Aynsley Cook

Thomas Aynsley Cook (1833 – 16 February 1894) was a British operatic bass-baritone of the Victorian era. Among others, he originated the role of José the Wolf in The Contrabandista by Arthur Sullivan and F. C. Burnand in 1867. He sang the role of Devilshoof in The Bohemian Girl, about 430 times.

Early life Born in London in 1833, Cook was the son of Elizabeth Jane Cook and Thomas Aynsley Cook, a seal and silver engraver, and the brother of opera singers Furneaux Cook and Alice Aynsley Cook (1849–1938). His father claimed descent from Captain James Cook. A boy soprano, In the same year Lutz married Cook's sister, Elizabeth Cook (b. 1835) and later married their sister Emily Cook (b. 1847).

Operatic career 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. 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), the daughter of the pantomime artist William Payne. Her brothers were the pantomime entertainers the Payne Brothers. From 1858 to 1861 Cook and his new wife toured the United States with the Lucy Escott company, but the venture was not a success. starring Julia Matthews in the title role. 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.

For a while the Cooks managed the pub Jack Straw's Castle on Hampstead Heath. During this period, including after the death of his wife in 1880, Cook sang with other companies. In September and October 1879 Cook played Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's "2nd London" company in Shoreditch and Camden Town. In tribute, that evening at the Royal Court Theatre Claude Jaquinot conducted Chopin's Funeral March after a performance of Maritana. making Cook the maternal grandfather of the talented Goossens siblings, the composer and conductor Sir Eugene Goossens, the harpists Marie and Sidonie Goossens, the horn player Adolphe Goossens and the oboist Léon Goossens.