Opera Scotland

Trovatore 1955Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Trovatore

The continuing enormous popularity of Trovatore is shown by the fact that it was chosen by the Carl Rosa company to close both its fortnight in Glasgow and its week in Dundee (though it was not a feature of the intervening visit to the Globe Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees).  Sadly the timing of those performances explains the absence of any critical presence, and therefore of comprehensive cast details.

Unlike the newly re-introduced Dundee venue, the Glasgow Theatre Royal was a regular fixture on Carl Rosa tours.  Works shown only in Glasgow were  Don Giovanni,  Carmen,  Tales of Hoffmann and Tannhäuser.  Both cities saw Bohème,  Barber of Seville,  Cav & Pag,  Rigoletto,  Trovatore and  Faust.

 

The Carl Rosa Scottish Schedule - 1955

The eleven operas performed during the tour were:  Mozart (Don Giovanni);  Rossini (Barber of Seville);  Wagner (Tannhäuser);  Verdi (Rigoletto, Trovatore);  Gounod (Faust);  Offenbach (Tales of Hoffmann);  Bizet (Carmen);   Leoncavallo (Pagliacci);  Puccini (Bohème);  Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana).

The full tour schedule was:

Glasgow, w/c 2 May:  Mon 2 Bohème;  Tue 3 Barber of Seville;  Wed 4 Cav & Pag;  Thu 5 Faust; Fri 6 Tannhäuser;  Sat 7 mat Bohème;  Sat 7 eve Carmen.

Glasgow, w/c 9 May:  Mon 9 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 10 Rigoletto;  Wed 11 Bohème;  Thu 12 Cav & Pag;  Fri 13 Don Giovanni;  Sat 14 mat  Barber of Seville;  Sat 14 eve Trovatore.

The intervening week, commencing Monday, 16 May, was spent at the Globe Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees.

Dundee, w/c 23 May:  Mon 23 Bohème;  Tue 24 Rigoletto;  Wed 25 mat Barber of Seville;  Wed 25 eve Cav & Pag;  Thu 26 Faust;  Fri 27 Barber of Seville; Sat 28 mat Bohème;  Sat 28 eve Trovatore.

 

Sources

Saturday evening performances were rarely reviewed in the press.  The three named roles for Glasgow on 14 May are as advertised.  A brief review of the Dundee performance appeared in the Arbroath Herald and Advertiser of Friday, 3 June.