Williamson, Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company

Date: 1880 - 1889

By: Haggett & Percy (Firm); Hughes, James, active 1868-1881; Bock & Cousins Lithographers (Firm); Brett Printing and Publishing Company Ltd; Evening Post (Wellington, N.Z.)

Reference: Eph-A-OPERA-1880s

Description: Includes programmes or flyers for the following performances: 1880s: Williamson, Garner & Musgrove's celebrated Royal Comic Opera Company. Audran's charming opera "La Mascotte". Opera House Wellington. Magnificent scenery by Gordon and Brunton. Williamson, Garner & Musgrove's celebrated Royal Comic Opera Company. "Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride". Opera House Wellington. Magnificent scenery by Gordon & Brunton. Bock & Co printers. Libretto of "Olivette!", comic opera in 3 acts, by H B Farnie; music composed by Audran. Published for use in Australian and NZ colonies by Musgrove's London Opera Comique Company. [1880s?] (donation PR-03-0058) 1880: Lyster's Royal Italian & English Opera. "Aida" and "Rose of Castile". Theatre Royal [Wellington], 24 February 1880. Lyster's Royal Italian & English Opera. "La favorita" and "La traviata". Theatre Royal Wellington, 26 February [1880]. Flier / programme. 1881: R W Cary's "Pirates of Penzance!" on their piratical tour of New Zealand. [Libretto]. Wellington, James Hughes, steam printer, engraver, etc, Lambton Quay, 1881. Pollard's Lilliputian Opera Troupe in the extraordinary opera of "The Lass that loved a sailor", or HMS Pinafore. Conductor and musical director Mr J J Pollard, Leader of the orchestra Mr C Pollard. [n.p., 1881?] Williamson's Royal Opera Company. "Patience or Bunthorne's bride". New aesthetic scenery painted by Mr Alfred Clint. Costumier Mr W Ford. 1881. Williamson's Royal Opera Company. "HMS Pinafore". Entirely new ship scenery by George Gordon. Post print, Wellington. 1882: Abbott's Opera House (Auckland). "La fille du Tambour Major", with notice of forthcoming productions of "Billee Taylor", "Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride" [1882?] Montague-Turner Grand English Opera. "Lucia de Lammermoor". Theatre Royal Wellington. 23 January [1882]. Theatre Royal (Wellington?). Last week of the Montague-Turner Grand English Opera. "Mignon!" this Monday 6 February. On Wednesday "Lucrezia Borgia"; on Thursday Benefit of Miss Annis Montague, a grand gala night; Friday and Saturday "The Royal Middy". Printed at the New Zealand Times, Wellington [Flier. 1882] Theatre Royal [Auckland]. "Guy Mannering". Amateur dramatic performance in aid of the Masonic Hall building fund. 29 August 1882. Printed by H Brett, "Evening star" office, Wyndham Street. 1884?: Comic opera "Rip van Winkle" in three acts. [Libretto with Wellington advertisements; no cover. Assumed to have been used during 1884 season performed by A T Dunning's London Comic Opera Company] Dunning's Opera Company. John Crook's spectacular military opera comique in 3 acts. "The King's dragoons". Auckland, H Brett, theatrical printer, Star Office. Libretto [This opera is known to have been performed in Napier in June 1884] 1885: Leading amateurs of New Plymouth under the direction of Mr G Garry. Gilbert & Sullivan's comic opera "Trial by jury!" (With L Humphries, Miss Hempton, Mr Holdsworth, Mr Rennell, F Humphries, Miss White, Miss Cliff, Mr Downes). Alexandra Hall, Wednesday July 29 [1885]. Programme. Printed at the "Daily news" Office, New Plymouth 1887 : Messr's Williamson, Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "The Mikado". General manager Mr R S Smythe. Scenery by Mr George Gordon. Bock & Cousins, Printers, Brandon Street. [1887?] 1888-1889: "Marjorie", comic opera in three acts. Libretto by Lewis Clifton & J J Dilley; music by Walter Slaughter. Prince of Wales Theatre [ca 1888-1889]. Liretto (2 slightly differing) 1889: Martin Simonsen's New Royal English and Italian Opera Company. "Il trovatore". [Theatre Royal Wellington, September 1889]. Libretto. Haggett & Percy, Printers, Lambton Quay. St John Ambulance Association. Grand costume concert; selections from popular operas: Favart, Iolanthe, Mikado, Patience, Sorcerer. Conductor F M Wallace, Hon Manager J J Kinsey, Hon Secretary F Notley meadows. Christchurch Theatre Royal, 19-20 July 1889. Programme and book of words. Quantity: 20 programmes / flyers. Physical Description: Programmes and flyers, sizes ranging under 250 mm. Provenance: One programme donated in 2002 by Paul Orsman, Holmes estate; two libretti by Mrs Margaret Hancock, Tokoroa, in 2009.

