Opera Scotland

Trovatore 1954Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Trovatore

The Aberdeen Evening Express (5 April) gave the briefest of reviews. "Il trovatore, in the evening, was put across with great drive on the part of all concerned.  Ruth Packer, Alice Gange, George Chitty and David Allen and the chorus rose to heights of emotional intensity that stirred the capacity audience to great enthusiasm at the close. The orchestra, under Arthur Hammond, was vital to a delightful degree."

The Carl Rosa's six-week 1954 Scottish tour began on 8th March with a three week stay in Glasgow, always one of its favourite dates. This was followed by a week in Aberdeen, from 29th March, and two in Edinburgh from 5th April. The repertoire was much as before, as the company, with no public subsidy, needed to generate all its income from ticket sales and minimize risk. Operas performed during the tour were by Gounod (Faust); (Bizet (Carmen); Offenbach (Tales of Hoffmann); Wagner (Tannhäuser); Verdi (Trovatore, Traviata); Puccini (Bohème, Butterfly); Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana); Leoncavallo (Pagliacci).

This was the company's final appearance in Aberdeen, where the repertoire was Mon Hoffmann; Tue Carmen; Wed Cav & Pag; Thu Faust; Fri Tannhäuser; Sat mat Butterfly; Sat eve Trovatore.

Carl Rosa Opera's six-week 1954 Scottish tour began on 8 March with a three week stay in Glasgow, always one of its favourite dates. This was followed by a week in Aberdeen (the last visit by the company), from 29 March, and two in Edinburgh from 5 April

The tour schedule was as follows:-

Glasgow w/c 8 Mar: Mon Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Bohème; Wed Barber of Seville; Thu Traviata; Fri Carmen; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Cav & Pag.

Glasgow w/c 15 Mar: Mon Rigoletto; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; WEd Bohème; Thu Barber of Seville; Fri Traviata; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Butterfly.

Glasgow w/c 22 Mar: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Traviata; Wed Tales of Hoffmann; Thu Tannhäuser; Fri Faust; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Carmen.

Aberdeen w/c 29 Mar 7.30: Mon Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Carmen; Wed Cav & Pag; Thu Faust; Fri 7.00 Tannhäuser; Sat m 2,30 Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.

Edinburgh w/c 5 Apr 7.30: Mon Traviata; Tue Bohème; Wed Traviata; Thu Rigoletto; Fri Tannhäuser; Sat m 2.30 Butterfly; Sat e Cav & Pag.

Edinburgh w/c 12 Apr: Mon Carmen; Tue Faust; Wed Trovatore; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Cav & Pag; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Traviata.

The cast for 3 April is from a programme in Aberdeen City Library.