THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Jessie Rose as Tessa in The Gondoliers

Jessie Rose (1896-1900, 1901-09)

[Born Uxbridge Moor, London 18 Nov 1875, died Sunningdale, Berkshire 27 May 1928]

Jessie Kate Rose's first appearance with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company appears to have been in the small part of Bertha which she created in the original production of The Grand Duke (March-July 1896) at the Savoy. She remained at the Savoy, except for a brief period in July-August 1899 (when she filled in, perhaps as Deborah, in Haddon Hall with Carte's touring Company "D"), as a chorister and small part player until March 1900. After The Grand Duke, her named parts were Helena in His Majesty (February-April 1897), Margery in the companion piece Old Sarah (between June 1897 and May 1898), Olga in The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (December 1897-March 1898), Vittoria in The Gondoliers (March-May 1898), Oasis and (on occasion) Princes Laoula in The Lucky Star (January-May 1899), the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury (July, August-September 1899), and "Scent-of-Lilies" in The Rose of Persia (November 1899-March 1900).

She then left the D'Oyly Carte organization for a year-and-half, returning to tour with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "D" from September 1901 to May 1902 as Lady Rosie Pippin in The Emerald Isle. In June 1902 she joined Carte's touring "C" (Repertoire Opera) Company, with which she appeared as Isabel in The Pirates of Penzance, the Lady Ella in Patience, Leila in Iolanthe (from September onward), Lady Psyche in Princess Ida, Peep-Bo in The Mikado, Kate in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Gianetta in The Gondoliers. She also filled in from time to time that year as Yum-Yum in The Mikado and Princess Ida in Princess Ida.

Her roles in 1903 were Isabel, Leila, Psyche, Peep-Bo, Kate in Yeomen, Gianetta, and Minnie Hill in the Bridgeman & Cellier curtain raiser Bob, that filled the Pirates bill. She also appeared briefly as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado (in July) and resumed the part of Lady Ella in Patience in December.

In January 1904 Jessie Rose officially became a mezzo-soprano, replacing the departed Lulu Evans. For the next three years she toured as Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore, Edith in Pirates, Lady Angela in Patience, Iolanthe in Iolanthe, Melissa in Princess Ida, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Phoebe Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Tessa in The Gondoliers. She also had a role in Bob in 1904, probably Lady Mabel rather than Minnie Hill.

Miss Rose returned to the Savoy for the First London Repertory Season (December 1906-August 1907), appearing in all the lead mezzo-soprano roles:Phoebe Meryll, Tessa, Lady Angela, and Iolanthe. She then returned to the Repertory Company (August 1907-April 1908), in the same roles she played before she left. Then back to the Savoy for the Second London Repertory Season (April 1908-March 1909) as Pitti-Sing, Hebe, Iolanthe, Edith, Tessa, and Phoebe.

She then went on tour one last time with the D'Oyly Carte Principal Repertory Opera Company from April to June 1909, appearing once more as Hebe, Edith, Angela, Iolanthe, Melissa, Pitti-Sing, Phoebe, and Tessa.

Jessie Rose left the D'Oyly Carte organization for good in June 1909, later appearing at the Savoy (though not under D'Oyly Carte management) as Annette in Eden & Somerville's The Mountaineers (September-November 1909), and as Zayda in Gilbert & German's Fallen Fairies (December 1909-January 1910). They were her last roles on the London Stage.

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