Date: 1890-1896

By: Ellis, W A, active 1890s?

Reference: Eph-A-THEATRE-1889/1896

Description: "New Zealand Royal Jubilee Diary 1887" has been filled with pasted clippings up to the pages for the beginning of April. Clippings are notices, brief programmes and cast list arranged roughly in chronological order and are for the following productions: "The private secretary" starring Frank Thornton [1890?] George Darrell and Christine Darrell in "Potter of Texas". Opera House 6 January 1890. The great English comedian Mr Harry Saint Maur and Company. "Jim the penman". [Opera House Wellington, early April 1890](Clipping printed by Bock & Co Wellington) "The golden ladder" (with Walter Howe, Bland Holt, etc) [Opera House November 1889] Charles Warner and Miss Gracie Warner. "Hands across the sea". Opera House [November 1889] Charles Warner and Miss Gracie Warner. "Captain Swift". Opera House [January 1890] Charles Warner and Miss Gracie Warner. "It's never too late to mend". Opera House [January 1890] "Uncle Tom's cabin" with R D'Orsay Ogden, Miss Helen Fergus, Baby Ogden. Opera House [June 1889?] Mr Geo C Miln and Miss Kate Douglas. "Othello". Opera House [June 1890]. Mr Geo C Miln and Miss Kate Douglas. "Romeo and Juliet". Opera House [June 1890]. Royal American Midgets, General and Mrs Mite, the smallest couple in the world. Exchange Hall [Wellington, December 1890?] "East Lynne", with Helen Vivian and Arthur Vivian and company. [1889 or 1890] J L Toole in "Chawles; or, A fool and his money", to conclude with "Ici on parle francais". Opera House Wellington [November 1890] J L Toole in " The Don". Opera House Wellington [November 1890] J L Toole in "Paul Pry" and "The birthplace of Podgers". Opera House Wellington [November 1890] J L Toole in "Dot". Opera House Wellington [November 1890] J L Toole. "Dearer than life" and "The steeplechase". Opera House Wellington [November 1890] J L Toole. "Serious family" and "Off the line". Opera House Wellington [November 1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "In his power". [Wellington Opera House] 25-26 November [1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "The new Magdalen". [Wellington Opera House], 22 and 24 November [1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "Forget-me-not". [Wellington Opera House] 1-3 December [1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "Fedora". [Wellington Opera House], 4 December [1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "King Rene's daughter", "Barbara", and "Take back the heart". [Wellington Opera House], 5-6 December [1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "Camille". [Wellington Opera House], 8 December [1890] Miss Janet Achurch in "Lady of Lyons", "Barbara", and "Macbeth". [Wellington Opera House], 10 December [1890] Miss Janet Achurch. "East Lynne". [Wellington Opera House], 11 December 1890 Chas and Will Hugo, Miss Priscilla Verne, and company. "Off the line", "The mashers", "You don't say so", "Mad-crazy mad", etc. [1889?] Royal Dramatic Company. "Under the British flag" Opera House [Wellington, February 1891] Harvey Bros Minstrel and Burlesque Company (With Herr Carl Riedle, Miss Violet brandon, Cowan & Magee, Helen Gordon Cunard, Harry Cowan, Ella Siegfried, Vincent Magee). Opera House [December 1890] Edison's startling talking machine, the Phonograph, under the direction of Messrs MacMahon. Part 1; descriptive and explanatory lecture by Professor Douglas Archibald [location unspecified, ca March 1891] Prof Douglas Archibald. Part I. Descriptive and explanatory lectures illustrated by limelight views. Copy of the phonogram spoken in London, March 8 1890 by the Right Honorable William Ewart Gladstone ... [1891?] Prof Douglas Archibald. Part II. Loud records