Paul Waite (1973-77)

Baritone Paul Waite took up singing at age seventeen, joining the Bristol and Bath Operatic Companies. After four years of study in music and singing he joined the Welsh National Opera's chorale. He later joined "Opera for All," appearing as Bonze in Madam Butterfly, Mattea in Fra Diavolo, and Frosch in Die Fledermaus.

In 1970 and 1971 Waite sang with "Gilbert & Sullivan for All," appearing as Second Yeoman in The Yeomen of the Guard, Go-To in The Mikado, and Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance. He rejoined "Opera for All" in the autumn of 1971.

Waite joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a chorister, understudy, and small part player in July 1973, serving for the four years until July 1977. During his first two seasons he deputized on occasion for John Broad as the Usher in Trial by Jury and the Lieutenant of the Tower in The Yeomen of the Guard (both 1973-74), and for Michael Rayner as Pish-Tush in The Mikado (October 1974).

In December 1975 Waite took over as the regular Usher in Trial, though the dramatic cantata was dropped from the repertoire the following month. Over his last two seasons, he continued to appear as Pish-Tush from time to time, and (as Kenneth Sandford's first understudy) filled in on occasion as Private Willis in Iolanthe, Sir Despard Murgatroyd in Ruddigore, Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers.