Ruth Vincent

.

Early life and D'Oyly Carte years

Vincent was born in Grand Yarmouth, Norfolk. Her father was Henry Vincent Bunn, and she married Lieutenant Colonel John Fraser of the Royal Horse Guards.

left the company.

Vincent next appeared in leading roles, including Iza in "The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein" (1897-98) and Casilda in "The Gondoliers" (1898), created the role of Laine in "The Beauty Stone" (1898), played Aline in "The Sorcerer" (1898), created the part of Princess Laoula in "The Lucky Star" (early 1899), and sang Josephine in "H.M.S. Pinafore" (later in 1899). When she was passed over for the leading soprano part of Sultana Zubedyah in "The Rose of Persia", Vincent rejected the part that she was offered ("Scent-of-Lilies") and left the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in November 1899. As it turned out, Ellen Beach Yaw, the American soprano cast as the Sultana, was dismissed after only two weeks in the role, and the opportunity to replace her went to young Isabel Jay instead of Vincent.

Vincent's younger sister, Madge Vincent, was a D'Oyly Carte chorister from 1898 to 1900 and also had a subsequent musical theatre career.

West End career and later years

" (1907), "The Belle of Brittany" in 1909, and "A Persian Princess" in 1909.

Vincent next sang with the Beecham Opera Company and then made her debut in grand opera at Covent Garden in 1910, singing in such operas as "Hänsel und Gretel", and "Carmen" (as Michaela), and creating the role of Vrenchen in Delius's opera, "A Village Romeo and Juliet". She performed a concert tour of the provinces in 1911 and sang in her first oratorio in 1912, appearing at the 1912 Hereford and 1913 Gloucester Festivals. In her later years, she appeared mostly at the Palladium, Coliseum Theatre, and other variety houses. She was also an Associate of the Philharmonic Society.

Ruth Vincent died in London at the age of 78.

Recordings

Vincent made a number of recordings of songs for HMV and Columbia between 1904 and 1920 including "The Waltz Song" from Edward German's "Tom Jones". Her voice can be heard on the CD "The Art of the Savoyard" (Pearl GEMM CD 9991).

References

*cite book|last=Ayre|first=Leslie|year=1972|title=The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion|location=London|publisher=W.H. Allen & Co Ltd Introduction by Martyn Green.
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/U-V/VincentRuth.htm Ruth Vincent] at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte
* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/r-vincent.html Profile of Vincent]
* [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/rose/html/two_sultanas.html Description of the circumstances surrounding Vincent's leaving D'Oyly Carte]
* [http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/special/icons/playbills/playdat1.htm Listing of a number of Vincent's West End roles]

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?id=63292 Vincent's Broadway roles at the IBDB database]
* [http://www.hometown.aol.com/edwardgermandisc/tjorig.html Information about a recording by Vincent of a song from "Tom Jones"]
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/gallery/vincent.html Photo of Vincent]
* [http://www.stagebeauty.net/th-frames.html?http&&&myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stage1/vincent/vincent-r.html Photos of Vincent and review of her performance in "The Medal and the Maid"]
* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/r-vincent-p.html Early Vincent photos]
*http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp66409 More photos of Vincent]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/13108733@N00/2252097007/in/pool-victorian_edwardian_fashion Another photo of Vincent]