Opera Scotland

Bohème 1943Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Bohème

This Monday evening performance has a strong cast, led by Joan Hammond, who had previously, in 1939, sung Mimì at the Vienna State Opera. The young conductor is new - Michael Collins had an excellent career in purely orchestral music, particularly renowned for his Sibelius interpretations. However, he also enjoyed several years in opera, conducting for Carl Rosa and Sadler's Wells.

Cast details are from a programme in the A M Gardiner collection (Mitchell Library). Due to wartime restrictions, the single sheet gave casts not just for Monday's Bohème, but also Tuesday's Rigoletto, and Wednesday's matinee of Butterfly and evening Figaro.

As far as Scotland was concerned, the 1943 Carl Rosa season consisted of three weeks in Glasgow, followed by two in Edinburgh. Crowded houses were reported, further evidence being the Wednesday matinees.

Mon 15 Mar Boheme; Tue Rigoletto; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Marriage of Figaro; Thu Barber of Seville; Fri Traviata; Sat m Merry Wives of Windsor; Sat e Faust

Mon 22 Mar Butterfly; Tues Merry Wives; Wed m Marriage of Figaro; Wed e Faust; Thu Boheme; Fri Barber of Seville; Sat m Trovatore; Sat e Rigoletto

Mon 29 Mar Merry Wives; Tue Traviata; Wed m Rigoletto; Wed e Figaro; Thu Butterfly; Fri Boheme; Sat m Barber; Sat e Trovatore.

Mon 5 Apr Butterfly; Tue Figaro; Wed m Boheme; Wed e Merry Wives; Thu Barber; Fri Traviata; Sat m Rigoletto; Sat e Trovatore

Mon 12 April Boheme; Tue Barber of Seville; Wed m Figaro; Wed e Faust; Thu Butterfly Fri Merry Wives; Sat m Rigoletto; Sat e Trovatore.

Forty performances of nine operas.