Opera Scotland

Traviata 1953Iskoldoff Italian Opera Company

Read more about the opera Traviata

Eugene Iskoldoff had mounted a London season at the Stoll Theatre in 1952, and would do so for several more seasons. Standards were variable, with plenty of criticism for the lack of rehearsal and of basic quality in the orchestra and chorus. The off-the-peg sets and costumes also varied in their effectiveness. However some of the singing was excellent, with the 1952 casts including the young Magda Olivero, Tito Gobbi and Carlo Bergonzi.

For this provincial expedition, the repertoire for the three months was extremely straightforward - two operas by Verdi (Rigoletto and La traviata) with two by Puccini (La bohème and Tosca). The tour began on Monday 7 September in Croydon, and took in Cardiff, Birmingham, Leeds (2 weeks), Liverpool, Manchester (2 weeks), Newcastle, Glasgow (2 weeks), Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, ending in Sheffield on Saturday 12 December.

In Scotland the four week schedule was as follows:

First Week (comm 9 Nov): Mon Traviata; Tue Rigoletto; Wed mat Traviata; Wed eve Tosca; Thu Bohème; Fri Rigoletto; Sat mat Bohème; Sat eve Tosca.

Second Week (comm 16 Nov: Mon Rigoletto; Tue Traviata; Wed mat Rigoletto; Wed eve Tosca; Thu Bohème; Fri Tosca; Sat mat Traviata; Sat eve Bohème.

Third week (comm 23 Nov): Mon Traviata; Tue Tosca; Wed mat Traviata; Wed eve Rigoletto; Thu Bohème; Fri Tosca; Sat mat Rigoletto; Sat eve Bohème.

Fourth week (comm 30 Nov): Mon Traviata; Tue Tosca; Wed mat Traviata;  Wed eve Rigoletto; Thu Bohème; Fri Tosca; Sat mat Rigoletto; Sat eve Bohème.

This Traviata cast for Glasgow is as detailed in a programme for Tuesday, 17 November, in the OperaScotland collection. The Aberdeen cast for Monday 30 November is in Aberdeen City Library.

The Romanian soprano Virginia Zeani was considered an excellent singing actress, and her Violetta was very highly praised.