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{{Short description|English singer and actress (1902-1981)}} |
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:''For the wife of Harold Abrahams, see [[Sybil Evers]]''. |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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'''Sybil Gordon''' was |
'''Sybil Gordon''' (22 March 1902 – 17 December 1981) was an English singer and actress.<ref name=Who>Stone, David. [http://www.gsarchive.net/whowaswho/G/GordonSybil.htm Sybil Gordon], Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 23 September 2020, accessed 15 November 2020</ref> She is best remembered for her performances in [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] roles with the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company]] from 1926 to 1931. Gordon started out as a concert singer. After her career with the D'Oyly Carte company, she moved to Canada, where she broadcast on the radio. In the 1981 film ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'', she is misidentified as the fiancée of Olympic runner [[Harold Abrahams]]. |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Gordon was born '''Sophia Solomon''' in [[Manchester]].<ref name=Who/> |
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| ⚫ | Early in her career, Gordon won first prize at the 1923 [[Blackpool]] Music Competition, judged by [[Steuart Wilson|Sir Steuart Wilson]].<ref>''[[The Manchester Guardian]]'', 18 October 1923, p. 4</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Early in her career, Gordon won first prize at the 1923 [[Blackpool]] Music Competition, judged by [[Steuart Wilson|Sir Steuart Wilson]].<ref>''[[The Manchester Guardian]]'', 18 October 1923, p. 4</ref> At this time, she was singing as a [[mezzo-soprano]]. The following year, as a [[soprano]], she sang regularly in [[BBC]] broadcasts of songs by [[Walford Davies]], [[Roger Quilter]] and others, and [[opera]]tic arias by composers including [[Giacomo Puccini|Puccini]] and [[Jules Massenet|Massenet]].<ref>''[[The Times]]'', 9 February 1924, p. 7; and 20 September 1924, p. 8; and ''The Manchester Guardian'', 9 February 1924, p. 13; 2 June 1924, p. 9; 26 July 1924, p. 1; 29 July 1924, p. 1; 20 September 1924, p. 14; and 25 October 1924, p. 7</ref> She also performed in a series of concerts in [[Manchester]]. The critic [[Samuel Langford]] wrote of her, "Her voice has a decided freshness and purity, and her interpretations, though not greatly varied, have confidence, alertness and charm."<ref>"Tuesday Midday Concerts", ''The Manchester Guardian'', 30 July 1924, p. 11</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Gordon joined the chorus of the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company]] in 1926, singing on tour in England and Ireland and in a London season at the [[Shaftesbury Theatre|Prince's Theatre]].<ref>Rollins and Witts, pp. 150–51</ref> Beginning in 1927, she performed several soprano roles with the company: the Plaintiff in ''[[Trial by Jury]]'', Celia in ''[[Iolanthe]]'', Lady Psyche in ''[[Princess Ida]]'', Zorah in ''[[Ruddigore]]'' and Fiametta in ''[[The Gondoliers]]''.<ref>Rollins and Witts, p. 152</ref> Her performance with the company as Lady Psyche at the [[Savoy Theatre]] in 1929 was singled out by ''[[The Times]]'' for particular praise.<ref>''The Times'', 3 December 1929, p. 12</ref> She sings Fiametta on the 1927 D'Oyly Carte recording of ''The Gondoliers''.<ref>Shepherd, Marc. [http://gasdisc.oakapplepress.com/gond1927.htm "The 1927 D'Oyly Carte ''Gondoliers''"] at ''A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography'', accessed 8 November 2009</ref> She also sang Celia in the radio broadcast of ''Iolanthe'' from the Savoy Theatre in February 1930.<ref>Webster, Chris. [http://gasdisc.oakapplepress.com/narradio-doc.htm Original D'Oyly Carte Broadcasts] at ''A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography'', 16 July 2005, accessed 8 November 2009</ref> Gordon left the company at the end of the 1930 season, rejoining briefly in April 1931 as the Plaintiff in ''Trial by Jury''.<ref>Rollins and Witts, pp. 152–55</ref> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | Gordon joined the chorus of the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company]] in 1926, singing on tour in England and Ireland and in a London season at the [[Shaftesbury Theatre|Prince's Theatre]].<ref>Rollins and Witts, pp. 150–51</ref> |
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She died in [[Hatch End]], Middlesex, at the age of 79.<ref name=Who/> |
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| ⚫ | In 1931, Gordon moved to Canada. |
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==''Chariots of Fire''== |
==''Chariots of Fire''== |
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In the 1981 film ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'', Olympic runner [[Harold Abrahams]]'s fiancée is misidentified as Sybil Gordon (portrayed by [[Alice Krige]]). |
In the 1981 film ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'', Olympic runner [[Harold Abrahams]]'s fiancée is misidentified as Sybil Gordon (portrayed by [[Alice Krige]]). In reality, his fiancée, whom he did not actually meet until a decade after the 1924 Olympics, was [[Sybil Evers]], who sang small roles with D'Oyly Carte from 1930 to 1931.<ref>Chapman, James. [https://books.google.com/books?id=M6Wazi7wgAkC&pg=PA292 ''Past and Present: National Identity and the British Historical Film''], London: I.B. Tauris, 2005, p. 292</ref> Also in the film, "Sybil Gordon" is depicted as singing Yum-Yum in ''[[The Mikado]]''; however, this was not a role that either Gordon or Evers sang with D'Oyly Carte.<ref name=Who/> |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*{{IMDb title|qid=Q207921|title=Chariots of Fire}} |
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{{Chariots of Fire}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Sybil}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Sybil}} |
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[[Category:English operatic sopranos]] |
[[Category:English operatic sopranos]] |
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[[Category:20th-century English women opera singers]] |
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[[Category:20th-century opera singers]] |
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[[Category:English mezzo-sopranos]] |
[[Category:English mezzo-sopranos]] |
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[[Category:1902 births]] |
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[[Category:1981 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Singers from Manchester]] |
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Latest revision as of 09:45, 11 November 2024
Sybil Gordon (22 March 1902 – 17 December 1981) was an English singer and actress.[1] She is best remembered for her performances in Gilbert and Sullivan roles with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from 1926 to 1931. Gordon started out as a concert singer. After her career with the D'Oyly Carte company, she moved to Canada, where she broadcast on the radio. In the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, she is misidentified as the fiancée of Olympic runner Harold Abrahams.
