THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Frederick Stanislaus (m.d., 1880-81)

[Born Kidderminster, Worcs. 27 Dec 1844, died London 22 Nov 1891]

Frederick Stanislaus (born Stanislaus Smith) was musical director for Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "B" (later "C") Company, touring The Pirates of Penzance from October 1880 to October 1881. It was his only engagement with the D'Oyly Carte organization.

Stanislaus' career as a musical director extended at least from 1875, when he conducted Opera-bouffe at New York's Wallack's Theatre, until his death in 1891. In 1876, back in his native England, he conducted a revival of Alfred Cellier's The Sultan of Mocha at the Prince's Theatre, Manchester. He was also musical director for a number of London productions, including the 1881 revival of W. S. Gilbert & Frederic Clay's Princess Toto at the Opera Comique. His last engagement as musical director in London was in the operatic comedy Miss Decima. The work opened at the Criterion on July 23, 1891, and was still running at the time of his death that November.

As a composer, Stanislaus' works included the light opera The Lancashire Witches (1879) and a share of the musical extravaganza The Palace of Pearl (1886).

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