Opera Scotland

Carmen 1950Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Carmen

Cast details are taken from a programme for Wednesday, 5 April in the OperaScotland collection, and a Scotsman review (6 April).  The reviewer said the opera was last night given in its original form, that is, with the spoken dialogue as it was given at the Opéra Comique, Paris, in 1875. "Last night's performance was one of the best so far seen and heard this fortnight. there was a slight stiffness in the first few minutes but after the appearance of Carmen there was no looking back."

"Gita Denise proved herself at all points a very fine Carmen indeed. She toyed easily with one heart after another. Her acting was excellent, and her singing, especially in the lower middle notes, was of a comparable standard. Una Hale as Micaela also made a very good appearance with some consistently admirable singing and suitably restrained acting. Raymond Nilsson as Don Jose gave his most spirited performance so far, singing the 'Flower Song' and the rest most effectively, while Arthur Copley once more delighted as Escamillo...Everybody, indeed, seemed to be in top form last night. There was an unforced liveliness about the whole opera that reflects credit on Mr Arthur Hammond."

The 1950 tour of Scotland by Carl Rosa consisted of two weeks in Edinburgh and four in Glasgow.

Edinburgh w/c 27 Mar: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Traviata; Wed Faust; Thu Tosca; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Barber of Seville.

Edinburgh w/c 4 Apr: Mon Bohème; Tue Butterfly; Wed Carmen; Thu Barber; Fri Cav and Pag; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Barber.

Glasgow w/c 10 Apr: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Bohème; Wed Carmen; Thu Traviata; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust.

Glasgow w/c 17 Apr: Mon Butterfly; Tue Barber; Wed Bohème; Thu Faust; Fri Cav & Pag; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Butterfly.

Glasgow w/c 24 Apr: Mon Carmen; Tue Traviata; Wed Rigoletto; Thu Tosca; Fri Faust; Sat m Barber; Sat e Bohème;

Glasgow w/c 1 May: Mon Rigoletto; Tue Water Carrier; Wed Butterfly; Thu Cav & Pag; Fri Water Carrier; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Carmen.

 Six weeks of seven performances - 42 in total.