William Saurin Lyster
William Saurin Lyster (21 March 1828 – 27 November 1880), often referred to as W. Saurin Lyster, was an impresario, active in Australia.
Early life
Lyster was born in
Impresario career
In 1855, Lyster was a member of General Walker's expedition to Nicaragua with the rank of captain. About two years later, he formed an opera company which included Madame Lucy Escott, Henry Squires, and Miss Georgia Hodson whom he married.[2] This company had some success in the western states of America, and in 1861 Lyster brought it to Australia.[3] For about seven years it gave performances of the operas of Italian, German, French and English composers, including Don Giovanni in 1861, and the Les Huguenots in 1862.[4] Other companies were brought out in later years, and at times comic opera was alternated with grand opera. His opera company gave 1,459 performances between 1861 and 1869.
Classic operas like Lohengrin, opened on 18 August 1877, and Tannhäuser in 1878, were box office failures, although the company had included a distinguished singer, Antoinetta Link. Lyster, however, made the lighter operas bear the cost of others which were artistic successes only. Among other European singers engaged by Lyster were Signor Pietro Paladini and Madame Fanny Simonsen, grandmother of Frances Alda. The Australian tenor, Armes Beaumont joined his company in 1870. Among concert artists introduced to Australia were pianists Arabella Goddard and Henry Ketten, and Jules Levy, a well-known English cornet player of the period. Lyster's companies toured the principal cities of Australia and New Zealand, but for the last seven years of his life he made the Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, his headquarters.[5] Though best known for his productions of operas, he was interested also in the drama, and seasons were played at the opera house by the distinguished actress Madame Ristori, and by good comedy companies.
Death
Lyster fell into bad health about 1877 and never fully recovered.
References
- ^ a b c O'Neill, Sally; Radic, Thérèse, "Lyster, William Saurin (1828–1880)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 20 October 2021
- ^ "William Saurin Lyster 1828 – 1880". Live Performance Australia. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "William Saurin Lyster, b. 1828". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-415-93750-4.
- ^ Brewer, Francis Campbell. The drama and music in New South Wales / by F.C. Brewer. State Library of Pennsylvania. Charles Potter, Government Printer.
- ^ "Lyster William". RLCN. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2021.