THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Beti Lloyd-Jones as Mrs. Partlett in The Sorcerer

Beti Lloyd-Jones (1956-82)

[Born Crosby, Liverpool 25 Aug 1933, died 6 Mar 2014]

Beti Lloyd-Jones was one of the longest serving members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, appearing in the chorus from September 1956 until the Company finally disbanded in February 1982. She also took several small parts and was understudy to the principal contralto for many years.

Her Gilbert & Sullivan career began in 1952 with the Crosby Amateur Operatic Society in her native Liverpool. During her first season with the D'Oyly Carte (1956-57) she filled in on occasion as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado. In September 1958 she assumed the part of Lady Saphir in Patience, and during the 1958-59 season filled in again as Pitti-Sing and took the small part of Inez in The Gondoliers when Alice Hynd was playing the Duchess (September-November 1958, February 1959).

Beti Lloyd-Jones played Saphir until March 1962. She shared Inez with Alice Hynd and Jeanette Roach for one season (1959-60), and took the role as her own from September 1961 to March 1962. In March 1962 she reverted to the chorus, appearing in the 1962-63 program as Inez only when Jeanette Roach filled in as the Duchess.

When Miss Roach left the Company in October 1963 Beti Lloyd-Jones was given Inez and made permanent understudy to the principal contraltos. For the next thirteen seasons, until July 1977, she was the Company's regular Inez. She filled in on frequent occasions in all the major contralto parts: Lady Sangazure in The Sorcerer, Little Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, Lady Jane in Patience, the Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe, Lady Blanche in Princess Ida, Katisha in The Mikado, Dame Hannah in Ruddigore, Dame Carruthers in The Yeomen of the Guard, and the Duchess of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers. She also appeared as the regular Mrs. Partlett in The Sorcerer for two seasons (1973-75), and took the small parts of Salata in Utopia Limited and Bertha in The Grand Duke when those operas were performed during the 1975 Centenary season.

In August 1977 Miss Lloyd-Jones was replaced by Elizabeth Denham as Inez and principal contralto understudy. She reverted once more to the chorus, but when The Sorcerer was revived in October 1979 she was cast again as Mrs. Partlett, playing the pew opener until the last days of the original D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.

Beti Lloyd-Jones may be heard on the Company's 1961 recording of Patience (as Lady Saphir), the 1976 Grand Duke (as Bertha), and the 1977 Gondoliers (as Inez). She was in the chorus of the 1966 film version of The Mikado. Miss Lloyd-Jones also sang Lady Blanche's part in the duet, "Now, wouldn't you like to rule the roast," with Lorraine Daniels at the Company's "last night" performance on February 27, 1982.

After the closure of the Company, Miss Lloyd-Jones remained involved with Gilbert & Sullivan, producing H.M.S. Pinafore for the Deeside A.O.S. in October 1982 and The Sorcerer for her hometown Crosby A.O.S., in January 1983. In October 1986 she married former fellow-D'Oyly Carte chorister and Company business manager Gordon Mackenzie. Gordon Mackenzie died in August 1995.

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