Opera Scotland

Pagliacci 1956Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Pagliacci

Glasgow Notice

A short review is given in the Glasgow Herald (8 May).

 

An Abbreviated Dundee Opinion

Dundee Courier & Advertiser: Thursday, October 25, 1956

Twins of B and T

Note: The Courier critic arrived after the start of Pagliacci due to his having been to the Caird Hall to hear the SNO, conducted by Karl Rankl, in which they played an all-Russian programme of the Borodin Overture Prince Igor, Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto, and Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.  The audience totalled 1100.

'From Shostakovich I was in time at the Gaumont (Carl Rosa Opera) to hear tenor John Myrrdyn holding a packed house tense as he began Canio's bitter heart-break aria “On With the Motley” in Pagliacci.  In this, and in the second Act, in which the tragic clown gradually loses his self-control to stab his faithless wife on the stage of the strolling players, he gave a most moving performance.

'Joseph Satariano (Tonio) had earlier received a like ovation for his singing of the Prologue. The Nedda was Joyce Goodwin, a newcomer whose voice and acting ability were obviously ideal for the part. The chorus was producing plenty of volume and colourful movement as the audience to the tragedy, and the orchestra sounded in top form.

'Reports were that in the earlier companion opera of blood and thunder, Cavalleria Rusticana, a new Santuzza, Margaret Winkler, had won good opinions, and that George Chitty as Turiddu had delivered the tenor highlights with his usual power.

Dundee Evening Telegraph: Thursday, October 25,  1956   No Review

 

The Carl Rosa Opera Company in Scotland - 1956

Unusually, the tour elements were split many months apart, with Glasgow in May and Dundee October.

The eleven operas toured during the season were by Mozart (Don Giovanni);  Rossini (Barber of Seville); Wagner (Tannhäuser);  Verdi (Rigoletto,  Trovatore);  Gounod (Faust);  Offenbach (Tales of Hoffmann);  Leoncavallo (Pagliacci);  Puccini (Manon Lescaut,  Bohème);  Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana).

A comparison with the previous 1955 touring repertoire shows that in order to add the rare Manon Lescaut the far more popular Carmen was dropped.  It is noticeable that Tannhäuser is not taken to Dundee in either year, though it was played there often enough in the early decades of the century.

The full Scottish tour schedule was:

Glasgow, w/c 7 May:  Mon 7 Cav & Pag;  Tue 8 Don Giovanni;  Wed 9 Tales of Hoffmann;  Thu 10 Manon Lescaut;  Fri 11 Barber of Seville;  Sat 12 mat Don Giovanni;  Sat 12 eve Rigoletto.

Glasgow, w/c 14 May;  Mon 14 Faust;  Tue 15 Tannhäuser;  Wed 16 Bohème;  Thu 17 Barber of Seville;  Fri 18 Manon Lescaut;  Sat 19 mat Cav & Pag;  Sat 19 eve Trovatore.

Dundee, w/c 22 October:  Mon 22 Faust;  Tue 23  Barber of Seville;  Wed 24 Cav & Pag;  Thu 25 Don Giovanni;  Fri 26 Manon Lescaut;  Sat 27 mat Bohème;  Sat 27 eve Tales of Hoffmann.