Hilda Moody

Hilda Moody (16 June 1876–21 September 1961)^[1] was an English singer and actress who, after a brief career in a D'Oyly Carte Opera Company touring company in 1896, appeared as the leading lady in Edwardian musical comedy at Daly's Theatre and the Apollo Theatre in London until 1903. She later appeared with the Moody-Manners Opera Company and continued to perform until at least 1909.

Hilda Moody was born in Redruth in Cornwall in 1876,^[2] the youngest of thirteen children of Eliza and James Hawke Moody (1823–1887),^[3] a photographer.^[4] It was said that her father could play any instrument he had ever seen; her mother Eliza was a pianist, and the whole Moody family were musical.^[3] By the age of 13 Moody was already showing musical promise.^[3] On 23 December 1886, with other members of her family, she took part in an entertainment at the United Methodist Free Church school room at Stithians, to a large audience. On that occasion she sang 'Darby and Joan' and a duet, 'The broom-girls', with her sister Mabel, which "evoked an unmistakable encore".^[5] In 1891 she and Mabel were residential students at Grove House Academy in Baldock in Hertfordshire.^[6] Another sister, Fanny, married the singer Charles Manners.^[4]

In March 1896 Moody appeared in the British provinces with a D'Oyly Carte Opera Company touring company,^[1] playing Lisa in The Grand Duke. Later that year she played The Princess of Monte Carlo in the same piece.^[7] In October 1896 Moody toured with the same company as the lead soprano, Princess Zara, in Utopia, Limited. Moody left D'Oyly Carte when her touring company ended its run in November 1896.^[8]

Desde 1897 hasta 1903, Moody apareció regularmente en papeles principales en el West End , generalmente en espectáculos producidos por George Edwardes , interpretando a O Mimosa San en The Geisha ( Daly's Theatre , 1897–98), ^{[ 9 ]} Antonia en A Greek Slave (Daly's, 1898–99), Rose Brierly en A Gaiety Girl (Daly's, 1899), Poppy en San Toy (Daly's, 1899–1901), ^{[ 10 ]} Hilda Branscombe en Three Little Maids ( Apollo Theatre y Prince of Wales's Theatre , 1902–03), y Barbara en Madame Sherry (Apollo, 1903). El 13 de agosto de 1903 en Marylebone se casó con Joseph Archibald Edward 'Pat' Malone (1863–1929), siempre anunciado como JAE Malone; Fue el director de escena de George Edwardes en Daly's. La novia fue entregada por Akerman May, también de Daly's. Edwardes estuvo entre los invitados, y la luna de miel la pasaron en Escocia. ^{[ 11 ]}

Realizó giras con la compañía de su hermana y su cuñado, la Moody-Manners Opera Company , ^{[ 1 ]} y regresó a Londres con ellos en 1907 como Anne Page en Las alegres comadres de Windsor y como Musetta en La bohème . ^{[ 7 ] [ 8 ]} Tuvo un "tremendo éxito" como Alice en La princesa del dólar en Manchester en 1909 antes de que se trasladara a Londres. ^{[ 12 ]}

Tras el fallecimiento de su marido en enero de 1929, ese mismo año contrajo matrimonio con un ingeniero mecánico, Charles Harry Leather George (1886-1951), en la oficina del registro civil de Guildford. ^{[ 13 ] [ 14 ]} En 1939 vivía como ama de casa con su marido en Malden y Coombe , habiendo restado cuatro años a su edad. ^{[ 15 ]}

En sus últimos años, Hilda George vivió en Kennington , cerca de Ashford , en Kent . Falleció en septiembre de 1961 en el Hospital Hothfield, cerca de Ashford. Dejó un patrimonio valorado en 2394 libras y 6 chelines. ^{[ 16 ]}

• Retrato de Hilda Moody , Galería Nacional de Retratos, Londres.