Opera Scotland

Madam Butterfly 1943Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Madama Butterfly

Cast details are taken from a programme in the A M Gardiner collection (Mitchell Library). In a time of wartime austerity, this single sheet provides details of the first four performances of the week, including a Wednesday matinee - Bohème, Rigoletto, Butterfly and Figaro.

A review in the Scotsman (6 April) noted there was a crowded audience..."it was an excellent performance, with the quality which comes of artistic perception backed by experience."

"The close of the second act was beautifully done, and one derived a real thrill from the ecstatic outburst of Butterfly when the distant gun, in the second act, heralds the arrival of the American ship."

As far as Scotland was concerned, the 1943 Carl Rosa season consisted of three weeks in Glasgow, followed by two in Edinburgh. Crowded houses were reported, further evidence of the popularity of opera being the Wednesday matinees.

Mon 15 Mar Boheme; Tue Rigoletto; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Marriage of Figaro; Thu Barber of Seville; Fri Traviata; Sat m Merry Wives of Windsor; Sat e Faust

Mon 22 Mar Butterfly; Tues Merry Wives; Wed m Marriage of Figaro; Wed e Faust; Thu Boheme; Fri Barber of Seville; Sat m Trovatore; Sat e Rigoletto

Mon 29 Mar Merry Wives; Tue Traviata; Wed m Rigoletto; Wed e Figaro; Thu Butterfly; Fri Boheme; Sat m Barber; Sat e Trovatore.

Mon 5 Apr Butterfly; Tue Figaro; Wed m Boheme; Wed e Merry Wives; Thu Barber; Fri Traviata; Sat m Rigoletto; Sat e Trovatore

Mon 12 April Boheme; Tue Barber of Seville; Wed m Figaro; Wed e Faust; Thu Butterfly Fri Merry Wives; Sat m Rigoletto; Sat e Trovatore.

Forty performances of nine operas.