Opera Scotland

Freischütz 1936Covent Garden Opera

Read more about the opera Freischütz

This Covent Garden company was briefly described as 'Royal Opera' - a development under the artistic directorship of Sir Thomas Beecham, using his pet Imperial League of Opera to maintain performances of international standard. Two weeks in Edinburgh were followed by two weeks in Glasgow. There was an unusual attempt to introduce foreign language performance, so Barbiere and Bohème were sung in Italian and Roméo et Juliette in French. It therefore seems slightly odd that Freischütz, Tristan and Siegfried should be done in English. At present we have traced casts for Freischütz, Siegfried and Bohème.

Our copy of the programme is for a performance dated 19 March. However it contains a printed slip dated 14 March announcing that Miss Jennie Maude was indisposed, and that the role of 'Agata' would be sung by Miss Eva Turner. Lucky the company that could call in such a singer as a late replacement. She was on hand for such heavier parts as Brünnhilde in Siegfried and Isolde.