Frederick Bovill

Frederick Bovill was an operatic baritone of the late Victorian era best known for his work in the Savoy Operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Little is known of his life. A baritone, Bovill created the role of Pish-Tush in The Mikado (1885) and the Squire in Sullivan's romantic opera Ivanhoe (1891).

In the original production of The Mikado it was intended that Bovill should sing the bottom line in the madrigal “Brightly dawns our wedding day”, which includes a bottom F. However, as a light baritone Bovill was unable to reach this note, so the character of Go-To, another "Noble Lord" together with Pish-Tush, was created to sing in this number alone, and the necessary change made to the cast list.

The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News said of him in The Mikado, "Mr. Frederick Bouvill (sic) is a trifle heavy as Pish Tush, but has a very good voice and knows how to make use of it", while The Theatre said "Mr. Bovill (the other recruit) proved an excellent representative of the "general utility" noble Lord, Pish-Tush. This gentleman possesses a fine mellow voice, which he produces very agreeably, and is in all respects an acquisition to the Savoy company.

In Gilbert and Sullivan's next production, Ruddigore, there was only one principal baritone role to be cast, resulting in Bovill being released from the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. From 1887 to 1889 Bovill was on a tour of the provinces with J.W. Turner's English Opera Company as Danny Mann in The Lily of Killarney, Count Arnheim in The Bohemian Girl, Don José de Santarém in Maritana and as Count di Luna in Il trovatore, appearing at Her Majesty's Theatre in Dundee, the York Theatre Royal and the Theatre Royal in Oldham among other venues. The critic of The Evening Telegraph in Dundee said of Bovill's performance in Maritana:

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