Opera Scotland

International Celebrity Concert 1947International Celebrity Concert

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Beniamino Gigli tenor

This 1947 tour was marred to some extent by the great tenor suffering a bout of flu.  This caused the cancellation of his Dundee concert, originally scheduled for 17 November.  Provisionally a replacement was scheduled for 4 January 1948 (the tour being expected to end in Newcastle the night before).  However it seems that his manager was unwilling to extend his stay in Britain or send Gigli north once more and the concert did not take place.  The tenor did return in 1949.

Many service-men gained a love of opera, and may well have heard Gigli in person, while in Italy after hostilities ended. The troops, awaiting demobilisation while the war continued in the north,  were employed to help re-open the opera houses in cities such as Rome, Florence and Trieste.

Earlier Scottish dates and repertoire to be confirmed.

 

Preliminary Information

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Friday, 24 October 1947

'Almost all seats for the Iturbi concert in Caird Hall, Dundee (November 6), have been sold.  For Gigli (November 17) only seats at 15s and over are left; and the Rawicz and Landauer concert (November 5) is also well booked.'

 

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Monday, 17 November 1947

'Gigli has influenza. To-night's Dundee concert has been postponed until Sunday, January 4, at 3pm.  The 3000 tickets sold will be available for that date.'

 

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Tuesday, 18 November 1947

'A number of tickets for the Gigli concert in Dundee, postponed from last night to January 4, have been returned by service-men who expect to leave the district before January.'

 

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Friday, 21 November 1947

'Beniamino Gigli, whose Dundee concert had to be postponed from last Monday to Sunday, January 4, has now arrived in this country and begun his tour.'

 

Advertisement

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Monday, 8 December 1947

'Monday, January 4, at 3pm

Harold Fielding Presents

GIGLI

by arrangement with Jack Hylton

Prices:- 25s, 20s, 15s, 10s, and 5s.

Send PO and stamped, addressed, envelope.

Tickets issued for Nov 17 are available for this date.

Returns will not be accepted after Sat, Dec 13.

METHVEN, SIMPSON, Ltd, 22 Reform St.'

 

Final Cancellation

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Saturday, 3 January 1948

Gigli Concert Off - London Statement

'Gigli will not sing in Caird Hall, Dundee, to-morrow.  Three thousand ticketholders will have their money refunded, beginning January 9.

'Six weeks ago the concert was postponed because of the illness of the tenor.  Now it has been cancelled.

'Mr Harold Fielding, who acts for Gigli in London, made a statement to a Courier & Advertiser representative last night.  He said the cancellation of the Dundee concert was neither his wish nor his work.  It had been cancelled as the result of unforeseen circumstances, and he was the innocent victim of them.  He would lose the profits on a practically sold out concert.

'What affected him more was that he would disappoint the music lovers of Dundee, for whom he had a great regard.

'Dundee's Gigli fans suffered a similar disappointment last season. The Caird Hall was not available while the singer was in Scotland.  A later date was fixed, but his manager would not allow him to travel from London.

'Gigli was singing for Mr Fielding at Newcastle last night in the last concert of the tour, which had been arranged to terminate at Dundee.'