Opera Scotland

Carmen 1895Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Carmen

Of the performance on 2 May, the Press and Journal (3 May) said of Pauline L'Allemand 'in singing and acting she looked and portrayed the part to the life...never oversteps the bounds of propriety or probability; and the manner in which she dresses the part leaves nothing to be desired.'  Of Hedmondt, 'Perhaps his best effort was in the duet in the second act,  where his impassioned singing with Carmen was a thing to be remembered.'

'Mr Max Eugene as Escamillo sang the famous toreador's song with a depth and power that fairly carried the audience off its feet, and he had to respond to an enthusiastic encore.  The subordinate parts were also in capable hands'.

The November performance in Glasgow was billed as marking Zélie de Lussan's return to the company - she had spent the 1894-5 season in her home city of New York, working at the Met.   Of equal importance to the long-term survival of the company was the arrival of young bass Arthur Winckworth.

The cast is from a programme held in the National LIbrary of Scotland (NLS), adjusted for a few changes given by the Press and Journal for the performance on 2 May.

Carl Rosa Opera’s spring tour consisted of a week in Glasgow, a week in Aberdeen and then two weeks in Edinburgh.  Over the four week period, the company gave 36 performances of eleven operas as follows:-

Royalty Theatre, Glasgow.  w/c 22 April Mon Tannhauser; Tue Ivanhoe; Wed Hansel and Gretel & Pagliacci; Thu m Hansel and Gretel; Thu evg Ivanhoe; Fri Hansel and Gretel & Bastien and Bastienne; Sat m Ivanhoe; Sat evg Bohemian Girl.

Her Majesty’s, Aberdeen.  w/c 29 April Mon Tannhauser, Tue Faust; Wed Bastien and Bastienne & Hansel and Gretel; Thu Carmen; Fri Ivanhoe; Sat m Bastien and Bastienne & Hansel and Gretel; Sat evg Lohengrin.

Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh w/c 6 May Mon Tannhauser; Tue Jeanie Deans; Wed Pagliacci & Hansel and Gretel; Thu Carmen; Fri Ivanhoe; Sat m Bastien and Bastienne & Hansel and Gretel; evg Bohemian Girl.

Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh w/c Mon 13 May Lohengrin; Tue Bastien and Bastienne & Hansel and Gretel; Wed Tannhauser; Thu Ivanhoe; Fri Pagliacci & Hansel and Gretel; Sat e Trovatore.

Carl Rosa Opera returned in November 1893 for two weeks in Glasgow.