This wartime Carl Rosa cast is interesting because of the presence of two immigrants from central Europe in Otakar Kraus and Walter Susskind. The conductor would be an important influence in the fifties, including a period with the SNO. The Czech baritone spent many years at Covent Garden, and was also a hugely influential teacher. On a lower level, Martin Quinn's career with Carl Rosa went back to shortly after the first war.
Cast details are in the programme for 1 March Aberdeen City Library.
The review in the Aberdeen P&J (2 March) is generally complimentary and praises the conducting. Vera Spring is said to have had a personal triumph.
The 1944 visit to Scotland by Carl Rosa consisted of seven weeks, one in Aberdeen first, followed by two in Edinburgh. The Rosa then spent two weeks at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle before moving to Glasgow for four weeks.
Crowded houses were reported, further evidenced by the Wednesday matinees.
w/c Mon 28 Feb Traviata; Tue Butterfly; Wed m Cav and Pag; Wed pm Boheme; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Faust; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.
w/c Mon 6 Mar Traviata; Tue Faust; Wed m Cav and Pag; Wed e Boheme; Thu Merry Wives; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Boheme; sat e Barber of Seville.
W/c Mon 13 Mar Cav and Pag; Tue Merry Wives; Wed m Faust; Wed e Butterfly; Thu Trovatore; Fri Boheme; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust
w/c Mon 3 Apr Cav and Pag; Tue Boheme; Wed m Barber; Wed e Faust; Thu Merry Wives; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Cav and Pag; Sat e Trovatore
W/c Mon 10 Apr Traviata; Tue Tales of Hoffman; Wed m Faust; Wed 12 Butterfly; Thu Boheme; Fri Tales of Hoffman; Sat m Merry Wives; Sat e Rigoletto
w/c Mon Apr 17 Barber; Tue Traviata; Wed m Hoffman; Wed e Rigoletto; Thu Faust; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Barber; Sat e Traviata;
w/c Mon 25 Apr Rigoletto; Tue Merry Wives; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Hoffman; Thu Traviata; Fri Boheme; Sat m Hoffman; Sat e Cav and Pag
Performances of Cav and Pag were accompanied by those of nine other operas.
© Copyright Opera Scotland 2024
Site by SiteBuddha