THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Leonard Roche (1879-87)

[Born c.1852]

Leonard Roche was a bass-baritone chorister and smaller part player on tour with various D'Oyly Carte companies between November 1879 and April 1887. His roles through May 1885 were Bill Bobstay in H.M.S. Pinafore ("Second London" Company, November 1879-February 1880), Bobstay and the Notary in The Sorcerer (July-December 1880), the Sergeant of Police in The Pirates of Penzance ("E" Company, August-November 1881), Dick Deadeye in Pinafore and Samuel in Pirates ("B," Company, January-August 1882), Bobstay and the Sergeant again ("Pinafore" and "Pirates" Company, August 1882-June 1883), Bobstay ("Pinafore" and "Pirates" Company, December 1883-January 1884), and Scynthius in Princess Ida (February 1884-May 1885) and the Notary in The Sorcerer again (February-May 1885) (both with "D" Company).

His last two years were mainly in the chorus:with Carte's First American Mikado Company in New York and, possibly, Boston (beginning August 1885, filling in briefly as Pish-Tush in September), with Carte's First "Continental Company" in Germany and Austria (June 1886-January 1887), and back in New York as an ancestor with Carte's First American Ruddygore Company, February-April 1887.

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