Opera Scotland

Barbiere di Siviglia 1954Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Barber of Seville

Cast details are taken from a programme in the OperaScotland archive with a short review in the Glasgow Herald (11 March).

 

The Glasgow Review

The reviewer was disappointed, saying the Barber, is "a medley of wit and humour, of sparkling melody, and farcical situations. At least, that is what one expects from the Barber. Alas! These were the qualities lacking most of the time, although the proceedings did mellow slightly with the advent of Almaviva as a tipsy soldier."

"Vocally, Gwent Lewis and Pauline Allen were always presentable as Count Almaviva and Rosina, but Redvers Llewellyn, despite his fine feathers and his fine voice, never quite got inside Figaro. The character studies of Stanislav Pieczora and Joseph Satariano as Don Basilio and Doctor Bartolo were on a different level, however, the latter in particular being pleasingly rich and deserving a good deal of commendation.

Maurits Sillem conducted the orchestra which, decidedly scrappy at times, again seemed determined to swamp the stage, in which endeavour, at least, it was markedly successful. There is still a good deal of promise about this company, but so far it has hardly been realised."

 

The Carl Rosa Scottish Tour - 1954

Carl Rosa Opera's six-week 1954 Scottish tour began on 8 March with a three week stay in Glasgow, always one of its favourite dates. This was followed by a week in Aberdeen (the last visit by the company), from 29 March, and two in Edinburgh from 5 April

The tour schedule was as follows:-

Glasgow w/c 8 March:  Mon 8 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 9 Bohème;  Wed 10 Barber of Seville;  Thu 11 Traviata;  Fri 12 Carmen;  Sat 13 m Butterfly; Sat 13 e Cav & Pag.

Glasgow w/c 15 March:  Mon 15 Rigoletto;  Tue 16 Tales of Hoffmann;  Wed 17 Bohème; Thu 18 Barber of Seville;  Fri 19 Traviata; Sat 20 m Carmen; Sat 20 e Butterfly.

Glasgow w/c 22 March:  Mon 22 Cav & Pag;  Tue 23 Traviata;  Wed 24 Tales of Hoffmann;  Thu 25 Tannhäuser;  Fri 26 Faust; Sat 27 m Bohème;  Sat 27 e Carmen.

Aberdeen w/c 29 March 7.30:  Mon 29 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 30 Carmen; Wed 31 Cav & Pag; Thu 1 Apr Faust;  Fri 2 7.00 Tannhäuser;  Sat 3 m 2,30 Butterfly;  Sat  3 e Trovatore.

Edinburgh w/c 5 April 7.30:  Mon 5 Traviata;  Tue 6 Bohème;  Wed 7 Traviata;  Thu 8 Rigoletto;  Fri 9 Tannhäuser;  Sat 10 m 2.30 Butterfly;  Sat 10 e Cav & Pag.

Edinburgh w/c 12 April:  Mon 12 Carmen;  Tue 13 Faust;  Wed 14 Trovatore;  Thu 15 Tales of Hoffmann;  Fri 16  Cav & Pag;  Sat 17 m Bohème;  Sat 17 e Traviata.