Opera Scotland

Cavalleria Rusticana 1950Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Cavalleria Rusticana

The Scotsman reviewer (28 March) states Cav and Pag, "which were performed last night, showed the merits and demerits of the Carl Rosa.  Much of the singing was good...Less  effective was the production, which at times creaked alarmingly. The singing of soloists and chorus was not always sufficient to cover up the lapses in their acting.

Nor was the orchestra as satisfactory as one would expect. It was strange to hear so much raggedness, even within the individual departments. considering that the players must know these operas backwards."

Cast details  are from a programme in the Mitchell Library, and were also found in the Glasgow Herald (11 April).  The reviewer said 'The chorus, and some of the principals should, however, give more attention to quality of tone and steadiness of line.  Intonation was fairly good during the evening."

"While neither opera (Cav and Pag) calls for great subtlety of acting, the stilted gestures of some members of the cast detracted a good deal from their performances. Lino Farrugia, who took the part of Turridu, has a voice of real tenor quality, but he was unable to make the part more convincing than it usually is.

As the wronged husband, Alfio, Joseph satariano was more phlegmatic than one might have expected."

"Several of the singers failed to come through the orchestra at moments of climax, but this may have been due to the position of the press seats, which were too near the heavy brass and timpani."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Six weeks of seven performances.