Charles Manners (bass)

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For others of the same name, see Charles Manners

Charles Manners

Charles Manners (27 December 1857–3 May 1935) was an English singer and opera company manager, whose real name was Southcote Mansergh.

[edit] Life and career

Manners was born in London, son of Colonel Mansergh, an Irishman. He had a bass voice, and was educated for the musical profession at Royal Irish Academy in Dublin and at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and in Florence.

In early 1882, Manners appeared in the chorus of Claude Duval on tour with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and in the chorus of H.M.S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance later in 1882. He was promoted to the roles of Dick Deadeye in Pinafore and Samuel in Pirates in late 1882. He also appeared as Mr. Wallaby in the companion piece Quite an Adventure. In November 1882, Manners created the role of Private Willis in Iolanthe at the Savoy Theatre.

Manners left the D'Oyly Carte organisation in late 1883. He subsequently served as principal bass with the Carl Rosa Opera Company for two years and also sang in America. Manners then spent four years at Covent Garden, debuting as Bertramo in Roberto il Diavolo in October 1890 opposite the Cornish soprano Fanny Moody, whom he married that year. Manners later appeared as Prince Gremin, along with Moody, in the London premiere of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin at the Olympic Theatre in October 1892.

[edit] Moody-Manners Opera Company

Together they went on to found the Moody-Manners Opera Company in 1897, appearing in London (Covent Garden, Drury Lane, and Lyric), the British provinces, North America, and South Africa. Manners both performed in the company and served as its managing director. The Moody-Manners "A" Company was for some time the largest opera company ever to tour in Great Britain. The Moody-Manners companies were disbanded before World War I, but it had considerable influence on English music.