Esmeralda was reviewed in unflattering terms in the Glasgow Herald (12 March).
"Until the Carl Rosa Company revived Esmeralda last season, Goring Thomas's opera had not been heard in Glasgow for many years. It looks as if the musical public were not very anxious to renew its acquiantance. When it reappeared last night in the Grand Theatre there were many empty seats. The truth is that operas like Esmeralda hardly stand revival.
The audience that turned out last night was rewarded by a good performance. The production was under the joint direction of Mr Eugene Goossens and Mr Charles Victor, and the excellent ensemble of principals, chorus, and orchestra showed how intelligently the work had been studied. Miss Elizabeth Burgess is somewhat light for music with a choral background, but her Esmeralda was a clever, finished performance. If not a heroic Phoebus Mr Walter Wheatley at least displayed a pretty tenor voice to advantage. Mr Arthur Winckworth and Mr Victor in their roles of Claude Frollo and Quasimodo were practically all that one could desire, and the smaller roles were conscientiously filled by Miss Bessie Cartwright, Miss Douglas-Wilson, Mr William O'Connor and Mr Frederick Clendon."
The company's Scottish performances in 1909 involved one week at the Alexandria, Greenock, one week at the New Gaiety, Ayr followed by two at Edinburgh's King's Theatre and two at the Glasgow Grand.
The full schedule of 42 performances was:-
w/c 8 Feb Mon Lohengrin; Tue Merry Wives of Windsor; Wed Maritana; Thu Rigoletto; Fri Carmen; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Faust.
w/c 15 Feb Mon Carmen Tue Faust; Wed Lohengrin; Thu Bohemian Girl; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Trovatore.
w/c 22 Feb Mon Lohengrin; Tue Don Giovanni; Wed Carmen; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Cav and Pag; Sat e Trovatore
w/c 1 Mar Mon Carmen; Tue Marriage of Figaro; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Esmeralda; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Faust.
w/c 8 Mar Mon Lohengrin; Tue Carmen; Wed Marriage of Figaro; Thu Esmeralda; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Cavand Pag; Sat e Trovatore.
w/c 15 Mar Mon Tannhauser; Tue Merry Wives of Windsor; Wed Bohemian Girl; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Faust.
Twelve different operas plus Cav and Pag
Six Carmen; Four Cav and Pag; Faust; Lohengrin; Tannhauser
Three Merry Wives of Windsor; Marriage of Figaro; Bohemian Girl; Rigoletto; Trovatore
Two Don Giovanni; Esmeralda.
One Maritana
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