Opera Scotland

Barbiere di Siviglia 1958Touring Opera 58

Read more about the opera Barber of Seville

This little documented organisation was formed "in association with the Arts Council of Great Britain" and toured for a season with artists from the defunct Carl Rosa company, which had always been refused significant Arts Council support. It claimed a company of 130 - eighty artists  and fifty musicians. Sadler's Wells were also visiting Scotland by now, though usually in the spring.

In addition to the familiar Carl Rosa names, some new people appear, most notably the great Australian singing actress Marie Collier, as Butterfly and Santuzza. One of the Carmens, Gloria Lane, later in her career sang both Ariadne and Lady Macbeth at Glyndebourne. The young Australian tenor Kevin Miller sang frequently in Scotland later on, with Sadler's Wells, Scottish Opera and Ledlanet.

The Scottish tour, starting on 22 September, consisted of only two weeks, one in Glasgow and one in Aberdeen. The repertoire held few surprises:

Glasgow Mon, Barber; Tue Bartered Bride; Wed Cav & Pag; Thu Carmen; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat mat Barber; Sat eve Bartered Bride.

Aberdeen Mon Bartered Bride; Tue Carmen; Wed Barber; Thu Butterfly; Fri Don Giovanni; Sat mat Carmen; Sat eve Cav & Pag.