Career
[edit]Gordon was born Sophia Solomon in Manchester.[1]
Early in her career, Gordon won first prize at the 1923 Blackpool Music Competition, judged by Sir Steuart Wilson.[2] At this time, she was singing as a mezzo-soprano. The following year, as a soprano, she sang regularly in BBC broadcasts of songs by Walford Davies, Roger Quilter and others, and operatic arias by composers including Puccini and Massenet.[3] She also performed in a series of concerts in Manchester. The critic Samuel Langford wrote of her, "Her voice has a decided freshness and purity, and her interpretations, though not greatly varied, have confidence, alertness and charm."[4]
Gordon joined the chorus of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1926, singing on tour in England and Ireland and in a London season at the Prince's Theatre.[5] Beginning in 1927, she performed several soprano roles with the company: the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury, Celia in Iolanthe, Lady Psyche in Princess Ida, Zorah in Ruddigore and Fiametta in The Gondoliers.[6] Her performance with the company as Lady Psyche at the Savoy Theatre in 1929 was singled out by The Times for particular praise.[7] She sings Fiametta on the 1927 D'Oyly Carte recording of The Gondoliers.[8] She also sang Celia in the radio broadcast of Iolanthe from the Savoy Theatre in February 1930.[9] Gordon left the company at the end of the 1930 season, rejoining briefly in April 1931 as the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury.[10]
In 1931, Gordon moved to Canada. There, from November 1931 to February 1932, she sang in radio broadcasts of all 13 extant Gilbert and Sullivan operas on the CBC, on the C-I-L-sponsored "Opera House of the Air".[1]
She died in Hatch End, Middlesex, at the age of 79.[1]
Chariots of Fire
[edit]In the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, Olympic runner Harold Abrahams's fiancée is misidentified as Sybil Gordon (portrayed by Alice Krige). In reality, his fiancée, whom he did not actually meet until a decade after the 1924 Olympics, was Sybil Evers, who sang small roles with D'Oyly Carte from 1930 to 1931.[11] Also in the film, "Sybil Gordon" is depicted as singing Yum-Yum in The Mikado; however, this was not a role that either Gordon or Evers sang with D'Oyly Carte.[1]
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Stone, David. Sybil Gordon, Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 23 September 2020, accessed 15 November 2020
- ^ The Manchester Guardian, 18 October 1923, p. 4
- ^ The Times, 9 February 1924, p. 7; and 20 September 1924, p. 8; and The Manchester Guardian, 9 February 1924, p. 13; 2 June 1924, p. 9; 26 July 1924, p. 1; 29 July 1924, p. 1; 20 September 1924, p. 14; and 25 October 1924, p. 7
- ^ "Tuesday Midday Concerts", The Manchester Guardian, 30 July 1924, p. 11
- ^ Rollins and Witts, pp. 150–51
- ^ Rollins and Witts, p. 152
- ^ The Times, 3 December 1929, p. 12
- ^ Shepherd, Marc. "The 1927 D'Oyly Carte Gondoliers" at A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, accessed 8 November 2009
- ^ Webster, Chris. Original D'Oyly Carte Broadcasts at A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, 16 July 2005, accessed 8 November 2009
- ^ Rollins and Witts, pp. 152–55
- ^ Chapman, James. Past and Present: National Identity and the British Historical Film, London: I.B. Tauris, 2005, p. 292
Sources
[edit]- Rollins, Cyril; R. John Witts (1961). The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. London: Michael Joseph.
