THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

George Whitehead (1902-03)

Before joining the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, George Whitehead toured with the Bertram Wallis' Concert Party, appearing with that group at London's Court Theatre between May and July 1901.

Engaged by the D'Oyly Carte organization the following year, he took his first named parts on tour with D'Oyly Carte Repertoire Opera Company "C" in March 1902:the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Colonel Calverley in Patience, Go-To in The Mikado, Second Yeoman in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Antonio in The Gondoliers. In August 1902, R. Scrope Quentin left the Company and Whitehead assumed all of his roles:stepping up to the Mikado in The Mikado and Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, and adding the Earl of Mountararat in Iolanthe, Arac in Princess Ida, and Sergeant Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard.

In June 1903 Frank Wilson (who had been touring South Africa) returned to England, replacing Whitehead in all his roles with the Repertoire Company. Whitehead transferred to D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "E," with which he appeared as Bill Bobstay in H.M.S. Pinafore, the Mikado in The Mikado, and the Lieutenant of the Tower in Yeomen until September 1903, when his D'Oyly Carte career ended.

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