SAVOY GRADUATE

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 46, 24 May 1935, Page 11

SAVOY GRADUATE

The Late Charles Manners Prominent in Youth and Age L jpKE many famous singers since he made his. name famous, the late Charles Manners graduated in Gilbert and Sullivan, joining D’Oyly Carte's company at the Savoy as a humble member of the chorus. His first important success was achieved in the part of "Private Willis" in "Iolanthe." In 1887 he went from comic to. seri-

ous opera, joining the Carl Rosa Company 4s, principal bass, and two years later he was at Covent Garden, later again at Drury Lane, mo His failure to pass for the army: (the examinations were stiff in those ‘days) gave the operatic stage q stout supporter and able exponent, and his marriage in 1890, with Miss Fanny Moody, was an ideal domestic and artistic partnership. Both his own and the Cornish soprano’s names became even more famous by being linked in the Moody-Mannergs Opera Company. Mr. Manners’ great ambition to establish a National Bnglish Opera. ‘with headquarters in London, failed from no fault of his-he was uhremitting in promoting its ‘welfare. There is something very apt in the associa-

tion of the late Mr, Manners with Gilbert and Sullivan opera, ; The man who actually created (he part of Private Willis (of the Grenadier Guards) in "‘Iolanthe" 53 years ago became the most fervent: apostic and practical exponent of grand oper: in Bnglish with the last half-century. At the goodly age of T7 he has passi7 on, and there are thousands of adopied New Zealanders who owe their: firsi experience of grand opera to ths musical patriot.