Opera Scotland

Cavalleria Rusticana 1923Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Cavalleria Rusticana

Cast details for the second performance of Cav & Pag on Monday, 26 February are as reviewed in the next day's Scotsman, without mentioning a conductor, who is only confirmed in the review in the Glasgow Herald. For Tuesday, 20 March details are from a programme in the collection of the V&A, London.

The Herald review was highly enthusiastic about the ''full-blooded kind of treatment'' that the company gave to both pieces. ''In Cavalleria Rusticana the chorus rose to the full height of their fine opportunities. The entries were marked by precision and there were no ragged edges in the cuts-off. The quality of the voices in the big ensembles never coarsened, though there was ample power in the impressive Easter Hymn.

''Miss Eva Turner was very effective at all points as Santuzza. Her full penetrating voice was used with discrimination, even in moments when a softer quality would have been preferable, and in the climaxes it revealed a sense of exaltation that was truly impressive. Mr Horace Vincent made a bold effort to present Turiddu as a robust tenor. There was plenty of passion in his singing - more in his acting would not come amiss - but his voice is hardly capable of standing the strain he put upon it and remaining pleasant to the ear of the listener. In less strenuous parts he is probably better suited. The resourceful Mr Clendon was a good Alfio and the other principals (Miss Ivy Francis and Miss Olive Gilbert) were quite competent.''

For the full schedule of the Royal Carl Rosa's 1923 Scottish tour, see entries for Aïda, Maritana, Lohengrin, Carmen, Tales of Hoffmann or Bohemian Girl.