The production was reviewed in the Aberdeen Press and Journal dated 4 March. '...vitality, both in singing and acting, characterised its performance by the Carl Rosa company at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen, last night. Mephostopheles of necessity dominaates the stage, and it does not detract from John Myrrdin's Faust and Helen Ogilvie's Marguerite to say that it was Kingsley Lark's evening. This grand artist made every movement significant."
"In accordance with tradition, the part of Siebel was played by a girl, Catherine Lawson, and she, too, has that supreme virtue in a singer of making her words heard."
"Spirited work by the chorus and orchestra under Walter Susskind added immeasurably to the artistic enjoyment of the presentation."
The Scotsman review (9 March) of the previous evening's performance gives Hedddle Nash in the role of Faust. The reviewer comments on the dramatic quality of the scene in Faust's study. "...an artist nowadays eliminates as much of the traditional, the red tights and red fire element, as possible... the mounting of the opera was artistic, and notably Faust's study, with its rich Rembrandtesque effect."
The cast details are taken from a programme in Aberdeen Central library.
The 1944 visit to Scotland by Carl Rosa consisted of seven weeks, one in Aberdeen first, followed by two in Edinburgh. The Rosa then spent two weeks at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle before moving to Glasgow for four weeks.
Crowded houses were reported, further evidenced by the Wednesday matinees.
Aberdeen w/c 28 Feb: Mon Traviata; Tue Butterfly; Wed m Cav & Pag; Wed e Bohème; Thu Merry Wives of Windsor; Fri Faust; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore.
Edinburgh w/c 6 Mar: Mon Traviata; Tue Faust; Wed m Cav & Pag; Wed e Bohème; Thu Merry Wives; Fri Rigoletto; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Barber of Seville.
Edinburgh w/c 13 Mar: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Merry Wives; Wed m Faust; Wed e Butterfly; Thu Trovatore; Fri Bohème; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Faust.
Two weeks in Newcastle.
Glasgow w/c 3 Apr Mon: Cav & Pag; Tue Bohème; Wed m Barber; Wed e Faust; Thu Merry Wives; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Cav & Pag; Sat e Trovatore.
Glasgow w/c 10 Apr: Mon Traviata; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; Wed m Faust; Wed 12 Butterfly; Thu Bohème; Fri Tales of Hoffmann; Sat m Merry Wives; Sat e Rigoletto.
Glasgow w/c 17 Apr: Mon Barber; Tue Traviata; Wed m Hoffmann; Wed e Rigoletto; Thu Faust; Fri Butterfly; Sat m Barber; Sat e Traviata.
Glasgow w/c 25 Apr: Mon Rigoletto; Tue Merry Wives; Wed m Butterfly; Wed e Hoffmann; Thu Traviata; Fri Bohème; Sat m Hoffmann; Sat e Cav & Pag.
Performances of Cav & Pag were accompanied by those of nine other operas.
Heddle Nash (Mar 8)
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