Opera Scotland

Nozze di Figaro 1941Sadler's Wells Opera

Read more about the opera Marriage of Figaro

1941 saw the first visit to Scotland by Sadler's Wells Opera, an organization founded by Lilian Baylis, initially to play in harness with the Old Vic Theatre Company.  It toured far and wide round the country during the war, returning to Scotland in 1942 and 1944. At this stage the company only played the central belt.

This visit consisted of three weeks in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh, with a repertoire consisting of Madam Butterfly, Bohème, Traviata, Marriage of Figaro and Fledermaus.

The first Glasgow week ran as follows: Mon Butterfly, Tue Bohème, Wed mat Figaro, Wed eve Fledermaus, Thu Butterfly, Fri Traviata, Sat mat Fledermaus, Sat eve Bohème.  The following weeks were the same in content, though in varied order, with the total number of performances, 32 in all, divided between Butterfly (8), Bohème (8), Traviata (4), Figaro (4) and Fledermaus (8).

This abbreviated cast is taken from a review in the Glasgow Herald of the matinee on 12 March.  During the final week in Edinburgh Joan Cross was ill, and Kate Jackson came in as the Countess.

The Scotsman was particularly impressed by Tyrone Guthrie's influence on the presentation - 'The teamwork was remarkably good because the individuals comprising the team were all excellent and, no small consideration, they all looked like the people they were supposed to represent.....real people.....in an 18th century French print.'