{{Short description|British opera singer and actress (born 1934)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} [[File:Jean Hindmarsh as Mabel.jpg|thumb|right|Hindmarsh as Mabel in ''The Pirates of Penzance'', c. 1962]] '''Jean Hindmarsh''' (born 1934<ref name=Leng>Leng, Laurence. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrqpm_BOn8I "The D'Oyly Carte Interviews – Jean Hindmarsh"], via YouTube, 8 August 2025</ref>) is a retired English singer and actress. She is best known as a principal soprano with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the 1950s and 1960s.
After attending the Royal Manchester College of Music, Hindmarsh joined D'Oyly Carte in 1956 as principal soprano. She played the leading roles in six of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the company over the next five years and occasionally thereafter until 1969. Hindmarsh sings the lead soprano roles on four D'Oyly Carte recordings. She married in 1960, raised a family and, after leaving the opera company for the last time in 1969, worked for building societies for more than 20 years. Later in life, she gave performances and talks at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival.
==Biography== Hindmarsh was born in Leeds and educated at Lawnswood High School.<ref>[http://www.lawnswoodhighschool.com/lhs/FamousOldGirls.html Famous Old Girls] Lawnswood High School Alumnae Website, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> There, she was prominent in the school's musical and theatrical productions, including ''Merrie England'' in 1950, in which she played Sir Walter Raleigh.<ref>Cottier, M. N. [http://www.lawnswoodhighschool.com/lhs/MerrieEngland.html ''Merrie England'' review], ''Lawnswood High School Magazine'', 1950, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> Hindmarsh gained a diploma (ARMCM) from the Royal Manchester College of Music<ref name=Leng/> and then continued to study opera for an additional 18 months.<ref name=p6>Hindmarsh, Stewart [http://www.hindmarsh.org.uk/page6.htm Jean Hindmarsh] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121023130/http://www.hindmarsh.org.uk/page6.htm |date=21 November 2008}} at the ''Famous Hindmarshes'' website, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> She played the lead in two college productions and sang in concerts and oratorios. Hindmarsh was the runner-up in the first Kathleen Ferrier Competition in 1955<ref>Ayre, p. 144</ref> winning the Blackpool heat. A representative from the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company heard her performance and invited her to audition.<ref name=p6/>
[[File:Valerie Masterson and Jean Hindmarsh, 1998.jpg|thumb|left|Hindmarsh (right) with Valerie Masterson in 1998]] Hindmarsh was engaged by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in March 1956 as principal soprano. Over the next four years, she played the title role in ''Princess Ida'', Mabel in ''The Pirates of Penzance'', Elsie Maynard in ''The Yeomen of the Guard'', Gianetta in ''The Gondoliers'' and Josephine in ''HMS Pinafore'', soon adding the small role of Lady Ella in ''Patience''. In 1959, she began instead to play the title role in ''Patience''.<ref name=who>Stone, David. [https://www.gsarchive.net/whowaswho/H/HindmarshJean.htm Jean Hindmarsh] at the Who's Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company website, 2002, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> Hindmarsh married in 1960 and left the D'Oyly Carte organisation when she was expecting her first child. She rejoined the company as a guest artist in her old roles for parts of the company's seasons in 1961–62, 1962–63, in the spring of 1963, 1963–64, and in the spring of 1969.<ref name=who/> These included two London seasons, one provincial tour and one American tour.<ref name=p6/><ref>Taylor, Roy. [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/j-hindmarsh.html Profile of Jean Hindmarsh] at the ''Memories of the D'Oyly Carte'' website, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> In reviewing ''Princess Ida'' in 1961, ''The Times'' wrote that, in the title role, "Hindmarsh charms, amuses and ... moves the audience".<ref>"Anti-Romantic Work Rich in Romance", ''The Times'', 28 December 1961, p. 12, col. D</ref> That paper commented on a 1962 performance of ''The Gondoliers'': "Outstanding among last night's cast was Miss Jean Hindmarsh, a winning Giannetta both in appearance and voice."<ref>"The Gilbert and Sullivan Cycle Completed", ''The Times'', 16 January 1962, p. 5, col. F</ref>
