Opera Singer. A coloratura soprano, she shall be remembered for her Gilbert and Sullivan portrayals during the 1940s. Educated at the Bruton School for Girls, Bruton, Somerset, she received her vocal training in London and in Italy. After traveling with the Milan Opera Company as Norina in Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" she returned to England where she toured and appeared at Glyndebourne as both Antonia and the doll Olympia from Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffman". Signed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as principal soprano in 1938, she initially appeared as "Betty Roberts" but soon returned to her given name; over the next decade she was to be seen as a number of Gilbert and Sullivan leading ladies including the title leads of "Patience" and "Princess Ida", Josephine in "H.M.S. Pinafore", Elsie Maynard from "The Yeomen of the Guard", Mabel from "The Pirates of Penzance", Yum-Yum in "The Mikado", and Gianetta from "The Gondoliers". Roberts married baritone and fellow Savoyard Richard Walker in 1944 (after which she was billed as "Betty Walker") and continued singing with D'Oyly Carte. Seeing the best roles gradually given to younger performers, the couple moved to Australia in 1948 where they appeared for many years with the J.C. Williamson Limited company. Roberts was to add Rose Maybud in "Ruddigore" and the Plantiff from "Trial by Jury" to her repertoire and was to travel widely with her husband in a series of two-singer Gilbert and Sullivan concerts. In the early 1970s she earned praise as Mrs. Eynsford-Hill in a long running production of "My Fair Lady". Roberts returned to England following Mr. Walker's 1989 death and lived out her days at Gillingham, Dorset.
Opera Singer. A coloratura soprano, she shall be remembered for her Gilbert and Sullivan portrayals during the 1940s. Educated at the Bruton School for Girls, Bruton, Somerset, she received her vocal training in London and in Italy. After traveling with the Milan Opera Company as Norina in Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" she returned to England where she toured and appeared at Glyndebourne as both Antonia and the doll Olympia from Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffman". Signed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as principal soprano in 1938, she initially appeared as "Betty Roberts" but soon returned to her given name; over the next decade she was to be seen as a number of Gilbert and Sullivan leading ladies including the title leads of "Patience" and "Princess Ida", Josephine in "H.M.S. Pinafore", Elsie Maynard from "The Yeomen of the Guard", Mabel from "The Pirates of Penzance", Yum-Yum in "The Mikado", and Gianetta from "The Gondoliers". Roberts married baritone and fellow Savoyard Richard Walker in 1944 (after which she was billed as "Betty Walker") and continued singing with D'Oyly Carte. Seeing the best roles gradually given to younger performers, the couple moved to Australia in 1948 where they appeared for many years with the J.C. Williamson Limited company. Roberts was to add Rose Maybud in "Ruddigore" and the Plantiff from "Trial by Jury" to her repertoire and was to travel widely with her husband in a series of two-singer Gilbert and Sullivan concerts. In the early 1970s she earned praise as Mrs. Eynsford-Hill in a long running production of "My Fair Lady". Roberts returned to England following Mr. Walker's 1989 death and lived out her days at Gillingham, Dorset.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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