Opera Scotland

Aida 1914Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Aïda

The final Friday in Glasgow contained a solitary performance of Aïda, the first one of the tour.  The previous evening was unusual in that it saw a performance of Maritana.  This would more usually have been held back for the Saturday, but here must have been treated essentially as an unrehearsed run through, since the orchestra would have been busy rehearsing the Verdi all day.  Indeed the Carl Rosa had not performed this mature Verdi piece for several years.

 

Glasgow Opinion

Daily Record : 14 March 1914

'Aïda is one of the big ventures included in the repertoire of Carl Rosa Opera.  Its presentation is an ordeal, demanding great resources on the part of any company.  Yet last night the presentation in the Glasgow Theatre Royal of Verdi's masterpiece, with its proud music and magnificent setting, was brilliant throughout.

'The Carl Rosa Company gave to the opera a scenic grandeur, the vocal principals, excellently chosen, had the background of a well-balanced chorus, and of an orchestra, which, under the penetrating direction of Mr Eugene Goossens, played with true sympathy.  The production gave further proof of the discretion of the management in securing of the services of Mr William Wegener as one of their principal tenors.  As Radamès, he sang with fine comprehension of the heroic dignity of the part, using his flexible and robust voice with true art.  His dominating presence on stage is a valuable asset to the company.

'The singing of Miss Ina Hill in the Aïda music was charming in its vocal quality and interpretative grasp; so, too, was that of Miss Sybil Conklin as the Princess.  The rich bass of Mr Arthur Winckworth as the High Priest, and the ringing baritone of Mr Hebden Foster as the King of Ethiopia were pleasing elements in a performance which was undoubtedly a triumph for the company.'

 

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.