Alexander Meston Reid (21 March 1945 – 31 October 1993), better known as Meston Reid, was a Scottish opera singer and actor, best known for his performances in tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After working his way up through the ranks for four years with Sadler's Wells Opera and on tour, Reid joined D'Oyly Carte as one of the company's principal tenors, where he eventually played most of the leading tenor roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas until the company closed in 1982. He continued to sing and direct until his sudden death in 1993.
Meston Reid as Captain Fitzbattleaxe in Utopia, Limited, 1975
Reid was born in Strathdee, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He began his musical career as a boy soprano, making his first public appearance aged 6. He attended the Aboyne Academy, which he left aged 15 to work on his father's farm, singing in concerts in his spare time.[1] At the age of eighteen, he joined the Lyric Musical Society of Aberdeen, sang with the Inverness Opera Company, and began to take singing and piano lessons.[2] He was a finalist in the Count Cinzano Scholarship competition for young singers in 1965.[3] Intending to pursue a career in music, Reid left the family farm and moved to Aberdeen where he worked for a food firm while continuing to study music.[1]
Careeredit
He made his professional debut in a Scottish variety show at the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen and performed with Sadler's Wells Opera for four years, first in the chorus before graduating to small parts. His first solo role was Lun Tha in The King and I in 1972.[2] In 1973 he appeared in The Leslie Crowther Show and toured in Lilac Time and as Sid-el-Karr in The Desert Song.[1]
Reid later appeared in the chorus of The Metropolitan Mikado in 1985 and sang with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and in the show Grand Tour of Melody with Richard Baker. From 1989, he went on concert tours of Scotland, and in 1993 he joined the concert group "The Stars of Operetta".[2] In 1987, he was first engaged as the director of the Godalming Operatic Society, an amateur society with a long association with ex-D'Oyly Carte directors. He directed their productions until 1993.[6]
Reid's roles recorded with D'Oyly Carte included Fitzbattleaxe in Utopia (1976), Ernest Dummkopf in The Grand Duke (1976), Marco in The Gondoliers (1977), Aesculapius Carboy in The Zoo (1978), and Leonard Meryll in Yeomen (1979). He also participated in the D'Oyly Carte: The Last Night recording in 1982.[7] In 1989 he made a recording of traditional Scottish songs.
meston, reid, alexander, march, 1945, october, 1993, better, known, scottish, opera, singer, actor, best, known, performances, tenor, roles, savoy, operas, with, oyly, carte, opera, company, after, working, through, ranks, four, years, with, sadler, wells, ope. Alexander Meston Reid 21 March 1945 31 October 1993 better known as Meston Reid was a Scottish opera singer and actor best known for his performances in tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D Oyly Carte Opera Company After working his way up through the ranks for four years with Sadler s Wells Opera and on tour Reid joined D Oyly Carte as one of the company s principal tenors where he eventually played most of the leading tenor roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas until the company closed in 1982 He continued to sing and direct until his sudden death in 1993 Meston Reid as Captain Fitzbattleaxe in Utopia Limited 1975 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editReid was born in Strathdee Aberdeenshire Scotland He began his musical career as a boy soprano making his first public appearance aged 6 He attended the Aboyne Academy which he left aged 15 to work on his father s farm singing in concerts in his spare time 1 At the age of eighteen he joined the Lyric Musical Society of Aberdeen sang with the Inverness Opera Company and began to take singing and piano lessons 2 He was a finalist in the Count Cinzano Scholarship competition for young singers in 1965 3 Intending to pursue a career in music Reid left the family farm and moved to Aberdeen where he worked for a food firm while continuing to study music 1 Career editHe made his professional debut in a Scottish variety show at the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen and performed with Sadler s Wells Opera for four years first in the chorus before graduating to small parts His first solo role was Lun Tha in The King and I in 1972 2 In 1973 he appeared in The Leslie Crowther Show and toured in Lilac Time and as Sid el Karr in The Desert Song 1 Reid joined the D Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1974 playing the part of Earl Tolloller in Iolanthe He soon added the roles of Mr Box in Cox and Box Alexis Poindextre in The Sorcerer Ralph in H M S Pinafore the Duke of Dunstable in Patience Richard in Ruddigore and Marco Palmieri in The Gondoliers When the company revived Utopia Limited for its 1975 Centenary season Reid played the role of Captain Fitzbattleaxe That year Reid added to his repertoire the parts of Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance and Leonard Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard In the 1977 revival of Princess Ida he assumed the role of Prince Hilarion 2 He played Ralph in the Royal Command Performance of Pinafore at Windsor Castle to celebrate Queen Elizabeth s Silver Jubilee 4 He continued to play principal tenor roles with the company until it closed in 1982 5 Reid later appeared in the chorus of The Metropolitan Mikado in 1985 and sang with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and in the show Grand Tour of Melody with Richard Baker From 1989 he went on concert tours of Scotland and in 1993 he joined the concert group The Stars of Operetta 2 In 1987 he was first engaged as the director of the Godalming Operatic Society an amateur society with a long association with ex D Oyly Carte directors He directed their productions until 1993 6 Reid s roles recorded with D Oyly Carte included Fitzbattleaxe in Utopia 1976 Ernest Dummkopf in The Grand Duke 1976 Marco in The Gondoliers 1977 Aesculapius Carboy in The Zoo 1978 and Leonard Meryll in Yeomen 1979 He also participated in the D Oyly Carte The Last Night recording in 1982 7 In 1989 he made a recording of traditional Scottish songs Death editReid died suddenly in 1993 at the age of 48 2 Notes edit a b c Interview with Reid in The Savoyard Vol XVI No 3 January 1978 pp 12 13 a b c d e Stone David Meston Reid 1974 82 Who Was Who in the D Oyly Carte Opera Company 27 August 2001 accessed 31 May 2018 Meston Reid Memories of the D Oyly Carte Opera Company accessed 17 November 2015 Wilson and Lloyd p 178 Rollins and Witts 4th Supplement Moat Betty Meston Reid Not Just a Singer pp 271 273 W S Gilbert Society Journal Vol 1 No 9 Summer 1997 Meston Reid Discography CastAlbums org accessed 17 November 2015References editWilson Robin Frederic Lloyd 1984 Gilbert amp Sullivan The D Oyly Carte Years The Official Picture History London Weidenfeld and Nicolson External links editD Oyly Carte photos including Reid as Frederic Photo of Reid as Ralph Meston Reid at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Meston Reid amp oldid 1114970656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
