Opera Scotland

Lustigen Weiber von Windsor 1944Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Merry Wives of Windsor

The 1944 Scottish tour by Carl Rosa included a week in Aberdeen, commencing Monday 28 February. The repertoire was: Mon Traviata; Tue Madam Butterfly; Wed mat Cav & Pag; Wed eve Bohème; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Faust; Sat mat Butterfly; Sat eve Trovatore.

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 from the programme for 2 March Aberdeen City Library.

The critic of the Aberdeen Press and Journal (3 March)praised the performance 'that was vastly enjoyedd, vocally, instrumentally and in the humour of the excellent acting."

According to the Scotsman (10 March), "An excellent performance last night earned many deserved recalls from a large and enthusiastic audience. There was a fine cast...Mr Charles Webber directed a performance in which nothing of the charm and vivacity of the music was lost, and the opera was handsomely produced."

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.