THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Constance Drever as Peaseblossom in A Princess of Kensington

Constance Drever (1903)

[Born Coonoor, Neilgherry Hills, Madras, India 19 Sep 1879, died Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 21 Sep 1948]

Annette Constance Scott Drever made her first London Stage appearance at the Savoy in January 1903, creating the role of Kenna in A Princess of Kensington. It was a late substitution: Miss Drever going on in place of the ailing Agnes Fraser in this leading part. When Miss Fraser returned at the end of February, Constance Drever assumed her originally intended role, that of Peaseblossom, which she played until the end of the run in May. It was her only engagement at the Savoy or with the D'Oyly Carte organization.

She returned to Paris to resume her musical studies in 1904, and in 1905 made a recital tour before appearing in the musical Amasis on tour in 1907. Between 1908 and 1912 she played in a number of musicals in London and Paris, including The Merry Widow twice (at Daly's and at the Apollo in Paris), and then made a huge success as Nadina in The Chocolate Soldier which ran for over a year at the Lyric, 1910-11.

Constance Drever made her first appearance on the Variety Stage in 1912 and went on to tour the principal variety theatres in England until 1924. She had a tour of South African variety houses in 1916.

Her 1905 marriage to former D'Oyly Carte baritone Frank Boor ended in divorce.

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