Opera Scotland

Romeo and Juliet 1919Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Roméo et Juliette

It was over twenty years since the Carl Rosa had last staged Romeo, but this cast seems quite strong, especially with young Parry Jones as Romeo and William Anderson as the Friar.  Full of excellent things, iIt is hard to understand why the opera is so much less popular than Faust.

The conductor, Orry Corjeag, was a native of the Isle of Man, noted both as a violinist and composer. He also spent some time as leader of the Carl Rosa orchestra. However during this tour the leader was Madame Nettie Carpenter - as in more everyday fields, musical life had been transformed during the war, with women given (temporary) positions of great prominence.

 

The Glasgow Verdict

The Glasgow Herald: Monday, 8 December 1919

'On Saturday afternoon Gounod's Romeo and Juliet was performed, with a very sweet-voiced appealing heroine in Miss Gladys Seagar, an excellent Romeo in Mr Parry Jones, and a satisfactory Friar Lawrence in Mr William Anderson.  If less dintinguished, singers in the other parts were perfectly safe.  Mr Orry Corjeag conducted.'

 

The Carl Rosa Scottish Tours in 1919

The season consisted of one week at Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre (AHMT), then one week at Dundee’s Her Majesty’s Theatre (DHMT). There followed four weeks at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal (GTR). Following a break of one week when the company was at Greenock (King's), there were two weeks at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum (ERL), then later still another two in Glasgow (GTR). Ten weeks in total, followed by a further three in December to give thirteen. By now, the company were running a number of separate companies, the Phillips section giving the December performances.

The tour schedule was:

Aberdeen (HMT) w/c 20 January:  Mon 20 Tales of Hoffmann   Hoffmann Tue Tosca; Wed Tannhauser; Thu Mignon; Fri Carmen; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Faust. AHMT

w/c Mon Jan 27 Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Tannhauser; Wed Faust; Thu Madam Butterfly; Fri Mignon; Sat mTales of Hoffmann; Sat e Trovatore. DHMT 

w/c Mon 3 Feb Tannhauser; Tue Bohème; Wed Madam Butterfly; Thu Trovatore; Fri Tosca; Sat m Mignon; Sat e Tales of Hoffmann. GTR 

w/c Mon 10 Feb Cav and Pag; Tue Faust; Wed Carmen; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Madam Butterfly; Sat m Tosca; Sat e Maritana. GTR

w/c Mon 17 Feb Bohème; Tue Tannhauser; Wed Mignon; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Trovatore. GTR

w/c Mon 24 Feb Carmen; Tue Rigoletto; Wed Carmen; Thu Faust; Fri Tannhauser; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Bohemian Girl. GTR

w/c Mon 3 Mar Company performing in Liverpool

w/c Mon 10 Mar Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Tosca  ; Wed Faust; Thu Madam Butterfly; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat m Cav and Pag; Sat e Maritana. ERL

w/c Mon 17 Mar Tosca; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; Wed Tannhauser; Thu Bohème; Fri Carmen; Sat m Mignon; Sat e Trovatore; ERL

w/c Mon 30 Jun Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Carmen; Wed Mignon; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Three Masks; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Faust GTR

w/c Mon 7 Jul Three Masks; Tue Trovatore; Wed Daughter of the Regiment; Thu Carmen; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Maritana GTR

w/c Mon 1 Dec Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Carmen; Wed Faust; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Tannhauser; Sat m Romeo and Juliet; Sat e Rigoletto.

w/c Mon 8 Dec Cav and Pag; Tue Trovatore; Wed Romeo and Juliet; Thu Lily of Killarney; Fri Faust; Sat m Traviata; Sat e Tales of Hoffmann.

w/c Mon 15 Dec Carmen; Tue Tannhauser; Wed Maritana; Thu Rigoletto; Fri Romeo and Juliet; Sat m Cavand Pag; Sat e Tales of Hoffmann

 

Thirteen weeks @seven performances = ninety-one

Thirteen Tales of Hoffmann

Eight Carmen; Tannhauser; Faust

Seven; Madam Butterfly; Cav and Pag

Six Mignon

Five Trovatore; Tosca

Four Cav and Pag; Maritana

Three Bohème; Romeo and Juliet

Two Three Masks; Don Giovanni; Rigoletto

One Marriage of Figaro; Daughter of the Regiment; Bohemian Girl; Traviata; Lily of Killarney.

Cast details for 19 December are from a programme in the Gardiner Collection at the Mitchell Library.