Opera Scotland

Bohemian Girl 1895Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Bohemian Girl

The Edinburgh Evening News (Monday 13 May) said "Is custom beginning to stale the variety of Balfe's once all popular opera?  Whether from this cause, or the heavy atmospheric conditions, there was an element of somnolence about Saturday evening's rendering of the Bohemian Girl.  Musically, it was unexceptionable, yet the dramatic element appeared lacking in verve and spontaneity. An exception was the Arline of Mdlle L'Allemand, who threw herself into the part with a refreshing vivacity, and gave, 'I dreamt I dwelt' with a charming archness that made the inevitable encore a thoroughly deserved one.   Mr Max Eugene, as Count Arnheim, and Mr Hedmondt as Thaddeus, were in good form, and the airs of their parts had most satisfactory treatment.   Miss Meisslinger was hardly so well cast as the Gipsy Queen.  It is not a part which suits her somewhat reserved action, though her fine rendering of 'Love smiles but to deceive' was an indisputable musical treat.   Mr Winckworth and Mr Frank Wood were capital as Devilshoof and Florestine.   The chorussing was excellent, though somewhat tardy in action." 

Some cast details (for the performance on Saturday 11 May) have been taken from a review in the Edinburgh Evening News.

A full cast is taken from a programme of 7 November in the Mitchell Library which also gives the cast for 8 November, from which the performers have been taken.

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.