Opera Scotland

Nozze di Figaro 1965Sadler's Wells Opera

Read more about the opera Marriage of Figaro

A single week at the Glasgow Alhambra was the only Scottish venue visited by Sadler's Wells in the autumn of 1965. The programme included the first local viewing of a famous Wagner staging, a fresh look at Figaro, and a very rare sighting of Weber's Freischütz. The full schedule was: Mon Flying Dutchman, Tue Marriage of Figaro, Wed Madam Butterfly, Thu Der Freischütz, Fri Figaro, Sat mat & eve Orpheus in the Underworld.

The Glasgow Herald critic thoroughly enjoyed this new staging of Figaro, enthusing about ite 'effervescent humour and Mozartean qualities'.  It seems to have had a fresh and invigorating atmosphere that served the opera well, treating it as a human comedy with three-dimensional figures. It particularly emphasised the intricate master-servant relationships. The production opened at Sadler's Wells on 9 April 1965, and remained a staple of the Sadler's Wells repertoire until it was replaced by Jonathan Miller's staging in 1978.

The cast details are from Opera Scotland's copy of the programme for the second performance. The five leading roles were also taken by the same singers earlier in the week, according to the Herald review.

Performance Cast

Figaro the Count's valet

Robert Savoie

Susanna the Countess's maid

Margaret Gale

Bartolo a doctor, the Countess's former guardian

Eric Stannard

Marcellina Bartolo's housekeeper

Patricia Bartlett

Cherubino the Count's page

Anne Pashley

Count Almaviva a Spanish grandee

Lawrence Folley

Don Basilio a priest and music master

John Carolan

Countess Almaviva

Janice Chapman

Antonio a gardener, Susanna's uncle

Graham Nicholls

Don Curzio a lawyer

Brian O'Keeffe

Barbarina daugher of Antonio

Sheila Amit

First Peasant Girl

Brenda Gale

Second Peasant Girl

Valerie Robinson

Dancer

Carole Hall

Anne Wilkinson

Roger Jackson 2

Norman Milne

Performance DatesNozze di Figaro 1965

Map List

Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow | Glasgow

2 Nov, 19.00 5 Nov, 19.00

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