Frank Celli was really Francis Standing born at Dalston in east London on 8 April 1845 to customs clerk James Standing and his wife Martha. The family had theatrical leanings with Frank, two of his brothers and at least one sister pursuing theatrical careers.His journey began in the 1860s with small concerts, farces, burlesques, and plays. His vocal training is uncertain but he may have been originally coached by George Lansdowne Cottell of the London Conservatoire of Music with some further tuition from the soprano Hermine Rudensdorff. His first real theatrical engagement was probably as Matt o’ the Mint in The Beggar’s Opera at London’s Marylebone Theatre in 1867. A year later he was Mr F. Crellin with Louisa Pyne in comic opera. His brothers also changed theatrical identities possibly for family reasons. Another change followed in 1869 with a short-lived marriage to Susan Pyne, Louisa’s sister. Italian opera with Mapleson followed and in 1871 Crellin was abbreviated permanently to Celli. Further appearances in English opera at Dublin and the Crystal Palace led to recruitment to the Carl Rosa.
He made a successful Rosa debut as the King in Maritana at the Royal Amphitheatre in Liverpool on 7 September 1874. and by the end of the season he had appeared as Di Luna (Trovatore), Arnheim (Bohemian Girl), Rodolfo (Sonnambula), Allcash (Fra Diavolo), Hoel (Dinorah), Plunket (Martha) and his signature roles, Don Giovanni and Mephistopheles. A year later during the company’s inaugural London season he took part in the company’s first British performance of Vivaldi’s Water Carrier at the Princess’s Theatre in the supporting role of the Commandant. Two more London Lyceum premieres followed. He was the King in the British premiere of Giralda (Adam) on 21 September 1876 and Beauseant in the world premiere of Pauline (Cowen) two months later on 22 November. Mozart’s Figaro and Meyerbeer’s St. Bris were added to his Rosa repertoire before departing after five consecutive seasons with Bohemian Girl at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 20 March 1879.
Frank continued as a leading British baritone over the next few years frequently starring in English versions of opera comique and in 1885 crossed the Atlantic to enjoy success in New York. He came home in the following year and eventually returned to the Rosa.
He returned at Drury Lane on 2 May 1887 to a season of familiar fare with with Lothario (Mignon) as his only new role. This mixture of old and new continued. The next season brought four new roles, Frederick in Nordisa (Corder), Pygmalion in the company premiere of Victor Masse’s Galatea at the Prince’s Theatre, Bristol, on 8 October, the King in a revival of Puritans Daughter and Mozart’s Almaviva. In 1889 he was Czar Peter in a spectacular production of Meyerbeer’s Star of the North, and Pedro in a revival of Rose of Castile (Balfe). The following year, his last with the regular Rosa company, brought two premieres. He was Mercutio in the British English langage premiere of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Court Theatre Liverpool on 15 January and the King in the world premiere of Thorgrim (Cowen) at Drury Lane on 22 April. He finally departed as Escamillo to the Carmen of Marie Roze in a special company formed for her farewell tour saying his farewell at the Blackpool Opera House on 30 May 1891. He had been with the company for ten seasons appearing in 24 roles in 22 operas and some 760 performances.
Frank’s post Rosa career remained busy for another decade. His association with music theatre had spanned almost forty years, extended to writing for the theatre together with a handsome appearance which made him a matinee idol. He also taught singing at the Guildhall School of Music. He died in London on 27 December 1904 and was buried at Highgate Cemetery a week later.
© 2025 John Ward
The Carl Rosa Trust wish to thank historian Kurt Gänzl for his assistance in the preparation of this note.