W. S. Lyster formed the Lyster Opera Troupe in 1857. In early 1861, the troupe arrived in Melbourne, opening at the Theatre Royal on 25 March. Over a period of seven years, the troupe toured various Australian colonies although its headquarters remained in Melbourne.
The troupe returned to the United States in August 1868, but failed to successfully re-establish itself there. It disbanded in March the following year. Lsyter himself returned to Melbourne in January 1870 and spent the last decade of his life there.
Source: Sally O'Neill and Thérèse Radic, 'Lyster, William Saurin (1828–1880)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lyster-william-saurin-4053/text6451, published in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 24 June 2014.