With the Jamaica Choir

 Touring Britain in 1908

Sylvester Leon joined up with the now famous Jamaica Choir at some time before May in 1908, using the stage name 'Noel Silvester/Sylvester'. Only two references to his performances have been picked up in the months before the Choir returned home; these are shown below.

[The Era was one of the leading British periodicals of the time dealing entirely with
the stage and entertainment world.]

In Jamaica

Sylvester Leon returned to Jamaica with the Jamaica Choir and performed in their very popular concerts which celebrated the Choir's return, in Kingston in January 1909. His portrayal of Shylock from The Merchant of Venice was an instant success. He quickly showed that he had not forgotten his roots, being involved in two concerts in February, one for the residents of the Leper Home in Spanish Town, the other for the Kingston Catholic Sodality Union. Later in the year he appeared with the Choir in concerts all over the island, creating an immediate reputation for his dramatic and humorous performances. He also did other performances for specifically Catholic occasions, namely for the Mission in Spanish Town and at Thomas Linton's Continuation School in Kingston which was sponsored by the church.

 

After a bout of illness in October Leon began to think of returning to England. He took part in the Jamaica Choir's Christmas concert at Rockfort Gardens, and then started on a series of performances in Kingston and around the island which as the year progressed were billed as farewell performances. His performances of extracts from Hamlet were particularly successful. He once again performed with the Choir at Rockfort Gardens in its Easter Concert.

 

Soon after this it was announced that he would be returning to England, probably on May 19^th. He started on a final round of farewell appearances in Montego Bay, Spanish Town and Morant Bay as well as Kingston; he included the whole range of his repertoire in these performances. The death of the king, Edward VII, on May 6^th led to a rearrangement of the schedule and the postponement of his departure. After these very successful  appearances, Sylvester Leon left Jamaica, for the last time it would appear, on the 'Port Antonio', on June 2^nd 1910.

for more on the Famous Jamaica Choir:

The Jamaica Choir