederick Delius, the fourth of his six operas. The composer himself, with his wife Jelka, wrote the English-language libretto based on the short story "''Romeo und Julia auf dem Dorfe''" by the Swi ...
''.[ ''The Manchester Guardian'' commented, "Miss Ruth Vincent acted with much sincerity and charm as Vrenchen, and sang admirably ... she has a voice of remarkable purity, capable of great expression."
Vincent performed a concert tour of the British provinces in 1911 and sang in her first ]oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is ...
, ''Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
,'' in 1912 at the Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no governm ...
, and in ''Elijah
Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My El (deity), God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic language, Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) w ...
'' at the Three Choirs Festival
200px, Worcester cathedral
200px, Gloucester cathedral
The Three Choirs Festival is a music festival held annually at the end of July, rotating among the cathedrals of the Three Counties (Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester) and originally featu ...
s at Hereford in 1912 and Gloucester in 1913. In her later years, she appeared in concert, in oratorio (including ''Hiawatha
Hiawatha ( , also : ), also known as Ayenwathaaa or Aiionwatha, was a precolonial Native American leader and co-founder of the Iroquois Confederacy. He was a leader of the Onondaga people, the Mohawk people, or both. According to some account ...
'' staged annually under conductor Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent (29 April 1895 – 3 October 1967) was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works. The musical ensembles with which he was associated include ...
and others at the Albert Hall), and in variety shows at the London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
, the Coliseum Theatre
The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...
and in the provinces. Vincent retired in 1930.[ Her hobbies included riding horses and gardening.][
Vincent died in London in 1955.][ Some of her personal possessions were sold at auction at Christies in London in January 2000.
]
Recordings
Vincent made a number of recordings of songs for HMV and Columbia between 1904 and 1920 including "The Waltz Song" from Edward German
Sir Edward German (17 February 1862 – 11 November 1936) was an English musician and composer of Welsh descent, best remembered for his extensive output of incidental music for the stage and as a successor to Arthur Sullivan in the field of En ...
's '' Tom Jones,'' and songs by Luigi Arditi
Luigi Arditi (16 July 1822 – 1 May 1903) was an Italian violinist, composer and conductor.
Life
Arditi was born in Crescentino, Piemonte (Italy). He began his musical career as a violinist, and studied music at the Milan Conservatory under ...
, Haydn Wood
Haydn Wood (25 March 1882 – 11 March 1959) was a 20th-century English composer and concert violinist, best known for his 200 or so ballad style songs, including the popular ''Roses of Picardy''.
Life
Haydn Wood was born in the West Riding ...
, Percy Fletcher, and Frederic Hymen Cowen
Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen (29 January 1852 – 6 October 1935), was an English composer, conductor and pianist.
Early years and musical education
Cowen was born Hymen Frederick Cohen at 90 Duke Street, Kingston, Jamaica, the fifth and last c ...
.[Gramophone Company, ''Gramophone Records of the First World War: HMV Catalogue 1914–1918'', David and Charles, 1975. .] Her voice can be heard on the CD ''The Art of the Savoyard'' (Pearl GEMM CD 9991).[
]
Notes
References
Sources
*
Listing of a number of Vincent's West End roles
External links
*
Article in ''The Sketch'' about Vincent
Information about a recording by Vincent of a song from ''Tom Jones''
* ttp://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/r-vincent-p.html Early Vincent photos* ttp://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp66409 More photos of Vincentbr>Another photo of Vincent
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, Ruth
1873 births
1955 deaths
English operatic sopranos
People from Great Yarmouth
19th-century British women opera singers
20th-century British women opera singers