THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

H. Manfred Russell (1895-1902)

[Born Holloway, London 17 Nov 1866, died Malvern Link, Worcester 1 Jun 1907]

Herbert Manfred Russell joined D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "C" in 1895, in October of that year assuming the secondary tenor roles of Mr. Box in Cox and Box, the Defendant in Trial by Jury, Leonard Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Francesco in The Gondoliers. He also played Prince Hilarion in Princess Ida from December 1895 onward.

Russell transferred to D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "B" in August 1896, appearing there in the leading tenor roles of Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, Colonel Fairfax in Yeomen, and Ernest Dummkopf in The Grand Duke until December when he moved on to D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "E."

Over the next five-and-a-half years with Company "E," Russell was always their principal tenor. His roles were Nanki-Poo (December 1896-February 1900), Marco in The Gondoliers (December 1896-July 1897), Ernest (December 1896-April 1897), Alexis in The Sorcerer (May 1897-June 1898, January-April 1899, and January-February 1900), Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore (July 1897-February 1900), Fairfax (January 1898-February 1900), Fritz in The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (June 1898-May 1899), Tapioca in The Lucky Star (April-November 1899), John Manners in Haddon Hall (October-November 1899), Yussef in The Rose of Persia (February 1900-June 1901), the Duke of Dunstable in Patience (December 1900-June 1901), and Terence O'Brien in The Emerald Isle (July 1901-May 1902).

After the Emerald Isle tour ended, Russell transferred to the main Company at the Savoy. There he understudied Robert Evett, going on for him on occasion as Sir Walter Raleigh in Merrie England in July 1902. He appears to have left the D'Oyly Carte organization, and perhaps the stage, shortly thereafter.

R Index  |  "Who Was Who" Homepage