On Carl Rosa Opera's last Scottish visit, they staged a single performance of a rarity, Benvenuto Cellini. It was given a generally enthusiastic reception in the Glasgow Herald of Saturday, 15 June.
It is an intriguing reflection on the religious sensibilities of the day that it was deemed unacceptable in a largely Protestant country to portray the Pope on stage. Quite why a Cardinal should be more acceptable is unclear.
The Glasow Herald critic writes
"Given ampler resources and stage space, this could make a magnificent production and that, by implication, is not a reflection on last night's performance in the King's Theatre, Glasgow, which, by and large, was an excellent one, one of the best we have had from the company despite some roughnesses and loosenesses. Splendidly dressed and well staged, the crowd scenes in particular, in which the chorus sang with heartening vigour, had a colourful animation and a vitality that matched the full-blooded orchestral delivery of Berlioz's bustling score.
''Estelle Valery and Charles Craig were well cast as Teresa and Cellini. In John Faassen there was a Fieramosca of suitably empty bravado and foppishness - and pleasing voice. Stanislav Pieczora brought a fine dignity and vocal sonority to the part of Cardinal Salviati while Pauline Allen's Ascanio and Donald Campbell's Balducci completed an assured and competent team of principals.
''Arthur Hammond, conducting, kept the performance moving with brisk urgency."
And so the Scottish curtain fell on Carl Rosa Opera for the final time...
Carl Rosa Opera's last performances in Scotland were as follows:-
Week commencing 10 June: Mon Carmen; Tue Cav & Pag; Wed Bohème; Thu Hoffmann; Fri Benvenuto Cellini; Sat m Barber of Seville; Sat e Trovatore.
Week commencing 17 June: Mon Don Giovanni; Tue Rigoletto; Wed Tannhäuser; Thu Manon Lescaut; Fri Barber of Seville; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Faust.
Given twice were Barber of Seville and Carmen; with one performance each for Cav and Pag and the other nine operas.
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