George Musgrove
Encyclopedia
George Musgrove was an English
-born Australia
n theatre producer.
, England, the son of Thomas John Watson Musgrove, an accountant
, and his wife, Fanny Hodson, an actress and sister of Georgiana Rosa Hodson who married William Saurin Lyster
. Fanny's brother was composer, singer and comedian George Alfred Hodson, the father of Henrietta Hodson
, a well known London
actress, who married Henry Labouchère
.
Musgrove was brought to Australia by his parents in January 1863 when he was nine years old. He was educated at the Flinders School, Geelong, Victoria
, and on leaving school was given a position as treasurer by Lyster. Musgrave married Emily Fisk Knight at All Saints Church, St Kilda, on 1 August 1874.
had commenced their operas. At the end of 1880, Musgrove produced La fille du tambour-major
at the opera house, Melbourne
, which had a record run of 101 nights. This success led the young producer to join a partnership with J. C. Williamson
and Arthur Garner. They formed the Willamson, Garner and Musgrove Company in July 1882 when they became joint lessees of the Theatre Royals in Melbourne
and Sydney
. The partnership split in March 1890 with Williamson and Garner continuing to run the Theatre Royal in Melbourne along with the Princess Theatre and Musgrove taking control of the Theatre Royal, Sydney. Musgrove managed a successful season of Paul Jones with Marion Burton and Nellie Stewart
in the leading parts. At the end of 1892, Williamson and Musgrove went into partnership again for about seven years, Musgrove living much of the time in London. In 1898 he brought a complete American company to the Shaftesbury Theatre
, London, to play The Belle of New York
, which had an enormous success.
In 1900 Musgrove took a grand opera company to Australia, consisting mainly of artists from the Carl Rosa Opera Company
, which performed Tannhäuser
, The Flying Dutchman
and many other well-known operas. In 1903 he was responsible for acclaimed productions of Shakespeare, played in several cities in Australia, including Twelfth Night, or What You Will
, As You Like It
, and A Midsummer Night's Dream
. Also in 1903, he presented Nellie Melba
in her first and most successful concert tour of Australia and New Zealand
.
In 1907 Musgrove produced a German grand opera company that introduced Die Walküre
(The Valkyrie), Romeo and Juliet
and Hänsel und Gretel to the Australian public. Another opera season in 1909 was less successful. In his last years, Musgrove suffered from financial worries and poor health. Musgrove died suddenly at his home in Sydney
on 21 January 1916, his sixty second birthday.
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n theatre producer.
Early life
Musgrove was born at SurbitonSurbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
, England, the son of Thomas John Watson Musgrove, an accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, and his wife, Fanny Hodson, an actress and sister of Georgiana Rosa Hodson who married William Saurin Lyster
William Saurin Lyster
William Saurin Lyster , was an impresario, active in Australia.Lyster was born in Dublin, the third son of Chaworth Lyster, a captain in the army, and his wife Anne, née Keightly. His uncle was William Saurin, attorney-general for Ireland, and was partly of French extraction...
. Fanny's brother was composer, singer and comedian George Alfred Hodson, the father of Henrietta Hodson
Henrietta Hodson
Henrietta Hodson was an English actress and theatre manager best known for her portrayal of comedy roles in the Victorian era. She had a long affair with the journalist-turned-politician Henry Labouchère, later marrying him....
, a well known London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
actress, who married Henry Labouchère
Henry Labouchere
Henry Du Pré Labouchère was an English politician, writer, publisher and theatre owner in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. He married the actress Henrietta Hodson....
.
Musgrove was brought to Australia by his parents in January 1863 when he was nine years old. He was educated at the Flinders School, Geelong, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, and on leaving school was given a position as treasurer by Lyster. Musgrave married Emily Fisk Knight at All Saints Church, St Kilda, on 1 August 1874.
