Charles Goulding
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Charles Goulding (c.1887 – 9 November 1939) was an English operatic tenor best known for his performances with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the Gilbert and Sullivan repertory.
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[edit] Life and career
[edit] Early years
Goulding was born in Ireland and became an orphan as an infant. He was brought up by relatives in Bristol, England, where he sang as a choirboy at St. Mary Redcliffe beginning at the age of eight. He then sang at Colston Hall with Dame Clara Butt, Charles Santley, and Saunders at one of the Triennial Leeds Festivals. After this, he performed with the Royal Orpheus Glee Club and the Bristol Amateur Operatic Society. Goulding served with distinction in the army during the World War I and was wounded several times.
In 1919, Goulding joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company on tour, first performing in the chorus, but soon playing principal tenor roles in the Savoy operas. His first roles, in the summer of that year, were Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, Colonel Fairfax in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Marco in The Gondoliers. He became the main tenor in one of the organisation's touring companies (known as the "New" company) and played Nanki-Poo, Fairfax, Marco and Earl Tolloller in Iolanthe for the season, later singing the romantic baritone role of Strephon in Iolanthe instead. In 1921, he added to his repertoire the role of Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance.
Goulding rejoined the main touring company (known as the "Repertory" company) in 1923, playing Alexis in The Sorcerer, Frederic, Tolloller, Prince Hilarion in Princess Ida Fairfax, Marco, and splitting the roles of Mr. Box in Cox and Box and Richard Dauntless in Ruddigore with another tenor. The next season, he played the role of the Duke of Dunstable in Patience for the first time, and in the 1925-26 season, he added the role of Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore to his list of characters sharing some of these roles from time to time. In 1926 he first played the Defendant in Trial by Jury.
[edit] Later years
Goulding continued to play most of these tenor roles until the autumn of 1929, when Derek Oldham returned to the company to sing Ralph, Frederic, Nanki-Poo, Fairfax, Marco and Hilarion for several months. At that time, Goulding took over the role of Cyril in Princess Ida and shared Tolloller with Oldham, while continuing with the other characters. He then resumed with all of the characters over the next few seasons until 1934. The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company traveled to New York City in the autumn of 1934, but Martin Beck, the manager of the eponymous theatre, insisted that the more famous Oldham play the tenor roles.
Goulding was able to rejoin the Company in February 1935, replacing Oldham for the rest of the North American tour, playing nearly all the tenor roles. Returning to England, Goulding split the tenor roles in 1935-36, generally with John Dean. The company scheduled another U.S. tour for the following season with Oldham, and, disappointed, Goulding left the company.
Afterwards, Goulding sang in a number of Gilbert and Sullivan concerts, and he taught singing, as well as directing Gilbert and Sullivan for amateur companies. Goulding often attended functions of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and was an avid golfer. He was also a member of the St. Augustine Lodge of Freemasons.
Goulding died at the age of 52, only three years after leaving the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.
[edit] Recordings
Goulding recorded the roles of Ralph Rackstraw on the 1920's H.M.V. recording of H.M.S. Pinafore, which was re-issued on a long-play record in 1955. He also sang for BBC radio as Nanki-Poo in The Mikado (broadcast in 1926) and Mr. Box in Cox & Box (broadcast in 1929), as well as Ralph in H.M.S. Pinafore (1930) and Cyril in Princess Ida (1932; Oldham sang Hilarion), as well as live broadcasts of excerpts of The Mikado (as Nanki Poo) in 1932 and 1933, The Gondoliers (as Marco) in 1932 and Yeomen (as Fairfax) in 1932 and 1935, with the D'Oyly Carte.[1] Goulding also played Nanki-Poo in a four-minute silent promotional film made of the D'Oyly Carte Mikado in 1926.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Joseph, Tony, Charles Goulding, Bristol Tenor, Bunthorne Books, Bristol (2001) ISBN 0950799246
- Ayre, Leslie (1972). The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion. London: W.H. Allen & Co Ltd. Introduction by Martyn Green.
- Charles Goulding at the Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte website
- Charles Goulding at the Memories of the D'Oyly Carte website
