THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Alfred Oldridge as the Learned Judge in Trial by Jury

Alfred Oldridge (1964-67)

[Born Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire 1925, died 2019]

Alfred Oldridge trained for a singing career in Sheffield and Manchester. Before joining the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company he performed with the New Opera Company, "Opera for All," at the Ingestre Festival, and at Sadler's Wells Theatre where he appeared as Sir Hugh Evans in the opera Sir John in Love (1958). His other London roles included Fu-li in The Land of Smiles, Pritsch in The Merry Widow (both at the Coliseum, 1959), and Silas Simkins in Hood & German's Merrie England (Sadler's Wells, August 1960).

Oldridge joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company chorus in August 1964. In July 1965 he succeeded Adrian Lawson as principal understudy to John Reed in the comic baritone roles. For the next two seasons (1965-67) Oldridge appeared regularly as the Learned Judge in Trial by Jury, Major Murgatroyd in Patience, Second Citizen in The Yeomen of the Guard, and the dual roles of Antonio and Annibale in The Gondoliers. He also filled in for Reed from time to time as Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance, Reginald Bunthorne in Patience, the Lord Chancellor in Iolanthe, Ko-Ko in The Mikado, Robin Oakapple in Ruddigore, and the Duke of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers. Oldridge left the D'Oyly Carte organization in July 1967. He appeared as Major Murgatroyd in a 1965 D'Oyly Carte-BBC television production of Patience, and may be seen in the chorus of the 1966 film version of The Mikado.

After leaving the D'Oyly Carte, Oldridge was engaged for a time as a free-lance singer in concert and oratorio work. He appeared on at least one occasion with "Gilbert & Sullivan for All," playing Sir Joseph in Pinafore in December 1973.

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