THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Clara Deveine

Clara Deveine (1881-83)

[Born Aberdeen, Scotland 17 Sep 1856 or 7, died Kensington, London 1945]

Clare Davie, the illegitimate daughter of Scottish composer and music seller John Davie, left home in her teens and made her comic opera debut in 1875 at the Philharmonic Theatre, Islington, adopting the stage name of Clara Deveine.

As Clara Deveine, she played several small roles with D'Oyly Carte touring companies between 1881 and 1883. From August to December 1881 she was the Lady Saphir in the first provincial production of Patience with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "D" Company. She played the same role with Carte's No. 1 "Patience" Company from March to December 1882, also taking a part (probably Mrs. Bowcher) in the curtain raiser Mock Turtles.

She married fellow a D'Oyly Carte performer, chorister Arthur Du Pasquier (Yates), in August 1882.

From December 1882 to March 1883 she was Leila in the first provincial production of Iolanthe with Mr. D'Oyly Carte'sNo. 2 "Iolanthe" Company.In March 1883 she transferred back to Carte's No. 1 "Patience" Company, where she reclaimed Lady Saphir and added Julia Fitzsimmons in the companion piece Six and Six.She left the D'Oyly Carte when the tour ended December 8, 1883.

In 1884 she returned to Scotland, with her husband, where they appeared together in Claudian at the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh.

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