THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Louis Pfau

Louis Pfau (1880)

[Born Rhode Island Apr 1854, died Lynn, Massachusetts 27 Dec 1943]

Louis F. Pfau made his New York Stage debut as Ralph Rackstraw in one of the many pirate H.M.S. Pinafore productions sweeping America in 1879 (Madison Square Theatre, for four weeks beginning June 2). He also toured later that year with the Saville English Opera Company, his roles including Alexis Pointdextre in The Sorcerer.

Pfau was subsequently engaged by the D'Oyly Carte organization, which used him as an emergency replacement Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Carte's First American Pirates Company in New York on March 6 and in Brooklyn during the week of March 8, 1880. Pfau also served as Frederic, the second of two, with Carte's Third American Pirates Company, assuming the part from James Paxton in March. The run and Pfau's D'Oyly Carte career ended in July 1880.

Pfau later toured with the Comley-Barton Opera Company as the Duke of Dunstable in Patience, appearing at the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, December 26-31, 1881, and played Valentine in Olivette opposite Salina Dolaro at New York's Metropolitan Casino the following September.

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