Leonora Braham
Miss Leonora Braham (18**-19**) was a British singer and actress.
Not to be confused with L. Braham, a British Christy's style singer and performer, who visited the country in 1862.
Biography
The Prima Donna of London's Savoy Theatre, inter alia playing "Yum-Yum" in the original production of the The Mikado.
Contribution to South African theatre and performance
She was the leading actress for the Lyric Company in Stephenson and Cellier’s musical Dorothy, when it opened Cape Town’s Opera House on 31 August 1893.
In 1893-4 she performed for the Lyric Opera Company under the management of Edgar Perkins and Arturo Bonamici, while on tour in South Africa, including performances in the Opera House, Cape Town.
She had the distinction of playing the leading role in the opening production at the Cape Town Opera House on 31 August 1893, a performance of Stephenson and Cellier’s musical Dorothy. Other performances by the company included Faust (Gounod), La Traviata (Verdi), I Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), .
The company that also included Signor Verdi and Marguerite Macintyre.
Sources
Fletcher, 1994
D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 382, 390, 397-8, 400.
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