THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Ada Seaton

Ada Seaton (1879-92, 1897-98)

[Born London 1860]

Ada Seaton, real name Ada Eliza Gyllenship, was a chorister and occasional small part player for a number of D'Oyly Carte touring companies between 1879 and 1898.

While the record of her service is spotty, we know she appeared as a chorister with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "Second London Company" (December 1879-February 1880),"E" Company (later "No. 2 "Patience" Company, spring 1881-June 1884), and "C" Company (July-December 1884). She took the part of Jane in the Desprez & Faning curtain-raiser Mock Turtles on an 1881-82 Patience tour, and again from July to December 1884 with "C" Company.

She toured with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "E" Company in 1886, eventually landing with "B" Company (December 1887-June 1888), taking the small part of Ruth in Ruddigore.

It seems likely that she reverted to the chorus but continued to tour with her husband, principal bass-baritone Edward Clowes, with "E" Company from May 1890 to September 1891. Miss Seaton filled in as Peep-Bo in The Mikado in August 1891 for at least one performance while Agnes Taylor was substituting as Yum-Yum. She would then take her next full-time named part as Suttee in The Nautch Girl with Carte's Company "B" (December 1891-June 1892).

We then lose track of her until 1897 when she appeared between January and April as Olga in The Grand Duke with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "E." Later that year, in September, and again in December 1898, Miss Seaton filled in for Agnes Taylor as Peep-Bo in The Mikado. It was her last role with the Company.

S Index  |  "Who Was Who" Homepage