THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Minna Louis in Iolanthe

Minna Louis (1881-85)

[Born c.1864, died 1900]

Minna Louis (real name Emily Lewis Toplis) was a soprano chorister, understudy, and small part player with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Opera Comique and Savoy between January 1881 and January 1884. During her tenure in London she took female leads in three one-act curtain raisers:Jenny Wren in Uncle Samuel (May-October 1881), Mrs. Wranglebury in Mock Turtles (November 1881-March 1883), and Rose Frumpington in A Private Wire (March 1883-January 1884). She also filled in briefly as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (January 1881, following Marion Hood's departure), Patience in Patience (September 1882), and Phyllis in Iolanthe (September 1884). She married D'Oyly Carte tenor Charles Rowan in 1883.

For Princess Ida, Miss Louis went on tour as Lady Psyche with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "D" ("Princess Ida" No. 1) Company, in the opera's first provincial production, February-December 1884. The Company was then inactive for two months, but resumed touring in February 1885 with Princess Ida (Miss Louis as Psyche again) and a double-bill of The Sorcerer and Trial by Jury (Miss Louis as the Plaintiff in the shorter piece). She left the D'Oyly Carte in May 1885.

She had a few further theatrical engagements in the late 1880s (as understudy to Marie Tempest) in Cellier's Dorothy, and in the 90's. Her last leading role was Lady Lydia on tour in the 1898 musical comedy Black and White.

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