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Helen Roberts

Helen Florence Roberts (15 July 1912 – 12 December 2010), later known as Betty Roberts and by her married name, Betty Walker, was an English singer and actress, best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.

Roberts as Elsie Maynard

After beginning her career touring in Italy and then England in grand opera, Roberts joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal soprano in 1938. She remained with that company for ten years, marrying another company member, the baritone Richard Walker, in 1944.

After four more years of theatre in Britain, the couple moved to the US, where they presented Gilbert and Sullivan in two-person entertainments throughout North America. They then moved to Australia, where they joined the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. They toured with Williamson in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They also appeared in musicals, including a four-year engagement in the original Australian production of My Fair Lady. After her husband's death in 1989, she returned to England.

Early life and career edit

Roberts was born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. Her father was a surveyor for Lloyd's of London.[1] She was educated at the Bruton School for Girls,[2] before her father moved Helen, her two sisters, Joan and Sheila, and brother Denis, to Naples Italy for five years immediately after World War I. She returned to England,[when?] to finish her schooling, and then studied music at the Royal Academy of Music, privately[1] and later in Italy. She toured in Italy with the Milan Opera Company, singing the role of Norina in Don Pasquale by Donizetti. After returning to England, she toured in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann as the Doll and Antonia and also sang briefly in the chorus of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.[2]

In September 1938, Roberts was engaged by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal soprano.[3] She began to perform there under the name Betty Roberts, but Rupert D'Oyly Carte soon asked her to change it to something more fitting to a leading lady, and she returned to her birth forename.[2] During her decade of performing with the D'Oyly Carte company, she appeared regularly as Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, the title character in Princess Ida, Elsie Maynard in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Gianetta in The Gondoliers.

She soon added the role of Phyllis in Iolanthe to her repertoire. She sometimes also played as Yum-Yum in The Mikado and briefly played the title character in Patience.[4] This was the longest continuous D'Oyly Carte career of any of the company's principal sopranos.[5]The Times repeatedly praised her singing and appearance,[6] and The Manchester Guardian, reviewing the company's 1941 tour, wrote, "One of the chief pleasures of last night's performance was the lovely voice of Miss Helen Roberts."[7] During the war, she sang in concerts and on the radio in aid of public morale.[1]

Roberts married fellow company member Richard Walker on 31 July 1944.[2] Earlier that month, the two found themselves very close to an exploding German rocket near Piccadilly Circus, as they approached a restaurant. They were not seriously hurt, but just before they went on stage that evening as Wilfred and Elsie in The Yeomen of the Guard, Walker proposed marriage.[8]

Later years edit

At the end of July 1948, Roberts and her husband, seeing some of their roles being given to new talent, left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After a year playing in other theatre in Britain (he returned for part of that time to D'Oyly Carte). Roberts and Walker also gave two-person concert tours of Gilbert and Sullivan throughout North America in the early 1950s, where they lived for several years.[1][9]

They then joined J. C. Williamson Limited to tour Australia and New Zealand. U.S. President Eisenhower asked the Walkers to give their concert programme at his pre-inauguration party at the White House following his re-election in 1956, but they were unable to travel from Australia to attend.[10] The Williamson company played Gilbert and Sullivan for extended tours every few years into the 1960s, and Roberts reprised her D'Oyly Carte roles in these, adding the new roles of Plaintiff in Trial by Jury and Rose Maybud in Ruddigore.[2] Roberts and Walker also performed in musical comedies in Australia under other management, including touring for more than four years in the original Australian production of My Fair Lady, beginning in 1959, in which she played Mrs. Eynsford-Hill (the mother of Eliza's suitor Freddy), and he played Eliza's father, Alfred P. Doolittle. She would later return to the role.[10] She continued to sing into her 70s, giving concerts to benefit charities. She enjoyed painting and photography as hobbies.[1]

