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Henry Bracy (8 January 1846 – 31 January 1917) was a Welsh tenor who is notable as the creator of the role of Prince Hilarion in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera ''Princess Ida''. Bracy was often a lead tenor within the operettas in which he appeared. He was married to actress Clara T. Bracy, the sister of Lydia Thompson. He was one of the most popular comic tenors of the Victorian era. After beginning his career in Plymouth, Bracy spent four years performing at London's Gaiety Theatre in the early 1870s. He and his wife then travelled to Australia, where they performed in French operettas for the rest of the decade. They returned to Britain in 1880, continuing in operetta roles. In 1884, Bracy originated the role of Hilarion, after which he further built his reputation in British comic opera and operetta. In 1888, the Bracys returned to Australia. After a season at the Sydney Opera House and touring in operettas, the Bracys joined the J. C. Williamson organisation, in which he was employed until 1914 as a performer, stage manager, stage director and casting agent. ==Early life and career== Bracy was born in 1846 as Samuel Thomas Dunn〔Stone, David. (Henry Bracy, ) ''Who Was Who in The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company'', 4 September 2007, accessed 20 February 2010〕 in Maesteg in South Wales, the son of an ironworks manager. He began his theatrical career in 1866 at the Plymouth Theatre and spent three seasons with the company before making his London debut at John Hollingshead's Gaiety Theatre in 1870. Bracy appeared at the Gaiety for nearly four years.〔("Music and Drama", ) ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 7 February 1914, accessed 20 February 2010〕 In 1873, Bracy was employed as a principal tenor with the Opera Comique in London. In September 1873, Bracy and his wife, Clara T. Bracy, ''nee'' Thompson (sister of Lydia Thompson), travelled to Australia to perform in Jacques Offenbach's operetta ''Lischen et Fritzchen'' at the Theatre Royal in Melbourne,〔 and Bracy appeared in 1874 as Rosencrantz in ''Hamlet''.〔 They continued in various parts in Australia before being engaged by Irish musical impresario William Saurin Lyster to lead a season of French operetta, with Bracy also stage managing. For Lyster, they performed in operettas for five years〔 including in Lecocq's ''La fille de Madame Angot'' and ''Giroflé Girofla''. Offenbach pieces included ''The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein'', ''La belle Hélène'', ''Barbe-bleue'', ''La Périchole'', ''La princesse de Trébizonde'' and ''The Brigands'', and Hervé's ''Chilpéric'' was given. These were followed by the first Australian production of ''Les cloches de Corneville''.〔("Music and Drama", ) ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 3 February 1917, p. 8, accessed 21 February 2010〕 Clara was well received by the press.〔 During these years, the couple took a tour of the United States in 1876.〔"The Drama in America", ''The Era'', 1 October 1876, p. 5; and "The Drama in Australia", ''The Era'', 24 March 1878, p. 4〕 In 1880, the couple returned to Britain, where Bracy undertook the role of Hector in the hit London production of ''Madame Favart'', replacing Walter H. Fisher. He also appeared in roles during the early 1880s in ''Les Mousquetaires'' (1880 at the Globe Theatre); as Frittelini in Audran's long-running production of ''La mascotte'' (1881 at the Comedy Theatre), in which his song, "Love is Blind" was a great success;〔 and, at the Avenue Theatre, in ''Madame Favart'' (1882), Bucalossi's ''Les Manteaux Noirs'' (1882), ''Olivette'' (1883), ''La Belle Lurette'' (1883) and ''Bluebeard'' (1883).〔 In 1883, as a principal tenor of the London stage, he was approached by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company to create the role of Prince Hilarion for Gilbert and Sullivan's new comic opera ''Princess Ida''. The production ran at the Savoy Theatre from January 1884, and Bracy left the company in October 1884, before the end of the run. ''The Times'' wrote of his performance on the first night, "Mr. Bracy was a sprightly, although somewhat insipid, Hilarion".〔("First Night Review", ) "Princess Ida", ''The Times'', 7 January 1884.〕 ''The Athenæum'' approved of his vocal performance.〔("Music. Savoy Theatre – ''Princess Ida'' By Gilbert and Sullivan", ) ''The Athenæum'', 12 January 1884〕 Bracy then continued to build his reputation in comic opera parts in London, in productions including ''The Grand Mogul'', by Edmond Audran and H. B. Farnie, at the Comedy Theatre, with Florence St. John, Frank Wyatt and Fred Leslie.〔''The Times,'' 19 November 1884, p. 6〕 and ''The Lady of the Locket'', with Hayden Coffin at the Empire Theatre (1885),〔''The Observer'', 12 June 1885, p. 4〕 followed by a succession of productions at the Comedy, including Offenbach's ''Barbe-bleu'', in which he played the title role,〔''The Era'', 17 January 1885, p. 11〕 the London première of Jakobowski's ''Erminie'' (1885), with St. John (and later Marie Tempest) and Wyatt (1885),〔''The Observer'', 25 October 1885, p. 4; and 28 March 1886, p. 4〕 Caryll's ''The Lily of Leoville'' (1886),〔''The Manchester Guardian'', 11 May 1886, p. 5〕 and Millöcker's ''The Beggar Student'' (1886).〔''The Observer'', 30 January 1887, p. 1〕 At the Strand Theatre, he appeared in Cellier's ''The Sultan of Mocha'' (1887).〔 He managed some of these productions, sustaining heavy losses.〔 In 1887, he participated as the Defendant in a performance of ''Trial by Jury'' for the benefit of Amy Roselle. Performers included Rutland Barrington, Richard Temple, Arthur Roberts and Geraldine Ulmar as principals, and W. S. Penley, George Grossmith, Kate Bishop and Marion Terry in the chorus.〔Gänzl, p. 96. See also ''The Era'', 4 March 1877, p. 6〕 His last major role in Britain was the first London production of Gustave Michiels's ''Babette'', with Florence St John at the Strand in 1888.〔''The Manchester Guardian'', 28 January 1888, p. 7〕 His farewell to the West End stage was a special matinée at the Savoy Theatre, put at his disposal by Richard D'Oyly Carte, to mark his departure for Australia. Artists appearing included Williams, John Le Hay, Courtice Pounds, Durward Lely, Marie Tempest, Ben Davies, Coffin, Roberts and, in ''Cox and Box'', Grossmith, Arthur Cecil and Temple.〔''The Era'', 27 October 1888, p. 13〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Henry Bracy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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