Opera Scotland

Tales of Hoffmann 1917Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Tales of Hoffmann

The Carl Rosa season at Glasgow Theatre Royal began on Monday 5 February 1917. Most of the cast were familiar, but the most notable feature is the appearance of the veteran tenor E C Hedmondt, pushing sixty, appearing in a new role at least as far as Scottish audiences were concerned.

A short review in the Glasgow Herald (20 February) says only that the audience "filled all parts of the house" and that everyone "combined in a delightful production".   The cast is different from that in the programme -  see names given for 19 February.

A review in the Daily Record (28 February) gives key players too.  A review of the Saturday matinee on 26 March  appeared in the Scotsman (28 March).  It mentioned the cast changes, Mr Hedmondt taking over from Mr Macklin and Miss Dorothy Moulton appearing as Antonia.

The full cast is taken from a programme for the 10 March matinee in the AM Gardiner collection in the Mitchell library.

Of the Edinburgh performance on 19 March, there were again a few changes.   The Scotsman reviewer (20 March) stated the company was "Now under the management of Arthur Winckworth who has gathered most of his old colleagues around him, and has added some new names to the list of prima-dnnas, the company continues to maintain a high standard of attainment, despite the difficulties caused by the war, particularly with regard to the male chorus".  Walter van Noorden had died unexpectedly in April 1916, aged only 50.

The Scotsman review continues "Last night's rendering was of a character to satisfy every reasonable demand.  The dressing and effects were adequate, the chorus well-balanced, and the enlarged orchestra under the baton of Mr de la Fuente gave spirited rendering of the score.  Mr Hughes Macklin as the love-sick Hoffmann was in good voice, and imparted considerable fervour into his acting.... Miss Beatrice Miranda lent to Giulietta her accustomed vocal brilliance: Miss Florence Barron, a new-omer to the part of Olympia, was a very personable and piquantly vocal doll; and Miss Clara Simons, though evidently suffering from a cold, sang the airs allotted to Antonia with finished technique.  A commendable feature of the performance was the clearness with which the artists articulated their words."

Performances by Carl Rosa Opera in Scotland during 1917 consisted of four weeks at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal then two at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum. The full schedule was as follows:-

w/c Mon 19 Feb Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Madam Butterfly; Wed Lily of Killarney; Thu Faust; Fri Magic Flute; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Maritana.

w/c Mon 26 Feb Aida; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; Wed Madam Butterfly; Thu Trovatore; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Cav and Pag; Sat e Bohemian Girl.

w/c Mon 5 Mar Carmen; Tue Trovatore; Wed Magic Flute; Thu Aida; Fri Madam Butterfly; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Faust.

w/c Mon 12 Mar Cav and Pag; Tue Marriage of Figaro; Wed Rigoletto; Thu Madam Butterfly; Fri Carmen; Sat m Faust; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 19 Mar Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Faust; Wed Madam Butterfly; Thu Carmen; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Trovatore

w/c Mon 26 Mar Rigoletto; Tue Lily of Killarney; Wed Aida; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Attack on the Mill; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Maritana.

Six Tales of Hoffmann; Madam Butterfly 

Four Faust; Trovatore; Carmen

Three Aida; Marriage of Figaro

Two Cav and Pag; Lily of Killarney; Magic Flute; Maritana; Rigoletto.

One Attack on the Mill