Last years edit

After her husband's death in 1989, Roberts returned to England and lived first at Blandford Forum (where she continued to do charity work)[1] and, in her last years, at Gillingham, Dorset, in a retirement home where her two sisters lived.[11] She died at The Malthouse, Gillingham, in December 2010, aged 98.[12] Her remains were cremated at Salisbury Crematorium.[13]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Hoare, Colin. Gilbert & Sullivan News, "An Interview with Helen Roberts", Spring 2003, Vol. 3, No. 7
  2. ^ a b c d e Stone, David. Helen Roberts at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 16 December 2010.
  3. ^ Rollins and Witts, p. 163
  4. ^ Rollins and Witts, pp. 163–72
  5. ^ Rollins and Witts, passim. A few principal sopranos served the company over a longer span of years, but not continuously; a few women served for longer but did not sing the principal soprano roles continuously.
  6. ^ See, e.g., "Princes Theatre, Gilbert and Sullivan", The Times, 16 June 1942; p. 2; "Princes Theatre, Iolanthe", The Times, 19 June 1942; p. 6; and "Sadler's Wells Theatre, Gilbert and Sullivan", The Times, 22 July 1947; p. 6.
  7. ^ "Pirates of Penzance", The Manchester Guardian, 14 November 1941, p. 6
  8. ^ "Helen Betty Roberts Walker 1912–2010", The Palace Peeper, The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of New York, Vol. LXXV, No. 5, pg. 3, 5 July 2017.
  9. ^ Ayre, p. 353
  10. ^ a b "Helen Roberts". Memories of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, accessed 18 December 2010
  11. ^ Parker, Peter. Gilbert & Sullivan News, Vol. 4, No.13, Spring 2011, p. 20
  12. ^ . Daily Telegraph, 15 December 2010
  13. ^ Hufford, Bob. "Helen Roberts". Find-a-grave, # 63244790, 23 December 2010

References edit

  • Ayre, Leslie (1972). The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion. London: W.H. Allen & Co Ltd.
  • Rollins, Cyril; Witts, R. John (1962). The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas: A Record of Productions. London: Michael Joseph.

External links edit

  • Photo of Roberts as Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore
  • Photo of Roberts as Mabel in Pirates
  • Photo of Roberts as Elsie in Yeomen
  • Photo of Roberts in My Fair Lady (1970)
  • Helen Roberts at the Internet Broadway Database

