THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Hamish MacCunn

Hamish MacCunn (m.d., 1902-03)

[Born Greenock, Scotland 22 Mar 1868, died London 2 Aug 1916]

Composer conductor Hamish MacCunn studied at the Royal College of Music under Sir Hubert Parry, then from 1888 to 1894 served as professor of harmony at the Royal Academy of Music. He conducted for the Carl Rosa Opera Company and for Thomas Beecham's company before joining the D'Oyly Carte organization at the Savoy, where he was musical director for the original productions of Hood & German's Merrie England and A Princess of Kensington (April 1902-May 1905). A Princess of Kensington went on tour in May 1903. After the tour, MacCunn (along with many performers from the Company) left the D'Oyly Carte organization and, in December 1903, migrated to the Adelphi (and, later, the Lyric) where he conducted The Earl and the Girl.

Among his compositions were the operas Jeanie Dean (1894) and Diarmid and Ghrine (1897); a musical comedy, The Golden Girl (1905); several cantatas, orchestral pieces, and part-songs; pieces for violin, piano, and cello; and some 80 songs.




Page created August 27, 2001 © 2001 David Stone