Mary Sansom

Mary Sansom (26 May 1935 – 13 April 2010) was an English operatic soprano best known for her performances in principal soprano roles with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the 1950s and 1960s, including as Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Phyllis in Iolanthe and Gianetta in The Gondoliers.

Sansom as Yum-Yum in The Mikado

Biography
Sansom as Phyllis in Iolanthe with Philip Potter as Earl Tolloller

Sansom was born in Taunton, Somerset, on 26 May 1935. She studied voice in Bristol and performed in amateur Gilbert and Sullivan productions before joining the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in May 1956. She began her career with the company singing in the chorus and some small parts, including Celia in Iolanthe, Zorah in Ruddigore and Fiametta in The Gondoliers. She also served as understudy to Jean Hindmarsh for roles including Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Lady Ella in Patience, Elsie Maynard in The Yeomen of the Guard and Gianetta in The Gondoliers.[1]

In August 1959, she was promoted to regular principal soprano in the roles of Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Phyllis in Iolanthe, Rose Maybud in Ruddigore and first Lady Ella and then the title character in Patience. In 1961, she gave up the role of Yum-Yum and took on Lady Psyche in Princess Ida and Elsie Maynard in The Yeomen of the Guard.[1]

In 1962–63, Sansom appeared as Phyllis, Psyche and Elsie all season, and played the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury, Edith in Pirates and Fiametta in The Gondoliers for the first half of the season and Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore and Gianetta in The Gondoliers starting in January 1963. She gave up Josephine and Elsie during the 1963–64 season before leaving D'Oyly Carte in July 1964.[1]

Sansom was married to Alan Barrett, a baritone who also performed with D'Oyly Carte. She died in Bath on 13 April 2010.[1]

Recordings

Sansom's voice may be heard on D'Oyly Carte's 1960 Iolanthe as Phyllis,[2] 1961 Gondoliers as Gianetta,[3] 1961 Patience as the title character[4] and 1962 Ruddigore as Zorah.[5]

Notes
  1. Stone, David. "Mary Sansom", Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 14 April 2010, accessed 14 February 2022
  2. Shepherd, Marc. "The 1960 Iolanthe", A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, 2008, accessed 14 February 2022
  3. Shepherd, Marc. "The 1961 Gondoliers", A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, 2008, accessed 14 February 2022
  4. Shepherd, Marc. "The 1961 Patience", A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, 2008, accessed 14 February 2022
  5. Shepherd, Marc. "The 1962 Ruddigore", A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography, 2005, accessed 14 February 2022
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