Opera Scotland

Tannhäuser 1955Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Tannhäuser

The partial cast is drawn from the brief, and rather mixed, review in the Glasgow Herald (7 May):

"Frank Sale in the title role was not in particularly good voice, and his diction was poor, while the orchestral playing had about it more enthusiasm than finesse.  Yet, over all, the balance was well on the right side.  With Wagnerian scale in mind, the production had momentum and very effective staging.  It had moments of great beauty, of dramatic tension, and depth of feeling.

''Outstanding was the Elisabeth of Ruth Packer, a sympathetic and moving study, enhanced by singing of the loveliest quality.  Stanislav Pieczora and Arthur Copley brought to the parts of Hermann and Wolfram von Eschenbach sturdy integrity and voices of richly satisfying resonance, and Krystyna Granowska and Mona Ross were happily cast as Venus and a Shepherd Boy.  The chorus, too, did good work.  Arthur Hammond conducted."

 

The Carl Rosa Scottish Schedule - 1955

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

The full Scottish tour schedule was:

Glasgow, w/c 2 May:  Mon 2 Bohème;  Tue 3 Barber of Seville;  Wed 4 Cav & Pag;  Thu 5 Faust; Fri 6 Tannhäuser;  Sat 7 mat Bohème;  Sat 7 eve Carmen.

Glasgow, w/c 9 May:  Mon 9 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 10 Rigoletto;  Wed 11 Bohème;  Thu 12 Cav & Pag;  Fri 13 Don Giovanni;  Sat 14 mat  Barber of Seville;  Sat 14 eve Trovatore.

The intervening week, commencing Monday, 16 May, was spent at the Globe Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees.

Dundee, w/c 23 May:  Mon 23 Bohème;  Tue 24 Rigoletto;  Wed 25 mat Barber of Seville;  Wed 25 eve Cav & Pag;  Thu 26 Faust;  Fri 27 Barber of Seville; Sat 28 mat Bohème;  Sat 28 eve Trovatore.