helen, roberts, other, people, named, disambiguation, helen, florence, roberts, july, 1912, december, 2010, later, known, betty, roberts, married, name, betty, walker, english, singer, actress, best, known, performances, soprano, roles, savoy, operas, with, oy. For other people named Helen Roberts see Helen Roberts disambiguation Helen Florence Roberts 15 July 1912 12 December 2010 later known as Betty Roberts and by her married name Betty Walker was an English singer and actress best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D Oyly Carte Opera Company Roberts as Elsie MaynardAfter beginning her career touring in Italy and then England in grand opera Roberts joined the D Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal soprano in 1938 She remained with that company for ten years marrying another company member the baritone Richard Walker in 1944 After four more years of theatre in Britain the couple moved to the US where they presented Gilbert and Sullivan in two person entertainments throughout North America They then moved to Australia where they joined the J C Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company They toured with Williamson in the late 1950s and early 1960s They also appeared in musicals including a four year engagement in the original Australian production of My Fair Lady After her husband s death in 1989 she returned to England Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Later years 3 Last years 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and career editRoberts was born in Cleethorpes Lincolnshire Her father was a surveyor for Lloyd s of London 1 She was educated at the Bruton School for Girls 2 before her father moved Helen her two sisters Joan and Sheila and brother Denis to Naples Italy for five years immediately after World War I She returned to England when to finish her schooling and then studied music at the Royal Academy of Music privately 1 and later in Italy She toured in Italy with the Milan Opera Company singing the role of Norina in Don Pasquale by Donizetti After returning to England she toured in Offenbach s The Tales of Hoffmann as the Doll and Antonia and also sang briefly in the chorus of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2 In September 1938 Roberts was engaged by the D Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal soprano 3 She began to perform there under the name Betty Roberts but Rupert D Oyly Carte soon asked her to change it to something more fitting to a leading lady and she returned to her birth forename 2 During her decade of performing with the D Oyly Carte company she appeared regularly as Josephine in H M S Pinafore Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance the title character in Princess Ida Elsie Maynard in The Yeomen of the Guard and Gianetta in The Gondoliers She soon added the role of Phyllis in Iolanthe to her repertoire She sometimes also played as Yum Yum in The Mikado and briefly played the title character in Patience 4 This was the longest continuous D Oyly Carte career of any of the company s principal sopranos 5 The Times repeatedly praised her singing and appearance 6 and The Manchester Guardian reviewing the company s 1941 tour wrote One of the chief pleasures of last night s performance was the lovely voice of Miss Helen Roberts 7 During the war she sang in concerts and on the radio in aid of public morale 1 Roberts married fellow company member Richard Walker on 31 July 1944 2 Earlier that month the two found themselves very close to an exploding German rocket near Piccadilly Circus as they approached a restaurant They were not seriously hurt but just before they went on stage that evening as Wilfred and Elsie in The Yeomen of the Guard Walker proposed marriage 8 Later years editAt the end of July 1948 Roberts and her husband seeing some of their roles being given to new talent left the D Oyly Carte Opera Company After a year playing in other theatre in Britain he returned for part of that time to D Oyly Carte Roberts and Walker also gave two person concert tours of Gilbert and Sullivan throughout North America in the early 1950s where they lived for several years 1 9 They then joined J C Williamson Limited to tour Australia and New Zealand U S President Eisenhower asked the Walkers to give their concert programme at his pre inauguration party at the White House following his re election in 1956 but they were unable to travel from Australia to attend 10 The Williamson company played Gilbert and Sullivan for extended tours every few years into the 1960s and Roberts reprised her D Oyly Carte roles in these adding the new roles of Plaintiff in Trial by Jury and Rose Maybud in Ruddigore 2 Roberts and Walker also performed in musical comedies in Australia under other management including touring for more than four years in the original Australian production of My Fair Lady beginning in 1959 in which she played Mrs Eynsford Hill the mother of Eliza s suitor Freddy and he played Eliza s father Alfred P Doolittle She would later return to the role 10 She continued to sing into her 70s giving concerts to benefit charities She enjoyed painting and photography as hobbies 1 Last years editAfter her husband s death in 1989 Roberts returned to England and lived first at Blandford Forum where she continued to do charity work 1 and in her last years at Gillingham Dorset in a retirement home where her two sisters lived 11 She died at The Malthouse Gillingham in December 2010 aged 98 12 Her remains were cremated at Salisbury Crematorium 13 Notes edit a b c d e f Hoare Colin Gilbert amp Sullivan News An Interview with Helen Roberts Spring 2003 Vol 3 No 7 a b c d e Stone David Helen Roberts at Who Was Who in the D Oyly Carte Opera Company 16 December 2010 Rollins and Witts p 163 Rollins and Witts pp 163 72 Rollins and Witts passim A few principal sopranos served the company over a longer span of years but not continuously a few women served for longer but did not sing the principal soprano roles continuously See e g Princes Theatre Gilbert and Sullivan The Times 16 June 1942 p 2 Princes Theatre Iolanthe The Times 19 June 1942 p 6 and Sadler s Wells Theatre Gilbert and Sullivan The Times 22 July 1947 p 6 Pirates of Penzance The Manchester Guardian 14 November 1941 p 6 Helen Betty Roberts Walker 1912 2010 The Palace Peeper The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of New York Vol LXXV No 5 pg 3 5 July 2017 Ayre p 353 a b Helen Roberts Memories of the D Oyly Carte Opera Company accessed 18 December 2010 Parker Peter Gilbert amp Sullivan News Vol 4 No 13 Spring 2011 p 20 Walker Daily Telegraph 15 December 2010 Hufford Bob Helen Roberts Find a grave 63244790 23 December 2010References editAyre Leslie 1972 The Gilbert amp Sullivan Companion London W H Allen amp Co Ltd Rollins Cyril Witts R John 1962 The D Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas A Record of Productions London Michael Joseph External links editPhoto of Roberts as Josephine in H M S Pinafore Photo of Roberts as Mabel in Pirates Photo of Roberts as Elsie in Yeomen Photo of Roberts as Giannetta in The Gondoliers Photo of Roberts in My Fair Lady 1970 Helen Roberts at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helen Roberts amp oldid 1187756706, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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