Opera and theatre career
Musgrove visited England in 1879, a time when Gilbert and SullivanGilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
had commenced their operas. At the end of 1880, Musgrove produced La fille du tambour-major
La fille du tambour-major
La fille du tambour-major is an opéra comique, or operetta, in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Alfred Duru and Henri Charles Chivot ....
at the opera house, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, which had a record run of 101 nights. This success led the young producer to join a partnership with J. C. Williamson
J. C. Williamson
James Cassius Williamson was an American actor and later Australia's foremost theatrical manager, founding J. C. Williamson Ltd....
and Arthur Garner. They formed the Willamson, Garner and Musgrove Company in July 1882 when they became joint lessees of the Theatre Royals in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. The partnership split in March 1890 with Williamson and Garner continuing to run the Theatre Royal in Melbourne along with the Princess Theatre and Musgrove taking control of the Theatre Royal, Sydney. Musgrove managed a successful season of Paul Jones with Marion Burton and Nellie Stewart
Nellie Stewart
Nellie Stewart was an Australian actress and singer, known as "Our Nell" and "Sweet Nell".Born into a theatrical family, Stewart began acting as a child. As a young woman, she built a career playing in operetta and Gilbert and Sullivan operas. In the mid-1880s, she began a long relationship with...
in the leading parts. At the end of 1892, Williamson and Musgrove went into partnership again for about seven years, Musgrove living much of the time in London. In 1898 he brought a complete American company to the Shaftesbury Theatre
Shaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...
, London, to play The Belle of New York
The Belle of New York (theatre)
The Belle of New York is a musical comedy in two acts, with book and lyrics by Hugh Morton and music by Gustave Kerker, about a Salvation Army girl who reforms a spendthrift, makes a great sacrifice and finds true love....
, which had an enormous success.
In 1900 Musgrove took a grand opera company to Australia, consisting mainly of artists from the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Carl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
, which performed Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (opera)
Tannhäuser is an opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg...
, The Flying Dutchman
The Flying Dutchman (opera)
Der fliegende Holländer is an opera, with music and libretto by Richard Wagner.Wagner claimed in his 1870 autobiography Mein Leben that he had been inspired to write "The Flying Dutchman" following a stormy sea crossing he made from Riga to London in July and August 1839, but in his 1843...
and many other well-known operas. In 1903 he was responsible for acclaimed productions of Shakespeare, played in several cities in Australia, including Twelfth Night, or What You Will
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
Twelfth Night; or, What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–02 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season...
, As You Like It
As You Like It
As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
, and A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
. Also in 1903, he presented Nellie Melba
Nellie Melba
Dame Nellie Melba GBE , born Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian Era and the early 20th century...
in her first and most successful concert tour of Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
In 1907 Musgrove produced a German grand opera company that introduced Die Walküre
Die Walküre
Die Walküre , WWV 86B, is the second of the four operas that form the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner...
(The Valkyrie), Romeo and Juliet
Roméo et Juliette
Roméo et Juliette is an opéra in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique , Paris on 27 April 1867...
and Hänsel und Gretel to the Australian public. Another opera season in 1909 was less successful. In his last years, Musgrove suffered from financial worries and poor health. Musgrove died suddenly at his home in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 21 January 1916, his sixty second birthday.
Personality and family
Musgrove could be brusque but was known as a kind-hearted, considerate employer of his artistes. He was reputed to value artistic quality over profitability. Musgrove's marriage produced two daughters, Emily Musgrove and Rose Musgrove, an actress in comedies and Edwardian musical comedies. He had a third daughter, Nancye Doris Stewart, also known as Nancye Doris Lynton, (1893 - 1973), the child of his lover, actress and singer Nellie StewartNellie Stewart
Nellie Stewart was an Australian actress and singer, known as "Our Nell" and "Sweet Nell".Born into a theatrical family, Stewart began acting as a child. As a young woman, she built a career playing in operetta and Gilbert and Sullivan operas. In the mid-1880s, she began a long relationship with...
.