THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Fred H. Frear (1885-86)

[Born Brooklyn, New York 22 Aug 1853; died Chicago, Illinois 19 Oct 1930]

Frederick H. Frear assumed the role of Ko-Ko in The Mikado with D'Oyly Carte's Third American Mikado Company, managed by John Stetson, on tour in New England in late December 1885. In January or February 1886 he was replaced by F. B. Blair. It was Frear's only engagement with the D'Oyly Carte organization.

Before going on stage, Frear worked as a bookkeeper. He made his debut in May 1879 in The Chimes of Normandy at Urig's Cave, St. Louis, Missouri. Over the next 34 years, Frear played comedy roles in a vast number of comic operas, musical comedies, and farces. He appeared frequently in New York, reportedly enjoying success in such works as Olivette, A Bunch of Keys, The Wizard of the Nile, The Mayor of Tokio, and The Sultan of Sulu. Among his roles on tour was Jamilek in Gilbert & Clay's Princess Toto (Chicago Museum, May 1884).

Frear's New York roles included the Learned Judge in Trial by Jury (Tony Pastor's New Fourteenth Street Theatre, 1882), and Ko-Ko in The Mikado again (Madison Square Roof Garden, 1902). His last appearance in that city was with the DeKoven Opera Company in Rob Roy (Liberty Theatre, 1913).

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