THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Hugh Friel as Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore

Hugh Friel (1922-24)

[Born Armadale, Scotland c.1899, died Yonkers, New York 1939]

Tenor Hugh Friel joined the D'Oyly Carte "New" Opera Company in January 1922. During the next year-and-a-half he served primarily in the chorus, but made occasional appearances as the Defendant in Trial by Jury in place of Albert Bond during the 1922-23 season.

Friel began the next season in July 1923 with two principal roles:Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore and Earl Tolloller in Iolanthe. In March 1924, when Dewey Gibson left the "New" Company, Friel took his biggest tenor leads, Nanki-Poo in The Mikado and Marco in The Gondoliers, while passing Tolloller on to newcomer Herbert Garry.

Friel played Ralph, Nanki-Poo, and Marco until he left the "New" Company and the D'Oyly Carte organization in June 1924.

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