A review in the Aberdeen P&J (13 April) said "the large audience must have been delighted by the more than adequate production of Puccini's favourite classic. From the first curtain, the principals gave unstintingly of their best, and their enthusiasm acted as a spur to chorus and orchestra, so that throughout the opera all combined to achieve a memorable performance. Pathos and sincerity were in Miss Field's singing of Mimi's dying arias, and she acted all through with pleasing conviction. Musetta, Marcel, Schaunard, and Colline, played by Gita de la Fuente, Charles Miller, Arthur Wallington and Donald Campbell, sang and acted with real inspiration. The quartets were well sung, and the contrast in the last act from delightful buffoonery to pity and pathos was cleverly achieved...Sets and costumes were colourful and pleasing. The orchestra under David Anderson gave ample support with sympathetic accompaniments."
The Bohème casts for 2 and 14 May are identical, though on the earlier date Frederick Wood was only appearing as cover for an indisposed Arthur Copley. Several of these singers worked with Carl Rosa over a number of years through the fifties - but generally sang shorter roles than these.
The cast details for Monday 2 May are from a programme in the Gardiner Collection (Mitchell Library), paired with the following night's Carmen. The programme for the matinee on Saturday 14 May is from copies in both the Gardiner Collection and the main Mitchell Library collection, and also has details of The Kiss the previous evening.
Cast details (identical) are from a programme for 12 April in Aberdeen City 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.
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