and occasionally played the leading roles of Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and the title role in Princess Ida. In 1903, she continued to play most of these roles in repertory and added the role of Minnie Hill in Bob, a curtain raiser that accompanied Pirates. She also briefly appeared as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado. In May 1903 her husband abandoned her and their two small children and went to South Africa. The couple divorced in 1908. Principal mezzo-soprano and later years Although her earlier roles had been in soprano parts, in 1904 Rose became the company's leading mezzo-soprano, touring in the roles of Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore, Edith in Pirates, Lady Angela in Patience, the title character in Iolanthe, Melissa in Princess Ida, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Phoebe in Yeomen and Tessa in The Gondoliers. A review of Rose noted that she "acted and sang charmingly as Phoebe. ... [A]s Iolanthe [she was] especially good and sang splendidly and in faultless tune." In Bob, she appears to have switched to the role of Lady Mabel. In the company's first London repertory season at the Savoy Theatre (1906–07) she played her same roles in Yeomen, The Gondoliers, Patience and Iolanthe. She then returned to the company's repertory touring schedule in all her Gilbert and Sullivan roles. In the company's second London repertory season (1908–09), she played Pitti-Sing, Hebe, Iolanthe, Edith, Tessa and Phoebe. She then continued to tour with the company as principal mezzo-soprano until June 1909. Rose returned to the Savoy under the management of C. H. Workman, originating the roles of Annette in The Mountaineers (September to November 1909) and Zayda in Fallen Fairies (December 1909 to January 1910). She retired from the stage five days before her second marriage; her second husband was Henry Joseph Ford, a member of a prosperous family of hoteliers. They had one son, born in 1911. Rose's last known public performance was in the role of Iolanthe in a single performance at a charity "Gilbert and Sullivan Pageant" at Cassiobury Park, Hertfordshire in 1919. She died in Sunningdale, Berkshire in 1928 at the age of 52. Notes References External links Rose with Richard Green in The Gondoliers Rose with C. H. Workman in Patience 1928 deaths English actresses English opera singers English mezzo-sopranos Operatic mezzo-sopranos People from Uxbridge 1875 births