Opera Scotland

Tales of Hoffmann 1955Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Tales of Hoffmann

At this stage, the Carl Rosa company's musical direction was under Arthur Hammond, a noted authority on French opera of the nineteenth century.  His influence is clearly present, with all four leading ladies being played by the one soprano, Estelle Valery, and the baritone 'villains' by Arthur Wallington (though Councillor Lindorf, Stella's admirer, does not rate a mention).

 

Cast details are taken from a short review in the Glasgow Herald (10 May), in which the critic states:

''That the Carl Rosa Opera are a vastly improved company was again convincingly demonstrated in the Theatre Royal, Glasgow last night when Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann made a grand start to their second and last week.  The improvement is not so much in the orchestra pit, where the orchestra of considerable potential could set a higher standard, as on the stage, where it is nothing short of remarkable - not only in the sumptuosness of the production, which itself evoked applause, but also in the increased significance of the chorus work, and in the apt characterisations, among others of Basil Hemming as Luther, Frederick Wood as Spalanzani and Schlemil, Peter Murray as the stuttering servant and the buffoon, Mona Ross as Hoffmann's friend Nicklausse, and Richard Golding as Crespel."

"In George Chitty (Hoffmann), Estelle Valery (his loves Olympia, Antonia, Giulietta, and Stella) and Arthur Wallington in all his siniser guises, the company had three principals well able to sustain those major parts. Arthur Hammond concducted."

 

The Carl Rosa Scottish Schedule - 1955

The eleven operas performed during the tour were:  Mozart (Don Giovanni);  Rossini (Barber of Seville);  Wagner (Tannhäuser);  Verdi (Rigoletto, Trovatore);  Gounod (Faust);  Offenbach (Tales of Hoffmann);  Bizet (Carmen);   Leoncavallo (Pagliacci);  Puccini (Bohème);  Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana).

The full Scottish tour schedule was:

Glasgow, w/c 2 May:  Mon 2 Bohème;  Tue 3 Barber of Seville;  Wed 4 Cav & Pag;  Thu 5 Faust; Fri 6 Tannhäuser;  Sat 7 mat Bohème;  Sat 7 eve Carmen.

Glasgow, w/c 9 May:  Mon 9 Tales of Hoffmann;  Tue 10 Rigoletto;  Wed 11 Bohème;  Thu 12 Cav & Pag;  Fri 13 Don Giovanni;  Sat 14 mat  Barber of Seville;  Sat 14 eve Trovatore.

The intervening week, commencing Monday, 16 May, was spent at the Globe Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees.

Dundee, w/c 23 May:  Mon 23 Bohème;  Tue 24 Rigoletto;  Wed 25 mat Barber of Seville;  Wed 25 eve Cav & Pag;  Thu 26 Faust;  Fri 27 Barber of Seville; Sat 28 mat Bohème;  Sat 28 eve Trovatore.