The Scotsman (29 June) alluded to a change of programme. "A performance of Carmen by the Carl Rosa Opera Company at the Theatre-Royal, Glasgow, attracted a large audience. Mr William Boland, whose indisposition earlier in the week necessiated a rearrangement of programme, appeared as Don Jose; Mr Frank Clarke was Escamillo; Miss Phyllis Archibald took the title part; and Miss Clara Simons was Micaela. The audience was enthusiastic in their appreciation."
The production was more fully reviewed in the Scotsman (23 July), which gives no changes in the principal roles but adds Zuniga.
"A welcome innovation has been made by the Carl Rosa Opera Company this week in the shape of a summer visit to Edinburgh. Last night every seat in the theatre was occupied. Carmen is one of the opera of which the public seem never to tire, and last night's performance was quite up to the standard of Carl Rosa renderings of recent years. The cast, indeed, was quite excellent. There have been many Carmens in Edinburgh, and among them that of Miss Phyllis Archibald holds an honourable place. It tends sufficiently towards realism without labouring the point, and musically it is extremely effective."
"As Don Jose, Mr William Boland showed himself advancing steadily in his art. His singing was true and unforced, and hsi acting rose to a fine climax in the last act. Miss Eva Turner, one of the best of the recenet acquisitions in the company, was a very successful Micaela. She improves in every new role in which she is heard, and while her voice is at once brilliant and sympathetic, her acting is excellent in the combination which it presents of spontaneity and a perfect balance with the vocal demands of the character."
"Mr Frank Clarke, as on previous occasions, was very good as Escamillo. The two smugglers, Dancairo and Remendado, had familiar and successful representatives in Messrs Clendon and Brookes; a special word of praise is due to the Morales of Mr Lovat Crossley, and the Frasquita and Mercedes of the Misses Florence Barron and Lily Kinsey were also good. Chorus and orchestra did well, and under Mr de la Fuente's direction of the opera as a whole, while it perhaps displayed a certain tendency towards an undue rapidity of tempo, was spirited and marked by an enjoyable feeling of rhythm."
The touring schedule for Scotland during the year 1918 was as follows:-
The season consisted two weeks at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum, then four weeks at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal. Following a break of two months or so, the company returned to Glasgow for four weeks and finally a week back at the Royal Lyceum.
w/c Mon 18 Feb Tannhauser; Tue Carmen; Wed Madam Butterfly; Thu Faust; Fri Bohème; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Maritana.
w/c Mon 25 Feb Cav and Pag; Tue Bohème; Wed Merry Wives of Windsor; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Mignon; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.
w/c Mon 4 Mar Carmen; Tue Tannhauser; Wed Bohème; Thu Faust; Fri Madam Butterfly; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Trovatore.
w/c Mon 11 Mar Cav and Pag; Tue Mignon; Wed Tales of Hoffmann; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Bohème; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Maritana.
w/c Mon 18 Mar Tannhauser; Tue Bohème; Wed Trovatore; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Jeanie Deans; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Faust.
w/c Mon 25 Mar Madam Butterfly; Tue Carmen; Wed Jeanie Deans; Thu Cav and Pag; Fri Mignon; Sat m Tannhauser; Sat e Bohemian Girl.
w/c Mon 24 Jun Tannhauser; Tue Bohème; Wed Tales of Hoffmann; Thu Don Giovanni; Fri Carmen; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.
w/c Mon 1 Jul Jeanie Deans; Tue Cav and Pag; Wed Mignon; Thu Madam Butterfly; Fri Marriage of Figaro; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Faust.
w/c Mon 8 Jul Merry Wives of Windsor; Tue Madam Butterfly; Wed Don Giovanni; Thu Dante and Beatriceand Pagliacci; Fri Tannhauser; Sat m Jeanie Deans; Sat e Carmen.
w/c Mon 15 Jul Mignon; Tue Faust; Wed Tannhauser; Thu Rigoletto; Fri Dante and Beatrice and Pagliacci; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Tales of Hoffmann.
w/c Mon 22 Jul Carmen; Tue Dante and Beatrice and Pagliacci; Wed Jeanie Deans; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat m Madam Butterfly; Sat e Maritana
Our archivist has been unable to find a programme or review of the single perforamance of Bohemian Girl given on the tour (Saturday 30 March). A programme for the performance of Carmen on 22 July survives in the Edinburgh Room in Edinburgh Central Library.
Eleven weeks @ seven performances seventy-seven.
Nine Madam Butterfly; Tales of Hoffmann
Seven Carmen; Bohème; Tannhauser.
Five Jeanie Deans; Mignon; Faust
Four Cav and Pag; Trovatore
Three Maritana; Don Giovanni; Dante and Beatrice and Pagliacci; Merry Wives of Windsor
One Rigoletto; Bohemian Girl; Marriage of Figaro
George Gorst (Jul 22)
Albert Felton (Jul 22)
Mr A J Willard (Jul 22)
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