Opera Scotland

Promessi Sposi 1932Glasgow Grand Opera Society

Read more about the opera Promessi Sposi

At this point Glasgow Grand were about to embark on their 'golden age' under the guidance of Erik Chisholm, with the first British productions of Idomeneo, The Trojans, Benvenuto Cellini and Beatrice and Benedick.

They appear to have thought, briefly, that Promessi Sposi would make for them another British premiere, the Carl Rosa staging of 1881 having been forgotten. The main reason for resuscitating Ponchielli's first opera was the great success enjoyed the year before with La gioconda. Press reports suggest they created their own new translation, since the score was Italian only - Henry Hersee's version from 1881 seems not to have been published.

Unfortunately the opera is very uneven, and simply not of the same quality as the irrepressibly tuneful Gioconda. It has never again been performed in Britain.