THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Dorothy Dane as Celia in Iolanthe

Dorothy Dane (1918-22)

[Born Stoke Newington, London 22 Dec 1894, died Yarm, Yorkshire 26 Jul 1978]

Dorothy Phoebe Hopkins made her stage debut on a variety bill in Manchester in 1910 at the age of 15. The following year, as Dorothy Dane, she sang Mathilde's song "Oh Time, Time" from The Quaker Girl for HMV. Over the new several years, during the war, she appeared in revue, gave numerous concerts, and toured with Jimmy Watson's Concert Party. In 1918 she toured with Jack Cromo's musical extravaganza Go As You Please.

Dorothy Dane joined the D'Oyly Carte Repertory Opera Company chorus in November 1918. Over the next ten months she appeared more-or-less regularly as Celia in Iolanthe, and less frequently as Chloe in Princess Ida (November 1918-June 1919), and Kate in The Yeomen of the Guard and Fiametta in The Gondoliers (both July-September 1919).

In September 1919 she transferred to the D'Oyly Carte "New" Opera Company as one of two principal sopranos. Over the next two seasons she had two leading roles (Elsie Maynard in Yeomen and Gianetta in Gondoliers) and two smaller ones (Celia in Iolanthe and Peep-Bo in The Mikado). In June 1921, following Elsie Coram's departure, Miss Dane became the "New" Company principal soprano: retaining Elsie and Gianetta, switching to Phyllis in Iolanthe and taking Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (which replaced The Mikado in the repertoire for the 1921-22 season).

In July 1922, The Mikado was revived, replacing Iolanthe. Miss Dane retained Elsie, Gianetta, and Mabel, but only made the occasional appearance in The Mikado: filling in for May Thorne as Yum-Yum. She left the "New" Company and the D'Oyly Carte organization in October 1922.

Miss Dane then returned to revue and Jimmy Watson's Concert Party the following year. In 1924 she enjoyed her greatest success in musical theatre, touring as Julia, a leading role in Oscar Strauss's The Chocolate Soldier, and in 1925 took the title role in a tour of Friml and Harbach's Katrinka. Family life limited her performances thereafter.

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