THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Gerard Coventry (1878, 1880-83)

[Born Nottingham c.1850, died Westcliffe, Whitstable 1928]

Tenor Gerard Coventry (born Alfred Reynolds) toured with several D'Oyly Carte companies beginning in August 1878, when he appeared briefly as Alexis in The Sorcerer with the Comedy Opera Company Ltd.He later appeared as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "B" (later "C") Company, from October 1880 to December 1881, and with Carte's No. 1 "Pirates" Company in August and September 1882.From February-December 1883 he was a chorister and possibly appeared in companion pieces with D'Oyly Carte's No. 1 "Iolanthe" Company.

Coventry eventually came to America, making his New York debut as Ralph Rackstraw, from March to May 1886 in a Koster & Bial's Music Hall revival of H.M.S. Pinafore.He later worked in New York as stage director for the American Travesty Company (1895), the Casino Theatre (1897, 1902-03), and the Academy of Music (1904).

He also appeared in London programs as a stage manager (most notably for The Belle of New York, Shaftesbury, 1898-99) and as a producer (Dolly Vardon, Avenue, 1903).

Coventry's first wife died in 1882 and, in 1884, he married D'Oyly Carte soprano Laura Clement.

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