through the funnel [1891?] Mr Charles Santley. Opera House, 8 March 1890. Programme Rev Charles Clark, the inventor of lecture entertainments. "Thackeray (17th December); "Oliver Cromwell" (18th December); "Original Dickens lecture ... recital of "Christmas carol". Opera House [1890] Professor Anderson, the great wizard of the North, and Mdlle Blanche Anderson, the musical Espanita and illustrator of the occult science. Professor Anderson's floating lady. Opera House [February 1891] John F Sheridan. "Uncle Tom's cabin", and "Little black-eyed Susan". Opera House [February 1891] John F Sheridan. "Fun on the Bristol". Opera House [1891?] John F Sheridan. "Little black-eyed Susan". Opera House [1891?] "Jo", with Mr J P Burnett and Miss Jennie Lee [Wellington Opera House, April - May 1891] "The grasshopper", with Miss Jennie Lee, Barry Marschel etc. [April-May 1891?] "Sam; or the ticket-of-leave man", with Miss Jennie Lee, Mr J P Burnett, etc. [Wellington Opera House, June 1891] "Run wild", with Miss Jennie Lee. [Wellington Opera House, June 1891] "Jack in the box", with Miss Jennie Lee [Wellington Opera House, May 1891] "Jennie Lee as 'Jo'" [Poem from Vanity Fair, London] Dr Canaris' Combination (with assistant Miss Beaumont). Opera House [July 1891] Madam Patey's third concert. Theatre Royal [Wellington], 11 June 1891. Programme Williamson Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "La mascotte". Opera House [1890??] Mr Harry Saint Maur. "Mr Barnes, of New York"; "Grimaldi; or the life of an actress". With Harry Saint Maur and Florence Seymour. [Wellington, April 1890] Dobson-Kennedy Dramatic and Comedy Company. "Little Lord Fauntleroy [Wellington?, 19 August 1891] [Kennedy Company]. "The Shaughraun" [1891] [Kennedy Company]. "Pygmalion & Galatea" [1891] [Kennedy Company]. "Current cash" [September 1891] [Juvenile Opera Company]. "La mascotte" with Lily Everett. Opera House [4 September 1891] [Juvenile Opera Company]. "The mikado" (with Lily Everett, W Percy, H Quealy, etc. Opera House [1891] Horace Chester's humorous and musical entertainment. Exchange Hall wellington, commencing 19 October 1891. Programme Grand opening of Dr Lynden's most liberal gift entertainment in the world. A gift for everybody. [August 1891?] [Bland Holt Company]. "Master & man" (with Harry Plimmer, Walter Howe, Albert Norman, etc). [Wellington Opera House, 2 November 1891]. [Bland Holt Company]. "London day by day". [Wellington Opera House, 7 November 1891] [Bland Holt Company]. Henry Pettitt & Sydney Grundy's "Bells of Haslemere" [Wellington Opera House, 12 November 1891] [Bland Holt Company]. "The golden ladder" [Wellington Opera House, 18 November 1891] [Payne Family Bellringers - group photograph] [Payne Family Bellringers. Exchange Hall, 25 November 1891] Walter Bentley in "Hamlet". Opera House [Wellington, February 1892] Walter Bentley in "Money". Opera House [Wellington, February 1892] Walter Bentley in "Merchant of Venice" [Opera House Wellington, February 1892] Walter Bentley in "The bells; or, The murder of the Polish Jew"so "Cramond Brig", and "David Garrick". [1892] J C Williamson's [Juvenile Opera Company] in "Pirates of Penzance". Opera House [1892?] J J Kennedy Company. "The Shaughraun" [1892?] Lilliputian Opera Company. Planquette's masterpiece "Paul Jones". Opera House Stratford, 14th August 1896. At the back are two letters to Mr Ellis, one mentioning a lecture he was giving on the "Much travelled" - probably Mr W A Ellis who spoke in Stratford in about June 1896. Also contains a letter to Mr Ellis from George Darrell, probably in 1890. Quantity: 1 album(s). Physical Description: Hardbound book, 200 x 130 mm. Provenance: Donated by David Carnegie, Wellington, in 2013. Previously purchased by him.

