Opera Scotland

Tannhäuser 1956Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Tannhäuser

A short review in the Glasgow Herald (16 May) allowed us to list the principal cast members.

"To tour an opera like Tannhäuser at all is quite a feat, and to produce a performance like that of the Carl Rosa Company at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, last night deserves every praise.  Much of the effectiveness was due to the costumes and scenery designed by Hamish Wilson.

''As Tannhäuser, George Chitty sang with verve, but a more sustained tone over the phrases was needed at times to preserve the melodic line. Others to be mentioned were Stanislav Pieczora, a dignified Landgraf of Thuringia, and Arthur Wallington as a sympathetic Wolfram, and there was some excellent singing from Krystyna Granowska as Venus.

''In spite of choosing some uneven tempi at times Arthur Hammond directed the cast and much-improved orchestra in a most creditable performance."

 

The Carl Rosa Opera Company in Scotland - 1956

Unusually, the tour elements were split many months apart, with Glasgow in May and Dundee October.

The eleven operas toured during the season were by Mozart (Don Giovanni);  Rossini (Barber of Seville); Wagner (Tannhäuser);  Verdi (Rigoletto,  Trovatore);  Gounod (Faust);  Offenbach (Tales of Hoffmann);  Leoncavallo (Pagliacci);  Puccini (Manon Lescaut,  Bohème);  Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana).

A comparison with the previous 1955 touring repertoire shows that in order to add the rare Manon Lescaut the far more popular Carmen was dropped.  It is noticeable that Tannhäuser is not taken to Dundee in either year, though it was played there often enough in the early decades of the century.

The full Scottish tour schedule was:

Glasgow, w/c 7 May:  Mon 7 Cav & Pag;  Tue 8 Don Giovanni;  Wed 9 Tales of Hoffmann;  Thu 10 Manon Lescaut;  Fri 11 Barber of Seville;  Sat 12 mat Don Giovanni;  Sat 12 eve Rigoletto.

Glasgow, w/c 14 May;  Mon 14 Faust;  Tue 15 Tannhäuser;  Wed 16 Bohème;  Thu 17 Barber of Seville;  Fri 18 Manon Lescaut;  Sat 19 mat Cav & Pag;  Sat 19 eve Trovatore.

Dundee, w/c 22 October:  Mon 22 Faust;  Tue 23  Barber of Seville;  Wed 24 Cav & Pag;  Thu 25 Don Giovanni;  Fri 26 Manon Lescaut;  Sat 27 mat Bohème;  Sat 27 eve Tales of Hoffmann.