Opera Scotland

Bohème 1944Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Bohème

The cast for 13 April is taken from a copy of the programme in the OperaScotland collection and for 1 March from a programme in Aberdeen City Library.

The review in the Aberdeen P&J (2 March) described 'an evening of pure operatic enjoyment.'

After praising the principal artists, the review continues "The chorus was in excellent form, and once again we have nothing but praise for Walter Susskind and the orchestra, whether it was in matters of delicacy - and Puccini asked a lot there- or in bravura passages did magnificently. This was a performance of which the Carl Rosa tradition can be proud. It gave us laughter and tears as Puccini and his librettist wrote them."

The singers included some familiar names - the Mimì, Marcello, Schaunard and Alcindoro had worked writh Carl Rosa since the twenties. John Torney was also a familiar name. Ruth Packer had already worked with Sadler's Wells, but would now continue to sing leading parts with Carl Rosa for over a decade.

The Scotsman review (9 March) states  'a young Edinburgh singer, Margaret Maitland, replacing Ruth Packer at short notice as Musetta, made an excellent impression."

The 1944 Glasgow season began on Monday 3 April (with Traviata), so this Thursday performance was well into the second week. The two conductors were again Walter Susskind, who would spend several seasons in Glasgow with the Scottish Orchestra, and Charles Webber, a familiar figure on the podium for a quarter century.

Likewise the singers included some familiar names - the Mimì, Marcello, Schaunard and Alcindoro had worked writh Carl Rosa since the twenties. John Torney was also a familiar name. Ruth Packer had already worked with Sadler's Wells, but would now continue to sing leading parts with Carl Rosa for over a decade.

 Seven weeks, one in Aberdeen, two in Edinburgh.  The Rosa then spent two weeks at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle before moving to Glasgow for four weeks.

Crowded houses were reported, further evidenced by the Wednesday matinees.

w/c Mon 28 Feb Traviata; Tue Butterfly; Wed m Cav and Pag; Wed pm Boheme; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Faust; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 6 Mar Traviata; Tue Faust; Wed m Cav and Pag; Wed e Boheme; Thu Merry Wives; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Boheme; sat e Barber of Seville.

W/c Mon 13 Mar Cav and Pag; Tue Merry Wives; Wed m Faust; Wed e Butterfly; Thu Trovatore; Fri Boheme; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust

 

w/c Mon 3 Apr Cav and Pag; Tue Boheme; Wed m Barber; Wed e Faust; Thu Merry Wives; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Cav and Pag; Sat e Trovatore

W/c Mon 10 Apr Traviata; Tue Tales of Hoffman; Wed m Faust; Wed 12 Butterfly; Thu Boheme; Fri Tales of Hoffman; Sat m Merry Wives; Sat e Rigoletto

w/c Mon Apr 17 Barber; Tue Traviata; Wed m Hoffman; Wed e Rigoletto; Thu Faust; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Barber; Sat e Traviata;

w/c Mon 25 Apr Rigoletto; Tue Merry Wives; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Hoffman; Thu Traviata; Fri Boheme; Sat m Hoffman; Sat e Cav and Pag