Opera Scotland

Carmen 1949Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Carmen

The most interesting element of this Carmen cast is the appearance of Spanish mezzo Marina de Gabarain, a few seasons before she came to Edinburgh with the Glyndebourne company.

Cast details are from a programme for 6 April in Edinburgh Central Library, 29 April in the Mitchell Library collection and for 3 May in the Gardiner Collection (also in the Mitchell Library).

In 1949, Carl Rosa Opera toured Scotland for seven weeks, giving seven performances each week; two weeks in Edinburgh, one Aberdeen, four Glasgow.  Nine different operas were performed. The programme included familiar works by Rossini (Barber); Verdi (Trovatore, Traviata); Puccini (Bohème, Tosca, Butterfly); Gounod (Faust) and Bizet (Carmen). There was one extremely enterprising novelty in the delightful form of The Kiss by Smetana, receiving its Scottish premiere.

w/c Mon 28 Mar Traviata; Tue Faust; Wed Bohème; Thu Carmen; Fri Barber; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust

w/c Mon 4 Apr Butterfly; Tue Kiss; Wed Carmen; Thu Bohème; Fri Faust; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust

w/c Mon 11 Apr Faust; Tue Bohème; Wed Barber; Thu Carmen; Fri Kiss; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 18 Apr Carmen; Tue Faust; wed Traviata; Thu Tosca; Fri Barber; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore

W/c Mon 25 Apr Faust; Tue Butterfly; Wed Kiss; Thu Bohème; Fri Carmen; Sat m Barber; Sat e Butterfly

W/c Mon 2 May Bohème; Tue Carmen; Wed Tosca; Thu Faust; Fri Traviata; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Barber.

W/c Mon 9 May Butterfly; Tue Trovatore; Wed Faust; Thu Carmen; Fri Kiss; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Traviata.

The preceding week, commencing 11 April, was at His Majesty's, Aberdeen, with a schedule as follows: Mon Faust; Tue Bohème; Wed Barber; Thu Carmen; Fri The Kiss; Sat mat Butterfly; Sat eve Trovatore. Cast details are from a programme for 14 April in Aberdeen City Library.