Several years after leaving the company, as her children grew older, Hindmarsh worked for building societies for more than 20 years, including the Leeds and Holbeck and the Leeds Permanent Building Society.<ref name=Leng/> In later years, she has performed and given talks at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival.<ref>Bourke, Kevin. [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/classical_and_opera/s/125/125453_music_festivals_2004_buxton_gilbert__sullivan_festival.html "Music festivals 2004: Buxton Gilbert & Sullivan Festival"], ''Manchester Evening News'', 29 July 2004, accessed 4 November 2008</ref><ref>Marshall, Trevor. [http://www.trevormarshall.com/stars.htm "Ian Smith's 'Stars on Sunday'"], 1998, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> At the Festival, in 1999, Hindmarsh and baritone Michael Rayner gave the world premiere performance of "Reflect, my child", a song cut from ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' before the opera opened in 1878 and reconstructed in 1998.<ref>[http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/festivals/buxton99/29jul.htm "Gilbert & Sullivan Rarities: Music from the Cutting-Room Floor"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204223/http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/festivals/buxton99/29jul.htm |date=3 March 2016 }}, Festival review, Day 2: 29 July 1999, accessed 4 November 2008</ref><ref>Miller, Bruce and Helga J. Perry. [http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/pinafore/html/lost.html "Lost Pinafore Song Found"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216075444/http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/pinafore/html/lost.html |date=16 December 2008}}, The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive, 15 April 1999, accessed 4 November 2008</ref>
==Recordings== Hindmarsh sings the lead soprano roles on four D'Oyly Carte recordings: Yum-Yum in ''The Mikado'' (1957),<ref>Shepherd, Marc. [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/mik1957.htm "The 1957 D'Oyly Carte ''Mikado''"], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009160808/http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/mik1957.htm |date=9 October 2008 }} ''A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography'', 2005, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> Mabel in ''Pirates'' (1957), Josephine in ''Pinafore'' (1960),<ref>Shepherd, Marc. [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/pin1960.htm "The 1960 D'Oyly ''Pinafore''"], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513063644/http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/pin1960.htm |date=13 May 2008 }} ''A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography'', 2003, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> and Rose Maybud in ''Ruddigore'' (1962),<ref>Shepherd, Marc. [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/rud1962.htm "The 1962 D'Oyly Carte ''Ruddigore''"], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090118005857/http://cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/rud1962.htm |date=18 January 2009 }} ''A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography'', 2003, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> even though she never played Yum-Yum or Rose with the company.<ref name=who/> Of the 1957 ''Pirates'', reviewer Mel Moratti wrote, "The highlights must be the pairing of Thomas Round and Jean Hindmarsh as Frederic and Mabel. Their solos and duets are most delightful".<ref>Shepherd, Marc, quoting Moratti. [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/pir1957.htm "The 1957 D'Oyly Carte ''Pirates''"], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116130254/http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/pir1957.htm |date=16 January 2009 }} ''A Gilbert and Sullivan Discography'', 2003, accessed 4 November 2008</ref> ''The Rough Guide to Opera'' comments that she "is a uniquely charming Josephine" in ''Pinafore''.<ref>Boyden et al., p. 318</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==References== *{{cite book|last=Ayre|first=Leslie|year=1972|title=The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion|location=London|publisher=W.H. Allen & Co Ltd}} Introduction by Martyn Green. *Boyden, Matthew, Nick Kimberley and Joe Staines. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bLDaqKzJF08C&dq=%22Jean+Hindmarsh%22&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 ''The Rough Guide to Opera''], Rough Guides, 2002 {{ISBN|1-85828-749-9}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1431680}} *[http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/j-hindmarsh-p.html Jean Hindmarsh photos] at the Memories of the D'Oyly Carte website *[http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/postcards/savoyard1.htm Photos of Hindmarsh as Princess Ida] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621085205/http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/postcards/savoyard1.htm |date=21 June 2010 }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hindmarsh, Jean}} Category:1934 births Category:Actresses from Leeds Category:20th-century British women opera singers Category:20th-century English women opera singers Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the Royal Northern College of Music Category:Musicians from Leeds Category:People educated at Lawnswood High School