Cast details are from a review in the Glasgow Herald (18 March). The Scotsman review (1 April) adds little or nothing in describing the 'creditable rendering'.
"The perennial attractiveness of Faust was manifested last night in the crowded state of the Grand Theatre. The Carl Rosa Company's reputation for general all-round effectiveness was once more revealed in the performance of Gounod's work. It is impossible to say anything new about Faust, nor does one expect to find much variation from the stereotyped style of the staging, but no opportunity of renewing acquiantance with the delightful music is ever offered in vain. Last night a new exponent of the name part was seen in Mr Walter Wheatley. His assumption was best on the vocal side. With more experience, he should be able to act the role better. At any rate, he looks well in the part, and that is something that cannot be said of every Faust. Mr Wheatley's voice was hardly big enough for some of the music. Frequently one had to strain to hear it, but much may be forgiven on account of its rare purity. In the impassioned love scenes he sang very finely. Miss Elizabeth Burgess has often charmed Glasgow audiences with her Marguerite. She is an accomplished artist at all times, and it was a pleasure to see and hear her again as the hapless heroine of Gounod's opera."
"Mr Arthur Winckworth's Mephistopheles had a good deal more of the devil in it last night than formerly and was thereby much improved. His singing was good throughout. The Valentine of Mr Dillon Shallard was satisfactory, if it did not run above the commonplace. He was inclined to over-act the death scene, showing a good deal more vigour in his body that his voice. A notable success ws achieved by Miss Christine Ritz, who played Siebel sympathetically, and revealed a voice of excellent quality in the rendering of her music. Mr Walter Van Noorden conducted with excelllent effect. In fact, the ensemble was a feature of the programme, the chorus and orchestra being really first-rate, far above the ordinary level."
The company's 1908 tour included two weeks at the Glasgow Grand, one at the Alexandra, Greenock and finally two at Edinburgh King’s Theatre.
The full schedule was:-
Glasgow w/c 9 Mar: Mon Carmen; Tue Cav & Pag; Wed Trovatore; Thu Lohengrin; Fri Esmeralda; Sat m Fidelio; Sat e Rigoletto.
Glasgow w/c 16 Mar: Mon Don Giovanni; Tue Otello; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Faust; Fri Carmen; Sat m Tannhäuser; Sat e Trovatore.
Greenock w/c 23 Mar: Mon Carmen; Tue Tannhäuser; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Cav & Pag; Fri Esmeralda; Sat m Faust; Sat e Trovatore.
Edinburgh w/c 30 Mar: Mon Carmen; Tue Faust; Wed Lohengrin; Thu Don Giovanni; Fri Esmeralda; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Rigoletto.
Edinburgh w/c 6 Apr: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Trovatore; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Marriage of Figaro; Fri Otello; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Maritana.
In summary: Carmen (5); Trovatore (4); Cav & Pag, Esmeralda, Bohemian Girl, Faust, Tannhäuser (3); Lohengrin, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Otello (2) and Fidelio, Marriage of Figaro, Maritana (1).
Thirty-five performances of thirteen operas plus the double bill of Cav and Pag.
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