Opera Scotland

Carmen 1920Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Carmen

Of the Edinburgh performance on the spring tour, the Edinburgh Evening News (19 April) noted that in the presence of a large audience 'there was a new Carmen in Miss Sophie brand, who gvea most fascinating interpretation of this famous role.  Miss Brand has an excellent voice and acted with great verve. Mr William Boland was an imposing figure as Don Jose, and the Escamillo of Mr Walter Outhwaite was a most convincing study'.

The Scotsman (19 April) said of the same performance ('which completely filled the theatre'  'Mr William Boland made an excellent Don Jose. his singing again displayed the marked advance in quality which has been noticeable on his other performances during the present Carl Rosa season, while he was a much more soldierly and convincig figure than the ordinary run of Don Joses.' 

The cast has been taken from a programme for 17 April in Edinburgh Central Library.  By the Decembee performances, the roles had been recast.

On Monday 13 December, the Carl Rosa company began a four-week Christmas - New Year season in Aberdeen (ending Saturday, 8 January), with a completely different group of performers from those who had visited the central belt in the spring. The Directors were billed as Mrs Carl Rosa and Walter van Noorden, a former conductor.  The Acting Manager was Edward Taylor and Stage Director Harison Cook. Conductors were Wynn Reeves and John Cope, with Alfeo Turato as their assistant.

The first week, commencing 13 December, was: Mon Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Tannhäuser; Wed Faust; Thu Carmen; Fri Bohème; Sat mat Mignon; Sat eve Trovatore.

Several of the singers in the new team enjoyed notable careers with Carl Rosa and other companies, including Ethel Austen, Constance Willis, Olive Gilbert, Eda Bennie and Appleton Moore . The casts for 16 and 25 December are from programmes in Aberdeen City Library. A further copy for 16 December survives in the V&A Collection in London, and ne for the matinee on 17 April survives in Edinburgh Central Library.