THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Hervet d'Egville as the Mikado of Japan in The Mikado

Hervet d'Egville (1883-84, 1885, 1887-89)

[Born Worcester 1857]

Bass-baritone John Hervet d'Egville studied at the Royal Academy of Music, winning the Parepa-Rosa Prize there in 1879. He joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company in 1881, before joining the D'Oyly Carte organization two years later.

D'Egville took leading roles with several D'Oyly Carte touring companies in the 1880s. He was Strephon in Iolanthe with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's No. 2 "Iolanthe" Company (February 1883-March 1884) and Carte's No.1 "Iolanthe" Company (March-December 1884). From September to December 1885 d'Egville appeared with Carte's "C" (Repertory) Company as the Counsel to the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury, Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre in The Sorcerer, the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Colonel Calverley in Patience and (from November) Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore. The Company was disbanded in December 1885.

D'Egville rejoined the Carte organization for a six-week tour in January 1887 in the title role of The Mikado with Carte's "A" Company. Beginning in March of that year he was Sir Roderick with D'Oyly Carte's "C" Company in the first provincial production of Ruddigore. The provincial tour ran until December 1887. "C" Company was revived as a repertory company in February 1888, with d'Egville appearing as Captain Corcoran, Archibald Grosvenor in Patience, and the Mikado. In July 1888 The Pirates of Penzance replaced Pinafore in the "C" Company repertory with d'Egville once more as the Pirate King.

Beginning November 1, 1888, "C" Company launched the first provincial production of The Yeomen of the Guard. Hervert d'Egville was the Lieutenant of the Tower. When the Yeomen toured ended in December 1889 he left the Carte organization for the last time.

Hervert d'Egville later joined the Agnes Huntington Company, touring America in the role of Don Trocadero in an English version of Planquette's comic opera Paul Jones. He was also well regarded as a concert singer.

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