Italiana in Algeri 1968Sadler's Wells Opera
Read more about the opera Italian Girl in Algiers
The Italian Girl faded from the repertoire in the second half of the 19th century, and was only revived in Britain when Conchita Supervia had a great success at Covent Garden in 1935. This new production by Sadler’s Wells was the first staging in London since then. It opened at the Coliseum only a few weeks before, on 15 October. It had not appeared in Scotland for over a century.
Patricia Kern and Harold Blackburn were experienced and excellent performers of Rossini comedies, and now added roles which they would revisit over the next decade. The rest of this cast was that of the London opening.
Sadler's Wells Opera had only recently completed its move from its historic north London outpost to the London Coliseum in the heart of the West End. The three week Glasgow visit included five operas, opening with the Italian Girl. There were four performances of an extremely controversial new Don Giovanni, which had opened the first Coliseum season, but was not revived. Three performances of a recent Rigoletto and four of a new Fledermaus also featured. Only the 1963 staging of La Belle Hélène, back for its final run of three performances, was of any great vintage.
Sadler's Wells Opera in Scotland - 1968
Only one Scottish venue for this three week visit - the King's Theatre in Glasgow.
The operas were Mozart (Don Giovanni); Rossini (Italian Girl in Algiers); Verdi (Rigoletto); Offenbach (Belle Hélène); J Strauss (Fledermaus).
The performance schedule was:
Week One, w/c Mon 11 Nov: Tue 12 Italian Girl; Wed 13 Belle Hélène; Thu 14 Don Giovann; Fri 15 Italian Girl; Sat 16 Belle Hélène.
Week Two, w/c Mon 18 Nov: Mon 18 Fledermaus; Tue 19 Rigoletto; Wed 20 Don Giovanni; Thu 21 Italian Girl; Fri 22 Fledermaus.
Week Three, w/c Mon 25 Nov; Mon 25 Rigoletto; Tue 26 Fledermaus; Wed 27 Belle Hélène; Thu 28 Rigoletto; Fri 29 Don Giovanni; Sat 30 Fledermaus.
