THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Rose Carlingford (1883-84)

Rose Carlingford first attracted favorable notice on the London stage (with her "keen sense of humor" and "rich and rare" contralto voice) as Peronella in Franz von Suppe's , (Comedy Theatre, 1882).

She succeeded Alice Barnett as Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe at the Savoy in October 1883 when Miss Barnett was forced off the boards by ill health. Miss Carlingford played the part until the end of the run on January 1, 1884, but did not have a part in the next opera. It was her only engagement with the D'Oyly Carte organization.

Rose Carlingford toured America in 1885 with the Rosina Vokes Company. A Miss Carlingford, likely the same lady, gave a single matinee performance as Lady Barker in the musical fantasy In the Depths of the Sea at London's Avenue Theatre in July 1894.

Her career also embraced concerts (for Arthur Helmore at the Crystal Palace, 1894), drama (Ibsen's plays at the Stage Society, 1900), and the promotion of dubious voice improvement devices (the "Ammoniaphone"). Her last London appearance was in Mice and Men (Lyric, 1902).

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