Aynsley Cook

Born in London in 1833, Cook was the son of Elizabeth Jane Cook and Thomas Aynsley Cook, a seal and silver engraver,^[1] and the brother of opera singers Furneaux Cook and Alice Aynsley Cook (1849–1938). His father claimed descent from Captain James Cook.^[2] A boy soprano,^[3] Cook started singing at St. George's Catholic Cathedral in Southwark, and at concerts directed by Mendelssohn and Spohr.^[2] He was a pupil of Edward John Hopkins at the City Temple in London, and of Josef Staudigl in Munich, Bavaria, and began his singing career in Bavaria. Returning to London, in 1856 he was working for Meyer Lutz, then a professor or teacher of music, in Binfield House, a Wesleyan chapel.^[4] In the same year Lutz married Cook's sister, Elizabeth Cook (b. 1835) and later married their sister Emily Cook (b. 1847).^[5]

A bass-baritone, Cook made his stage début in Manchester later in 1856 when he appeared with the National English Opera Company managed by Lucy Escott.^[6] He may have met his future wife at this time, as she was a member of the same company. On 26 June 1858, Cook married the opera singer Harriett Farrell Payne (1830–1880),^[7] the daughter of the pantomime artist William Payne. Her brothers were the pantomime entertainers the Payne Brothers.^[3] From 1858 to 1861 Cook and his new wife toured the United States with the Lucy Escott company,^[8] but the venture was not a success.^[3]

From 1862 to 1864 Cook and his wife were members of the Pyne-Harrison Company which was appearing at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. For them he sang Sergeant Peterman in The Desert Flower and Pascal in The Armourer of Nantes, both in 1863, and in John Liptrot Hatton's Rose, or Love's Ransom (1864). The couple remained at Covent Garden for a further two years with English Opera Limited.^[3] Their repertoire during this period included new works by Balfe, Wallace and Benedict, as well as popular European works translated into English. In 1867 Cook originated the role of José the Wolf in The Contrabandista by Arthur Sullivan and F. C. Burnand at St. George's Hall, in London.^[6] He played General Boum in the first British production of The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein in November 1867 at Covent Garden in an English translation by Charles Lamb Kenney,^[6][9] starring Julia Matthews in the title role.^[10] During the 1870 to 1871 seasons Cook was at the Gaiety Theatre in London, where he appeared as Van Bett in the British premiere of Lortzing's Zar und Zimmermann in addition to popular French works including Auber's Fra Diavolo and Hérold's Zampa.^[8]