THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Fraser Goulding

Fraser Goulding m.d., 1979-81/a.m.d., 1981-82)

[Born Bromsgrove, Worcestershire 15 Dec 1947]

While at Bristol University, Fraser Goulding conducted his first opera, Offenbach's The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein. After a brief spell as Head of Music at Portway School, Bristol, he trained as repetiteur at London Opera Centre before joining the Music staff of English National Opera in 1972, where he coached a revival of their production of Patience. From there he became Assistant Director of Opera at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

He was assistant conductor with "Opera for All" from 1974-79, and chorus master for the 1978 Festival of London production of The Yeomen of the Guard.

In February 1979, Goulding joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as its youngest musical director since World War II. He remained with the Company until the last night, February 27, 1982. For the last, shortened, season, however, his title was associate musical director, Alexander Faris having assumed the musical director position in September 1981.

Since the closure of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Fraser Goulding has conducted many orchestras throughout Great Britain. In October 1986, he conducted "The Magic of D'Oyly Carte" productions of The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance in Nottingham.

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