Cavalleria Rusticana 1955Iskoldoff Italian Opera Company
Read more about the opera Cavalleria Rusticana
The annual provincial tour of an Italian company put together by the impresarios Peter Daubeny and Eugene Iskoldoff made a much briefer visit to Scotland this time. Glasgow still got two weeks, starting 21 November, but Aberdeen and Edinburgh missed out altogether. Probably the only singer of note is the Neapolitan mezzo Anna di Stasio, who would have an excellent career at most of the major Italian houses. She twice came to the Edinburgh Festival. with the companies from Naples and Florence.
The Iskoldoff Italian Opera Company in Glasgow - 1955
The six operas presented were from the core of the Italian repertoire, represented by Verdi (Rigoletto); Leoncavallo (Pagliacci); Puccini ( Bohème, Tosca, Madam Butterfly) and Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana).
The performance schedule at the King's Theatre, Glasgow, was:
W/c Monday, 21 November; Mon 21 Bohème; Tue 22 Cav & Pag; Wed 23 m Bohème; Wed 23 e Madam Butterfly; Thu 24 Rigoletto; Fri 25 Tosca; Sat 26 m Madam Butterfly; Sat 26 e Rigoletto.
W/c Monday, 28 November: Mon 28 Tosca; Tue 29 Bohème; Wed 30 m Tosca; Wed 30 e Rigoletto; Thu 1 Dec Cav & Pag; Fri 2 Madam Butterfly; Sat 3 m Cav & Pag; Sat 3 e Bohème.
Cast details from a copy of the programme for the three Glasgow performances.
Performance Cast
- Santuzza a village girl
- Turiddu a young soldier
- Mamma Lucia the innkeeper, Turiddu’s mother
- Alfio the village carter
- Lola Alfio’s wife