Opera Scotland

Mignon 1916Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Mignon

The context of a performance

The Scotsman review (2 March), from which the cast has been taken, explained that "Many things have happened in music since Ambroise Thomas's Mignon was first produced fifty years ago, but it still retains a firm hold upon the public, and it drew a large crowd to the Lyceum last night.

There is much to account for the abiding popularity of Mignon. The story is pretty, and the opera is rich in well-defined melodies of a certain sentimental cast, and these have been turned to the best advantage. 'Knowest thou that Dear Land?' for example, would mke the fortune of any opera, and there can be nothing but admiration for the skill with which the composer cuses the touching melody to haunt the whole opera. While Thomas, however, worked upon simple lines, and made ovious ingenuous appeals to popular sentiment, he did it with an unfailing art, and there is a great deal more in Mignon than the average listener realises.  In its simple elegiac fashion,, it touches a note of real sincerity, artificial though the plot may be, and the orchestral treatment is beautiful in its finish, delicacy and significance. Artistically, in fact, Mignon is much superior to many operas of greater pretensions."

What was the performance like?

"Last night's performance did credit to the Carl Rosa Company. Miss Julia Caroli was very well suited as Mignon. She maintained the childlike quality of the character convincingly, and her singing was very true and sympathetic.  Miss Beatrice Miranda has frequently been seen here in the role of the heartless Filina, and she was as successful last night as usual.   Miss Muriel Terry as Frederick was particularly good, the best Frederick that has been seen in Edinburgh for a long time.  Miss Terry has a sense of humour, which is not generally a strong point with operatic artists, and her Frederick was a real boy, not the conventional, impossible creature who mostly passes for such in opera."

"The Wilhelm of Mr Hughes Macklin, Mr Arthur Winckworth's Lothario, and Mr Frederick Clendon's Laertes have all been seen in Edinburgh before.  Last night, as on other occasions, they were emininently sound and acceptable renderings.  Mr Henriques de la Fuentes conducted, and with excelent point and effect."

 

The 1916 Scottish tour

The Scottish circuit that year consisted of two weeks at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum, followed by three at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal. Advertisements state the orchestra included fifty performers.

w/c Monday 21 Feb Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Aïda; Wed Tannhauser; Thu Trovatore; Fri Cav and Pag; Sat m Faust; Sat e Bohemian Girl.

w/c Monday 28 Feb Carmen; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; Wed Mignon; Thu Magic Flute; Fri Faust*; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Maritana.

w/c Monday 6 March Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Carmen; Wed Faust; Thu Trovatore; Fri Cav and Pag; Sat m Aïda; Sat e Maritana.

w/c Mon 13 March Tannhauser; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; Wed Aïda; Thu Magic Flute; Fri Faust; Sat m Tales of Hoffmann; Sat e Bohemian Girl.

w/c Mon 20 March Carmen; Tue Mignon; Wed Cav and Pag; Thu Attack on the Mill; Fri Tales of Hoffmann; Sat m Faust; Sat e Trovatore.

The whole amounted to seven performances of Tales of Hoffmann; five of Faust; three of Aïda, Cav and Pag, Carmen, and Trovatore; two of Tannhauser, Bohemian Girl, Mignon, Maritana, and Magic Flute; one of Attack on the Mill.

• The advertised performance in Edinburgh of Attack on the Mill was replaced by one of Faust. The latter performance was seemingly not reviewed.