Opera Scotland

Water Carrier 1950Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Water Carrier

The Spring 1950 tour by the Carl Rosa company included two weeks in Edinburgh, starting on 27 March. followed by four weeks in Glasgow from 10 April. The repertoire was entirely conventional, with the exception of this new production, opening in Glasgow, of Cherubini's piece, which was neglected by other companies in Britain, but given an occasional airing by Carl Rosa. This new staging was mounted to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the company's foundation, and was one of the first works to be produced by Carl Rosa himself.

Apart from The Water Carrier, the operas performed were Barber of Seville, Rigoletto, Traviata, La Bohème, Madam Butterfly, Cav & Pag, Faust and Carmen.

According to the Scotsman reviewer (3 May) "It was an enjoyable performance.  Against a picture-postcard décor the various soloists acquitted themselves remarkably well with a totally unfamiliar opera which they could have had little time to rehearse...The singing was adequate..."

"Various points have yet to be tidied up. The spoken dialogue requires attention, including a unanimous pronunciation of Mazarin, and the orchestra lacks polish. There was a distressing lack of sparkle, and in spite of the individual merit among the orchestra, as a whole the members were not playing together."

The 1950 tour of Scotland by Carl Rosa consisted of two weeks in Edinburgh and four in Glasgow.

Edinburgh w/c Mon 27 Mar Cav and Pag; Tue Traviata; Wed Faust; Thu Tosca; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Barber of Seville

Edinburgh w/c Mon 4 Apr Bohème; Tue Butterfly; Wed Carmen; Thu Barber; Fri Cav and Pag; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Barber.

Glasgow w/c Mon 10 Apr Cav and Pag; Tue Bohème; Wed Carmen; Thu Traviata; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust.

Glasgow w/c Mon 17 Apr Butterfly; Tue Barber; Wed Bohème; Thu Faust; Fri Cav and Pag; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Butterfly.

Glasgow w/c Mon 24 Apr Carmen; Tue Traviata; Wed Rigoletto; Thu Tosca; Fri Faust; Sat m Barber; Sat e Bohème;

Glasgow w/c Mon 1 May Rigoletto; Tue Water Carrier; Wed Butterfly; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Water Carrier; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Carmen.

 Six weeks of seven performances.