Opera Scotland

Lily of Killarney 1911Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Lily of Killarney

Derived from a successful melodrama by Boucicault, The Colleen Bawn, which had already disappeared from the popular repertoire, the Lily of Killarney was still popular.  However after another decade had gone by, it too, would vanish.

 

The Glasgow View

The Glasgow Herald: Wednesday, 23 March 1911  (p9)

Opera in Glasgow - The Lily of Killarney

'It is somewhat difficult to say why The Lily of Killarney has still a modest place on the operatic stage while even the names of the majority of its English contemporaries are forgotten.  It has certainly some pretty tunes, but they are not the kind one finds in popular ''folios'' and they never meet one in the street piano or barrel organ.  The composer, Sir Julius Benedict,  in spite of fine gifts, means nothing to music to-day.  The admirers of The Lily of Killarney, one imagines, find much of their pleasure in the story of love and villainy and virtue rewarded that has been woven round the Colleen Bawn.  One has lakes and moonlight, pleasant music pleasantly scored, with interesting situations, broad humour, and a touch of melodrama.

'The scene in which the would-be murderer is shot by the comic Irishman and the hroine is saved from drowning as she comes up for the third time never fails to bring down the house.  Mixed up with it all there are such charming pieces as ''On hill and dale,''  @@It is a charming girl I love,'' and ''I'mm alone,'' to say nothing of some bright and stirring choruses.

'In the performance by the Carl Rosa Company last night in the Grand Theatre all the favourite numbers were enthusiastically received, and the laughter after the jokes of Myles-na-Coppaleen showed that in spite of their age they were fresh to the majority of the audience.  Mr Hedmondt was in capital form as the drunken, good genius of the piece, and if he forced the note of sentiment a little in some of his songs it was only what one expected from an artist who had spent nearly all his stage life in making love.  Miss Ina Hill was specially good as Eily O'Connor.  Her pure steady, voice was admirably suited to the simple songs that fell to the heroine,  and she acted her part with simplicity and conviction.

'Hardress Cregan is a poor kind of hero who hardly deserves his luck, but Mr Charles Neville sang his music well and otherwise made the best of him.   Among other creditable performances were those of Mr Alexander Richard as Father Tom,  Mr William Ludwig as Danny Mann,  Mr Frederick Clendon as Corrigan, Miss Mabel Dennis as Mrs Cregan, and Miss Annie Van Dyke as Ann Chute.

'The Carl Rosa Company have an excellent chorus and orchestra, and last night under the guidance of Mr Eugene Goossens they yielded the best results.'

 

The Scottish Referee:  Wednesday, 24 March 1911

'This opera, which is not so well known as some works, was listened to by a large and enthusiastic house. There is more line speaking thans is generally associated with opera, and the story was followed with marked interest.

"In the part of Myles, Mr E C Hedmondt was a conspicuous success, his brogue being exceptionally good, and his acting being marked with frequent rounds of applause.

'The mounting was on a lavish scale. Mr Eugene Goossens conducted the orchestra, which did all that was required.'

 

The Carl Rosa Scottish Tour - 1911

The tour consisted of five weeks at three locations, two at Edinburgh (King's), two Glasgow (Grand), and one Greenock (King's).

The thirteen operas in the repertoire were: Mozart (Marriage of Figaro);  Benedict (Lily of Killarney);  Balfe (Bohemian Girl);  Thomas (Mignon);  Wallace (Maritana);  Wagner (Tannhäuser,  Lohengrin);  Verdi (Trovatore);  Gounod (Faust);  Goldmark (Queen of Sheba);  Bizet (Carmen);  Leoncavallo (Pagliacci);  Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana).

The schedule was:

Edinburgh, w/c 6 March:  Mon 6 Tannhäuser;  Tue 7  Carmen;  Wed 8  Lily of Killarney;  Thu 9 Marriage of Figaro;  Fri 10  Queen of Sheba;  Sat 11 m Cav & Pag;  Sat 11 e Trovatore.

Edinburgh, w/c 13 March:  Mon 13 Lohengrin;  Tue 14 Mignon;  Wed 15 Bohemian Girl;  Thu 16 Queen of Sheba;  Fri 17 Faust;  Sat 18 m Mignon; Sat 18 e Lily of Killarney.

Glasgow, w/c 20 March:  Mon 20 Mignon;  Tue 21 Faust;  Wed 22 Lily of Killarney;  Thu 23 Queen of Sheba;  Fri 24 Trovatore;  Sat 25 m Mignon; Sat 25 e Bohemian Girl.

Glasgow, w/c 27 March:  Mon 27 Carmen;  Tue 28 Cav & Pag;  Wed 29 Queen of Sheba;  Thu 30 Mignon;  Fri 31 Tannhäuser;  Sat 1 Apr m Queen of Sheba;  Sat 1 Apr e Lly of Killarney.

Greenock, w/c 3 April:  Mon 3 Carmen;  Tue 4 Faust;  Wed 5 Maritana:  Thu 6 Queen of Sheba;  Fri 7 Tannhäuser;  Sat 8 m Mignon;  Sat 8 e Bohemian Girl.