Hugh Enes Blackmore
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Hugh Enes Blackmore (1 October 1863 – 21 May 1945) was a British opera and concert singer and actor. Known as the "Iron-Throated Tenor", he is best remembered for his performances of
tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
roles 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 ...
. His career with D'Oyly Carte spanned almost 30 years, ending with a season as the company's stage manager. He was later a teacher of operatic singing and acting.


Early life and career

Blackmore was born in Greenock in Scotland, the second of four children born to Elizabeth Mary ''née'' Collier (1834–1922) and Edward Blackmore (1824–1900), a marine engineer. He attended
Fettes College Fettes College () is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983. In ...
in Edinburgh, where he sang tenor solos beginning at age 14. Encouraged by Alexander Potts, his headmaster, Blackmore took singing lessons and hoped to make a career in opera by training in Italy. Blackmore's father, however, wanted him to follow a more secure profession, so he trained as a solicitor in
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
. Finding this career not to his liking, he gave up law and studied singing under Signor Caravoglia. In the early 1890s, Blackmore sang in a variety of concerts with performers including
Leonora Braham Leonora Braham (born Leonora Abraham; 3 February 1853 – 23 November 1931) was an English opera singer and actress primarily known as the creator of principal soprano roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. Beginning in 1870, Braham ...
and W. H. Squire. He took part in an evening concert at Kensington Town Hall on 22 March 1893 in aid of the fund for building a church at the Pembroke College, Cambridge mission in
Walworth Walworth () is a district of south London, England, within the London Borough of Southwark. It adjoins Camberwell to the south and Elephant and Castle to the north, and is south-east of Charing Cross. Major streets in Walworth include the Old ...
. The concert, which included
Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...
's incidental music from ''
Rosamunde ''Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern'' (''Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus'') is a play by Helmina von Chézy, which is primarily remembered for the incidental music which Franz Schubert composed for it. Music and play premiered in Vienna's Theater an d ...
'', receiving its "First performance in England in its original and complete form", was held under the patronage of the Master and fellows of Pembroke College, with a young
Henry Wood Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 186919 August 1944) was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the The Proms, Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introd ...
conducting. Blackmore's association 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 ...
spanned almost 30 years. In October 1893, he created the small role of Sir Bailey Barre, one of the 'Flowers of Progress', in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''
Utopia, Limited ''Utopia, Limited; or, The Flowers of Progress'', is a Savoy opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was the second-to-last of Gilbert and Sullivan's fourteen collaborations, premiering on 7 October 1893 for 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 London. From 1894–96 he performed with a D'Oyly Carte touring company, playing Captain Fitzbattleaxe in ''Utopia'', Ralph Rackstraw 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 ...
'', Picorin in '' Mirette'', Vasquez in ''
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 ...
'', the Duke of Dunstable in ''
Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when face ...
'', Marco 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 ...
'', Nanki-Poo in ''
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 Ernest Dummkopf in the first British provincial production of ''
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 ...
''. At the end of 1896, Blackmore left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. He toured for more than a year in a new musical comedy, ''The Ballet Girl'', by James T. Tanner and
Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...
, playing the role of Reuben Van . He then appeared in London in 1898 and 1899 as Piccolo in
Edward Jakobowski Edward Jakobowski (17 April 1856 – 29 April 1929) was an English composer, especially of musical theatre, best known for writing the hit comic opera '' Erminie''. Life and career Jakobowski was born in Islington, London, the only son of Isr ...
and Ross's musical comedy ''Milord Sir Smith'' at the
Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,
.Stone, David
"Hugh Enes Blackmore"
''Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company'', 28 February 2003, accessed 21 June 2010
After this, he played Vincent in a tour of '' Ma mie Rosette'', a "romantic comedy-opera" with music by
Paul Lacome Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
and
Ivan Caryll Félix Marie Henri Tilkin (12 May 1861 – 29 November 1921), better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian-born composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language, who made his career in London and later ...
. During this period, Blackmore sang at the
Steinway Hall Steinway Hall (German: ) is the name of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos. The first Steinway Hall was opened in 1866 in New York City. Today, Steinway Halls and are located in cities such ...
in London on 2 November 1898 during the first season of the Elderhorst Chamber Concerts. In 1906 he and his wife toured South Africa with a D'Oyly Carte touring company.


