Opera Scotland

Cavalleria Rusticana 1910Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Cavalleria Rusticana

 

 

 

Glasgow Review

Glasgow Herald:  Tuesday, 22 March 1910  (p4)

Grand Theatre - Carl Rosa Opera Company

'The Carl Rosa Opera Company began their second week in the Grand Theatre with Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, works joined together by their sensational stories and treatment.  In sensation, of course, the Italian is now distanced by the German.  The latter can not only beat his rival in operas of blood and hate, but he can give us a score of much greater intrinsic interest.  Much of Mascagni and Leoncavallo is crude and soon loses its effect on the musician for whom emotionalism is not everything.  If Cavalleria and Pagliacci are not as popular so they were, they still have many admirers, and they may be counted on to remain in the repertory of travelling companies for a long time to come.

'Last night's audience was not so large as it might have been, but there was no lack of applause to show excited nerves and heart.  In Mascagni's opera considerable interest attached to the appearance of Madame Gleeson-White as Santuzza.  Madame White's experience of the stage, we understand, has not been great, and it may be some time before she finds the rôles that suit her best.  She gave a very emotional reading of the part of Santuzza, and acted with a freedom and power that should stand her in good stead for the future.  From the purely vocal point of view, there was perhaps too much strain on high notes, but the performance was always that of an artist.

'Mr Edward Davies, one of the leading tenors of the company, was quite at home in the rôle of Turiddu;  Mr Hebden Foster made an excellent Alfio;  and Miss Lawson Taylor and Miss Douglas Wilson filled the parts of Lola and Lucia.  The ''Intermezzo.'' of course, had to be repeated.'

 

Glasgow Final Week

Scottish Referee:  Friday, 25 March 1910 (p4)

Stagelamd - The Carl Rosa Opera Company at the Grand (Glasgow)

'On Monday evening, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, well-known to opera-goers as the ''Double Bill,'' proved a fitting opening to the last week of the fine series of productions given by this highly-organised operatic combination.  The audience, though perhaps not so large as we have seen on other occasions when these highly-emotional love stories have been billrd, made up for this deficiency by their demonstrative appreciation of the principals for their artistic renditions.  In Mascagni's opera Madame Gleeson-White scored an undoubted success in her treatment of the emotional part of Santuzza - sustaining her heavy vocal score with rare effect, and acting with fine freedom and power.  Mr Edward Davies as Turiddu was thoroughly at home, and rendered the drinking song with fine spirit and dash.  Mr Hebden Foster proved himself an excellent foil as Alfio; while Miss Lawson Taylor and Miss Douglas Wilson creditably portrayed Lola and Lucia.  As usual, the well-known Intermezzo had to be repeated.

'Pagliacci had a strong cast in Mr E C Hedmondt (Canio), Mr Charles Victor (Tonio),  Mr Hebden Foster (Silvio), Mr William O'Connor (Beppe), and Miss Beatrice Miranda (Nedda).  Mr Victor's former triumphs in this role are widely known, and from his fine deliverance of the Prologue to the finale his portrayal even added to his great reputation.  Mr Hedmondt, too, had great success in the solo ''On with the Motley,'' while his acting in the tragic finale was convincingly powerful.  Miss Beatrice Miranda was charmingly captivating as Nedda, and sang well when the music brought out the best parts of her voice, especially in her duet with Mr Hebden Foster (Silvio); while Mr Wm O'Connor was also satisfactory in the minor part of Beppe.  Mr Goossens conducted both operas with watchful assiduity, the orchestra and chorus responding to his baton effectively.