Date: 1890 - 1899

Reference: Eph-A-OPERA-1890s

Description: Includes programmes or flyers for the following performances: 1890: Williamson Garner and Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "La mascotte". Opera House (Wellington) 1890? Flier / programme. Williamson Garner and Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Charity begins at home", a musical proverb in once act by B C Stephenson, the music composed by Alfred Cellier. [Wellington? 1890?]. Flier / programme. Williamson Garner and Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Patience". Opera House Wellington. [1890?]. Flier / programme. Williamson Garner and Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Yeoman of the Guard". Opera House Wellington. [1890?]. Flier / programme (2 copies - with advertisement for ton, manufacturing chemist in Adelaide Road Wellington - his Old English Cough Linctus) A respectful operatic Per-Version of Tennyson's "Princess" in three acts, entitled "Princess Ida" or "Castle Adamant", written by W S Gilbert. composed by Arthur Sullivan. London, Chappell & Co. ["and played by Williamson, Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company at Opera House, Wgtn, 21/5/90"]. Book of Words. Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. "Rip van Winkle, by Planquette. Opera House. 4 February 1890. Programme (2 copies, one pink cover and one blue) and flyer/programme. The Lyrics of "Dorothy", a comedy opera written by B C Stephenson, music by Alfred Cellier. Dunedin, Jolly, Connor print, Octagon, Dunedin. ["as played Opera House Wellington, 5/5/90"] 1891: Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. "Iolanthe" by Gilbert & Sullivan. Opera House, 20 May 1891. Programme/flier. 1892: Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company. Fifth New Zealand tour. Four operas entirely new in the colony. "The Gondoliers". "The old guard", "Marjorie", and "Pepita". Opera House [Wellington], 24 October 1892. Programme (2 copies) J C Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Marjorie", a New English comic opera in three acts. Libretto by Lewis Clifton & Joseph J Dilley; music by Walter Slaughter. Libretto booklet of 24 pages, plus advertisement cutting for the Wellington season, with cast names (Florence Young, Flora Graupner, Clara Thompson, Henry Bracy, Chas Ryley, Howard Vernon, Arthur Lissant, Wm Rosevear, W Groman, Thomas Grundy, W Beaumont, George Laurie) 1896: Hinemoa; the legend and the lyrics. Wellington Industrail Exhibition, 18 November 1896. Libretto souvenir. Quantity: 13 programmes / flyers. Physical Description: Programmes and flyers, sizes ranging under 250 mm.

