Opera Scotland

Tales of Hoffmann 1918Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Tales of Hoffmann

Having given an unusual revival of Jeanie Deans the night before, the Carl Rosa here returned to more familiar territory. Cast details for both are from the OperaScotland copy of the programme.

In this run the three heroines were allotted to three different singers, though there was still an attempt to combine a couple of the villains and servants with the same voices.

There is an early appearance by Constance Willis, a notable contralto who had an important career over the next two decades.

A curiosity is the appearance of Durward Lely junior, son of the famous tenor, in two short bass roles. He did not pursue a singing career, but was already the company's assistant stage manager and spent many years in the management team at the King's Theatre, Glasgow.

The reviewer in the Daily Record (11 Mar) said "At the matinee Mr William Boland, both dramatically and vocally, gave a fine interpretation of the part of Hoffmann, and the female roles in Offenbach's masterpiece offered Miss Ida Carton, Miss Florence Barron, Miss Florence Collier and Miss Clara Simons opportunity for some really artistic singing."

The touring schedule for Scotland during the year 1918 was as follows:-

The season consisted two weeks at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum, then four weeks at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal. Following a break of two months or so, the company returned to Glasgow for four weeks and finally a week back at the Royal Lyceum.

w/c Mon 18 Feb Tannhauser; Tue Carmen; Wed Madam Butterfly; Thu Faust; Fri Bohème; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Maritana.

w/c Mon 25 Feb Cav and Pag; Tue Bohème; Wed Merry Wives of Windsor; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Mignon; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 4 Mar Carmen; Tue Tannhauser; Wed Bohème; Thu Faust; Fri Madam Butterfly; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 11 Mar Cav and Pag; Tue Mignon; Wed Tales of Hoffmann; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Bohème; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Maritana.

w/c Mon 18 Mar Tannhauser; Tue Bohème; Wed Trovatore; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Jeanie Deans; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Faust.

w/c Mon 25 Mar Madam Butterfly; Tue Carmen; Wed Jeanie Deans; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Mignon; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Bohemian Girl.

w/c Mon 24 Jun Tannhauser; Tue Bohème; Wed Tales of Hoffmann; Thu Don Giovanni; Fri Carmen; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 1 Jul Jeanie Deans; Tue Cav and Pag; Wed Mignon; Thu Madam Butterfly; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Faust.

w/c Mon 8 Jul Merry Wives of Windsor; Tue Madam Butterfly; Wed Don Giovanni; Thu Dante and Beatriceand Pagliacci; Fri Tannhauser; Sat m Jeanie Deans; Sat e Carmen.

w/c Mon 15 Jul Mignon; Tue Faust; Wed Tannhauser; Thu Rigoletto; Fri Dante and Beatrice and Pagliacci; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Tales of Hoffmann.

w/c Mon 22 Jul Carmen; Tue Dante and Beatrice and Pagliacci; Wed Jeanie Deans; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Maritana

Our archivist has been unable to find a programme or review of the single perforamance of Bohemian Girl given on the tour (Saturday 30 March)

Eleven weeks @ seven performances seventy-seven.

Nine Madam Butterfly; Tales of Hoffmann

Seven Carmen; Bohème; Tannhauser.

Five Jeanie Deans; Mignon; Faust

Four Cav and Pag; Trovatore

Three Maritana; Don Giovanni; Dante and Beatrice and Pagliacci; Merry Wives of Windsor

One Rigoletto; Bohemian Girl; Marriage of Figaro