Later career

In 1908, Blackmore rejoined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy Theatre for the company's second London repertory season, as a member of the chorus. He played Griffin David in several performances of '' A Welsh Sunset'', which was a curtain-raiser for ''Pinafore'' that season. Later that year, Blackmore resumed touring with D'Oyly Carte, taking on the small roles of Leonard Meryll in ''
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 ...
'' and Francesco in ''The Gondoliers'', as well as singing in the chorus of the other shows on tour.Rollins and Witts, pp.125–40 In 1910, he gave up playing the character of Francesco but continued to play Leonard until July, after which date he played only chorus roles for the next two years. During D'Oyly Carte's 1912–13 season, he began to play the small role of First Yeoman in ''Yeomen''. In July 1913 he added Annibale in ''The Gondoliers'' to his repertoire, stepping up to the more important role of Luiz for a short period in 1914. He also substituted at times in leading tenor roles, including Tolloller in '' Iolanthe'' (1914–15), Nanki-Poo in ''The Mikado'' (1917), Marco in ''The Gondoliers'' (1917), and Alexis 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 ...
'' (1918). He also played the role of Cyril in ''
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 5 January 1884, for a ru ...
'' in 1918. Blackmore returned to the D'Oyly Carte chorus in 1918, also playing the roles of Leonard in ''Yeomen'' and Annibale in ''The Gondoliers'' from July 1919. From 1921, his only principal role was Annibale, but he occasionally filled in for
Derek Oldham Derek Oldham (29 March 1887 – 20 March 1968) 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. After performing in concerts as a boy soprano and workin ...
as Tolloller in ''Iolanthe'', before retiring from the stage in April 1922. Blackmore was then employed by D'Oyly Carte to coach the Company's professional understudies in their roles. He was appointed as D'Oyly Carte's stage manager for the 1922–23 season, but, coming into "uncomfortable conflict with the artistic temperament", he was replaced the following season by Frederick Hobbs. After leaving the stage, Blackmore taught voice and coached actors in 'operatic stage craft' in the London-based 'G & S School of Opera', which he founded with his wife, describing himself in advertisements for the School as the 'principal tenor and SM' with D'Oyly Carte.


Personal life

"Blackie", as he was known to friends and colleagues, married fellow D'Oyly Carter Theresa Mary Hewett "Tessa" Snelson (1870–1939) in 1902; they were introduced to each other on the stage of the Savoy Theatre by
W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...
. The two became early members of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society in London, in which they both served on the Entertainment Committee, supervising 'dramatic recitals' for the Society in celebration of the operas' jubilees, including staging excerpts from ''Utopia, Limited'' and ''
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 ...
'' for the Society's 1936 centenary celebration of the birth of W. S. Gilbert. Blackmore also served on the Society's Executive Committee and wrote articles for the Society's journal concerning stagecraft in general and his career with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Blackmore made his last public appearance by reprising his role as Sir Bailey Barre in The Gilbert and Sullivan Society's concert version of ''Utopia, Limited'' on 29 April 1939, forty-six years after originating the role at the Savoy Theatre. His wife predeceased him in 1939; they had no children. Blackmore died at the age of 81 in
Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. Situated west-northwest of Charing Cross, it is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Uxb ...
in Middlesex.Hugh E Blackmore in the England & Wales Death Index, 1916–2007
Ancestry.com Ancestry.com LLC is an American genealogy company based in Lehi, Utah. The largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, it operates a network of genealogical, historical records, and related genetic genealogy websites. In November 2018, ...
, accessed 22 March 2015 (pay to view)


Notes


References

*


External links


Blackmore on Gilbert and Sullivan online


{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackmore, Hugh Enes 1863 births 1945 deaths People from Greenock People educated at Fettes College 19th-century British male opera singers 20th-century British male opera singers