Date: 1880 - 1889

Reference: Eph-B-OPERA-1880s

Description: Includes programmes for: 1880s (exact year unknown): Wanganui Musical and Dramatic Association. "The sorcerer", by Gilbert and Sullivan. Picturesque scenery by Mr T H Battle. Oddfellows' Hall, 29-31 March [1881 or 1887 or 1892]. Flier / programme (photocopy only) (original at MS Papers 1454 Burnett papers) Williamson's Royal Opera Company. "Pirates of Penzance", by Gilbert & Sullivan. Picturesque scenery by Mr George Gordon. Musical director Signor Giorza. [1880s?]. Programme / flier. Williamson's Royal Opera Company. "Patience, or Bunthorne's bride"; and a Grand Miscellaneous concert. Theatre Royal [Wellington? 1880s?] Programme / flier. Gisborne Amateur Operatic Society. "Iolanthe". Theatre Royal Gisborne, 27-30 [--, 18--?]. Flier / programme. Allan Cockburn's bulletin. Stanley & Darbyshire's Juvenile Opera Bouffe Company in "The grand duchess of Gerolstein", with Amy Childs as the duchess. Theatre Royal Wellington. Programme. [1880s?] 1880: Lyster's Royal Italian and English Opera, in a Grand Opera Season, commencing 9 February 1880. Theatre Royal Christchurch. Announcement and list of operas to be sung. 1882: Tambour Major Opera Company. "La fille du Tambour Major", adapted to the English stage by H D Farnie. Theatre Royal Wellington. [1882?] Simonsen's English and Comic Opera Company. "Boccaccio", by Von Suppe. Theatre Royal Wellington. [1882]. Programme. Tambour Major Opera Company. "Patience, or Bunthorne's bride". Theatre Royal Wellington. [1882?] Programme. 1883: Simonsen's Royal English Comic Opera Company. "The grand duchess", by Offenbach. [January 1883?]. Programme. Simonsen's English and Comic Opera Company. "Girofle-Girofla". Theatre Royal, Wellington [February 1883]. Flier / programme. Professor Cailliau's Operatic Society. "The barber of Seville". Abbott's Opera House, for one week only, commencing Monday July 30th 1883. Programme / flier. 1884: A T Dunning's London Comic Opera Company. "Boccaccio". Theatre Royal Wellington. 20 August [1884]. Flier / programme. A T Dunning's London Comic Opera Company. "La fille de Madame Angot". Theatre Royal Wellington. 18 August [1884]. Flier / programme. A T Dunning's London Comic Opera Company. "Manola". Theatre Royal Wellington. 1884. Programme. A T Dunning's London Comic Opera Company. "Rip van Winkle". Theatre Royal Wellington. [1884]. Programme. Dunning's London Comic Opera Company. "Rip van Winkle". Theatre Royal Christchurch, April 1884. Programme (The Thespian) Dunning's London Comic Opera Company. "Boccaccio". Theatre Royal Christchurch, April 1884. Programme (The Thespian) Williamson Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "La mascotte". Theatre Royal Wellington. [1884]. Programme (Royal footlights) Williamson Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Patience, or Bunthorne's bride". Theatre Royal Wellington. [1884]. Programme (Royal footlights) Williamson Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Olivette; or, Wife or no wife". Theatre Royal Wellington. [1884]. Programme (Royal footlights) Williamson Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Les cloches de Corneville; or The bells of Normandy". Theatre Royal Wellington. [1884]. Programme (Royal footlights) 1886: Christchurch Amateur Operatic Society. "Madame Favart", by Jacques Offenbach. Theatre Royal Christchurch, 28-30 1886. Programme (3 versions: 2 copies of white version, one copy each of red and white, and red and blue versions) "Patience, or Bunthorne's bride", by Gilbert & Sullivan. Conductor Mr Hautrie West. Leader of Orchestra Mr A Hill. St Peter's Schoolroom, Ghuznee Street. Vice-Regal command night, 25 May 1886. Programme / flier. (Three versions: blue silk (2 copies); Cream silk (1 copy)' Cream paper (2 copies)) "Patience, or Bunthorne's bride", by Gilbert & Sullivan. Conductor Mr Hautrie West. St Peter's Schoolroom Ghuznee Street. [1886]. Programme / flier on orange paper. 1887: Messrs Williamson, Garner & Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company. "Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri". First performance in Wellington. Programme [1887 - the Fisk Jubilee Singers, mentioned in the programme are known to have toured New Zealand in 1887. 1888: Princess Theatre Dunedin. Commencing Monday 13th February 1888 and following nights, Grand production of Planquette's masterpiece, "Les cloches de Corneville; or, The chimes of Normandy" by the Pinafore Opera Company. Fergusson & Mitchell lith [1888]. Programme Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. "Mikado". Wellington, 6 December [1888]. Programme. Wellington Amateur Operatic Society in "Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri". Theatre Royal Wellington, 16-21 July 1888. Programme (The Thespian) "Fun on the Bristol". Princess Theatre Wanganui [1888?]. Programme / flier (The Bulletin for the Mohawk Minstrel season) 1889: Wellington Amateur Operatic Society in "The pirates of Penzance", by Gilbert & Sullivan. Opera House Wellington, 20-26 June 1889. Programme (The Thespian). Nellie Stewart appears as the leading lady in the Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company productions. Quantity: 30 b&w photo-mechanical print(s) on paper.. Physical Description: Letterpress on fliers, sizes varying beneath 350 mm.