t h e r o s a t r o u p e
Orlando Harley
Orlando de Forest Harley was born in Cleveland, Ohio,
about 1861. The family background is uncertain but his father seems to have been
in business and Orlando’s vocal inclination suggests that they were not
unmusical. He studied voice under Severini in New York before seeking vocal
experience in Europe, and coming to London for further study with the renowned
William Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Music. His British debut was
probably at a Crystal Place concert in 1882 before a temporary engagement with
the Rosa later in the same year.
His Rosa debut was as Thaddeus in Bohemian Girl at Sheffield on 30
November with the Sheffield Daily Telegraph reporting that he had ‘a voice of
remarkable sweetness and considerable purity and power.’ Repeat performances
followed at Liverpool on 29 December and Bradford on 23 January 1883. The
Liverpool Mercury noted his inexperience but considered that he had a good voice
although his method was only ‘tolerable’. The Bradford Daily Telegraph thought
his voice was ’sweet, even and flexible although not very strong.’ He was
generally well received with encouraging reviews for a debutant in his early
twenties.
A month later, in March 1883, he joined the cast of Rip van Winkle at
the Comedy Theatre in London and was dismissed in August for vocal incompetence
after being frequently accused of singing out of tune. Witness from the theatre
supported this allegation at the subsequent legal action but Shakespeare,
Harley’s teacher from the Royal Academy, testified on behalf of his pupil. The
judge was not convinced and Harley was awarded damages of two hundred and fifty
pounds.
This inauspicious start heralded a successful career in concert and oratorio
where colleagues included Santley, Albani and Patti. He sang mainly in Britain
but was able to tour Australia, New Zealand, and America and on at least one
occasion contrived to appear in Hong Kong. He died at the seaside resort of
Margate on 27 August 1901 in his fortieth year. Harley’s three Rosa performances
appear to be his only acquaintance with opera. The concert hall was his career
of choice.
© 2021 John Ward
