Opera Scotland

Madam Butterfly 1951Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Madama Butterfly

The Carl Rosa week in Aberdeen, commencing Monday 30 April, contained one relative novelty by Wagner, but was otherwise much as usual. The conductors Arthur Hammond and Maurits Sillem would also remain fixtures for several years. It is noticeable that on this occasion the Chorus Master is Alexander Faris, the Repetiteur Edward Downes. Maybe these two would rarely be seen in Scotland again, but they certainly had prominent careers elsewhere.

The review in the Aberdeen Evening Express (2 May) said "The theatre was not so full as it should have been for the Madam Butterfly matinee, and those who stayed away missed probably the best individual performance of the week. Those who saw Elizabeth Thielmann's Mimi earlier in the week ought to have had a clue that her Butterfly would be outstanding. In the event it was better even than her Mimi, the best sung and easily the best interpretation of the part seen in Aberdeen for many a day. 

The second act in which she completely dominated the stage will linger long in the memory. It remains only to say that Alice Gange, as Suzuki, moulded herself in voice and action so that she had her due shareof the triumph,"

Cast details are from a programme in Aberdeen City Library.

The company performed for four weeks in Glasgow then one in Aberdeen. The final lap, of two weeks in Edinburgh, was cancelled due to structural work having to take place in the King’s Theatre.

The schedule was as follows:-

w/c Mon 2 Apr Barber; Tue Butterfly; Wed Carmen; Thu Bohème; Fri Dutchman; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Cav and Pag

w/c Mon 9 Apr Rigoletto; Tue Traviata; Wed Bohème; Thu Faust; Fri Trovatore; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Carmen.

w/c Mon 16 Apr Dutchman; Tue Bohème; Wed Rigoletto; Thu Butterfly; Fri Barber; Sat m Cav and Pag Sat e Traviata

w/c Mon 23 Apr Mon Cav and Pag; Tue Carmen; Wed Butterfly; Thu Traviata; Fri Faust; Sat m Barber; Sat e Trovatore.

w/c Mon 30 Apr Cav and Pag; Tue Rigoletto; Wed Bohème; Thu Carmen; Fri Dutchman; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Barber.

Apart from Cav and Pag, nine operas were performed.

Performance DatesMadam Butterfly 1951

Map List

Theatre Royal, Glasgow | Glasgow

3 Apr, 19.15 19 Apr, 19.15 28 Apr, 19.15 7 Apr, 14.00

His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen | Aberdeen

5 May, 14.30

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