Opera Scotland

Nozze di Figaro 1914Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Marriage of Figaro

 

Two Edinburgh Reviews

Edinburgh Evening News:  Wednesday, 25 February 1914  (p4)

Carl Rosa Opera Company

'Mozart's Marriage of Figaro is his most popular work, although musicians agree in general in holding Don Giovanni his greatest musico-dramatic achievement.  The performance last night was somewhat stronger on the histrionic than on the vocal side, although most of the artistes acquitted themselves very creditably throughout.

'The part of Figaro, undertaken for the first time by Mr Frank Clarke, was a most praiseworthy performance, while the Count Almaviva by Arthur Winckworth was in every respect excellent. Of the three great women's parts, the Countess, Susanna and Cherubino, Mesdames Ina Hill, Elizabeth Burgess and Doris Woodall were satisfactory exponents, the Countess, by Ina Hill, being especially fine vocally. Doris Woodall was, of course, charming as the love-lorn page Cherubino, and Elizabeth Burgess had her opportunity to gain the favour of the public by her beautiful rendering of the famous Garden Air.

'The fine old airs lose much of their flavour by translation into English, therefore it is the more regrettable that the words of these were in some cases indistinct.  The humorous by-play, on the other hand, was most enoyable, being broad enough and yet subtle.  There was a large attendance.

'Mr Van Noorden conducted.  To-night Tannhäuser is promised.

 

 

The Scotsman: Wednesday, 25 February 1914

'It was a welcome sign of encouragement  that this imperishable opera, upon the preparation and rehearsal of which it is common report that Mr Van Noorden has bestowed special effort, drew forth as large an audience as any performance as last week. It established a new tradition. There was nothing perfunctory in the production. The dressing ans scnario were excellent; the orchestra was kept down to the Mozart standard; and the principals, whether in their solos or their concerted music , were all attuned to a really fine representation of Mozart's great achievement in opera comique."

 

Carl Rosa in Scotland - 1914

The 1914 season was unusual in that it was restricted to five weeks in total, and all those in the central belt.   One week at Greenock (King's), and two in Edinburgh (Lyceum), were followed by two in Glasgow (Theatre Royal).

The somewhat reduced repertoire consited of twelve operas in all.  These were by Mozart (Marriage of Figaro,  Magic Flute);  Wallace (Maritana);  Wagner (Tannhäuser,  Lohengrin);  Verdi (Trovatore,  Aïda);  Thomas (Mignon);  Gounod (Faust)  Offenbach  (Tales of Hoffmann);  Bizet (Carmen);  Wolf-Ferrari (Jewels of the Madonna).

The five-week tour schedule was as follows:

Greenock:  w/c 9 February:   Mon 9  Magic Flute;  Tue 10  Carmen;  Wed 11  Tales of Hoffmann;  Thu 12  Trovatore;  Fri 13  Jewels of the Madonna;  Sat 14 m  Tannhäuser;   Sat 14 e  Maritana.

Edinburgh:  w/c 16 February:  Mon 16 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 17 Carmen;  Wed 18 Lohengrin;  Thu 19 Mignon;  Fri  20 Jewels of the Madonna;  Sat 21 m Tales of Hoffmann;  Sat 21 e Faust.

Edinburgh: w/c 23 February:  Mon 23 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 24 Marriage of Figaro;  Wed 25 Tannhäuser;  Thu 26 Magic Flute;  Fri 27 Tales of Hoffmann;  Sat 28 m Jewels of the Madonna;  Sat 28 e Trovatore.

Glasgow:  w/c 2 March;  Mon 2 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 3 Mignon;  Wed 4 Tannhäuser;  Thu 5 Jewels of the Madonna;  Fri 6 Magic Flute; Sat 7 m Tales of Hoffmann;  Sat 7 e  Trovatore.

Glasgow:  w/c 9 March:  Mon 9 Carmen;  Tue 10 Marriage of Figaro;  Wed 11 Tales of Hoffmann;  Thu 12 Maritana;  Fri  13 Aïda;  Sat 14 m Faust;  Sat 14 e Tales of Hoffmann.