THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Blanche Gaston-Murray as the Lady Angela in Patience

Blanche Gaston-Murray (1898-1901)

[Born Brixton, London 29 Sep 1866, died Broadstairs, Kent 19 Dec 1946]

Blanche Gaston-Murray (real name Blanche Mary Wilson) appeared as Tessa in the second 1898 revival of The Gondoliers at the Savoy (July-September 1898). She then went on tour with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "C," appearing as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado in December 1898, and taking over all the principal soubrette parts (Constance in The Sorcerer, Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore, Edith in The Pirates of Penzance, Lady Angela in Patience, Iolanthe in Iolanthe, Melissa in Princess Ida, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Phoebe in The Yeomen of the Guard, Tessa in The Gondoliers, and Kalyba in Utopia Limited), with this repertory company from January 1899 to November 1900. (She took the part of Nekaya in Utopia briefly in April 1899.)

In November 1900 she returned to the Savoy as Lady Angela in the First London revival of Patience. Patience ran until April 1901 when it was followed by Sullivan's last opera (completed posthumously by Edward German) The Emerald Isle, with Miss Gaston-Murray creating the part of Susan. In November 1901 she was Fee-Fi in The Willow Pattern. But when that opera was shortened to "curtain raiser" length to run with the First London revival of Iolanthe, the part of Fee-Fi disappeared. So, it appears, did Blanche Gaston-Murray, who never again appeared in a D'Oyly Carte program in London or on tour.

She recorded a pair of duets from Veronique in 1905 with Arthur Grover, but did not return to the London Stage until 1914, appearing as Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment, in the title role in Carmen, and as Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Old Vic in 1914-16.

Blanche Gaston-Murray was the sister of Ethel Murray and Jessie Pounds (and, accordingly, the sister-in-law of Courtice Pounds).

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