THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

J. J. Fitzgibbon (1890-94)

[Born Peckham Jan 1867, died Peckham 22 Jan 1898]

Baritone J. J. Fitzgibbon toured with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "C" from March 1890 to June 1894. He appeared as Antonio in The Gondoliers from March 1890 until December of that year when he briefly replaced the departing Duncan Fleet as Giuseppe. When Fleet returned the following month Fitzgibbon resumed Antonio, then took up Giuseppe again for a short while in May 1891 before being succeeded by Charles Walenn. Following Walenn's departure in August 1891, Fitzgibbon once more took up Giuseppe, as well as Pish-Tush in The Mikado (a role he played by "Royal Command" at Balmoral Castle in September of that year). When Iolanthe was added to the repertoire in October 1891, Fitzgibbons assumed the Earl of Mountararat.

Over the next two years, Fitzgibbon appeared regularly as Mountararat, Pish-Tush, and Giuseppe. He also played a role in The Nautch Girl, probably Baboo Curree (January-July 1892), played Colonel Calverley in Patience (August-December 1892), shared the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Tom Redmond (May-December 1893), and filled in for Fred Billington as Wilfred Shadbolt in Yeomen (April 1893) and as Pooh-Bah in The Mikado (June 1893).

Beginning in January 1894 Fitzgibbon's regular roles were the Usher in Trial by Jury, Archibald Grosvenor in Patience, Mountararat, and Giuseppe. During Billington's indisposition in May 1894, Fitzgibbon deputized as Private Willis in Iolanthe, Pooh-Bah, and Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard. He also filled in that month for Redmond as the Pirate King. J. J. Fitzgibbon's last role with the Company was as the Usher in Trial briefly in November 1894. He later toured with George Edwardes' Company, appearing as Tortenssen in Gilbert & Carr's "His Excellency" the following year. He was just 31 years old when he died in January 1898.

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