Derek Oldham
Derek Oldham (29 March 1887 – 20 March 1968) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in the tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After performing in concerts as a boy soprano and working as a bank clerk, Oldham began a professional performing career in 1914. With the outbreak of World War I, he joined the Scots Guards, serving with valour. After the war, he joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, singing the tenor leads in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas for three years. He then starred in musicals and operettas in the West End in the 1920s, including Madame Pompadour, The Merry Widow, Rose-Marie and The Vagabond King. He returned to the D'Oyly Carte for brief periods from 1929 to 1937. Oldham continued singing, recording and acting through the 1940s, also appearing in several films. He concentrated on legitimate theatre in the 1950s, acting until the age of 70. He maintained a lifelong interest in Gilbert and Sullivan, serving as an officer of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. He finally retired to Hampshire during the last ten years of his life. |
Birth and Death Data: Born March 29, 1887 (Portsmouth), Died March 20, 1968 (Portsmouth)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1931
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gramophone | 0B750 | 10-in. | 4/16/1931 | Your eyes | Winnie Melville ; Derek Oldham | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | 0B751 | 10-in. | On or before 4/16/1931 | My song of love | Winnie Melville ; Derek Oldham | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9410 | 12-in. | 11/8/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Male vocal chorus and soloist, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9464 | 12-in. | 11/19/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Aileen Davies ; Darrell Fancourt ; Elsie Griffin ; Bertha Lewis ; Henry A. Lytton ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9467 | 12-in. | 11/19/1926 | The Mikado | George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham ; Leo Sheffield | Male vocal trio and duet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9468 | 12-in. | 11/19/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Aileen Davies ; Beatrice Elburn ; Elsie Griffin ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham ; Leo Sheffield | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9469 | 12-in. | 11/19/1926 | The Mikado | George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Elsie Griffin ; Doris Hemingway ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9470 | 12-in. | 11/22/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Elsie Griffin ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9488 | 12-in. | 11/26/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Darrell Fancourt ; Elsie Griffin ; Bertha Lewis ; Henry A. Lytton ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9489 | 12-in. | 11/26/1926 | The Mikado | George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Aileen Davies ; Beatrice Elburn ; Elsie Griffin ; Henry A. Lytton ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham ; Leo Sheffield | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9490 | 12-in. | 11/26/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Aileen Davies ; Beatrice Elburn ; Bertha Lewis ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9491 | 12-in. | 11/26/1926 | The Mikado | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Elsie Griffin ; Bertha Lewis ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc9492 | 12-in. | 11/26/1926 | The Mikado | George Baker ; D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ; Aileen Davies ; Beatrice Elburn ; Elsie Griffin ; Bertha Lewis ; Henry A. Lytton ; Harry Norris ; Derek Oldham ; Leo Sheffield | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc11602 | 12-in. | 9/20/1927 | Trial by jury | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company | Chorus with orchestra; baritone vocal solo with chorus and orchestra; tenor vocal solo with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc11603 | 12-in. | 9/20/1927 | Trial by jury | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company | Tenor vocal solo with chorus and orchestra; baritone vocal solo with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc11604 | 12-in. | 9/20/1927 | Trial by jury | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company | Vocal duet (2 baritones) with male chorus and orchestra; vocal quartet (soprano, tenor, and 2 baritones) with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc11605 | 12-in. | 9/20/1927 | Trial by jury | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company | Vocal quartet (soprano, tenor, and 2 baritones), with orchestra ; vocal quintet (soprano, tenor, and 3 baritones) with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc11606 | 12-in. | 9/20/1927 | Trial by jury | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company | Vocal quintet (soprano, tenor, and 3 baritones) with chorus and orchestra; vocal duet (soprano, and tenor) with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc11646 | 12-in. | 9/29/1927 | Trial by jury | D'Oyly Carte Opera Company | Vocal quintet (soprano, 3 baritones, and bass), with chorus and orchestra; tenor vocal solo, with female chorus and orchestra ; vocal duet (2 baritones), with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Oldham, Derek," accessed November 4, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102215.
Oldham, Derek. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102215.
"Oldham, Derek." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Derek Oldham
Discogs: Derek Oldham
Allmusic: Derek Oldham
IMDb: Derek Oldham
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Oldham, Derek - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n78035059
Wikidata: Derek Oldham - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5262243
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/59295479
MusicBrainz: Derek Oldham - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4f7a682c-f293-4479-b7e9-becbe967ae29
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