Opera Scotland

Eugene Goossens I

Posted 18 Dec 2011

Goossens was born in Bruges and studied music, being admitted to the Conservatoire in Brussels. After a varied conducting career, with his wife he moved to England in 1873, aged 28. He eventually became a musical director of the Carl Rosa Opera, becoming principal conductor of the company in 1889. He travelled widely, and was known as a disciplinarian. One singer said that once you'd learnt a role under Goossens, you never forgot it. Goossens conducted opera many times in Scotland, including the command performance of Daughter of the Regiment for Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle in 1892. Read more about him here, remembering to scroll down the page to see some of the operas he conducted in Scotland, clicking on the operas to get even more detail.