Opera Scotland

Faust 1913Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Faust

The Edinburgh performance of Faust was a matinee on the middle Saturday of the visit.  The very brief notice was tagged on to the end of the review of the evening's performance of Bo Girl.

On the morning of Saturday 8 February, the Scotsman advertised the matinee cast as including Felix Fleischer and Janet Hemsley.

 

An Edinburgh Review

Scotsman:  Monday, 10 February 1913  (p6)

Carl Rosa Company - Bohemian Girl

'This popular opera was presented by the Carl Rosa Company at the King's Theatre on Saturday night, marking the close of the first week of their visit to the Scottish capital.  Although the theatre was by no means crowded, there was a large attendance, which was by no means slow to appreciate the merit of the opera and the talent of its producers.  Musically the performance was of a high order, and the singing of those delightful numbers - ''I Dreamt I Dwelt,''  ''When Other Lips,'' and ''The Heart Bow'd Down,'' was marked by a directness which was at once pleasing and effective.

'The principal characters of the opera were well represented.  Mr Frederick Clendon made a capital Devilshoof from every point of view.  Mr Hebden Foster was convincing as Count Arnheim.  Miss Elizabeth Burgess shared the honours as Arline, while the parts of Thaddeus and Florestein were capably filled by Mr Gordon Thomas and Mr William O'Connor respectively.  It is sufficient to say that Mr Goossens was in the conductor's chair.

'In the afternoon an admirable presentation of Faust was given under the conductorship of Mr Van Noorden.  With a strong cast, including Miss Miriam Licette,  Mr Hedmondt, and Mr Winckworth in the leading parts,  Gounod's grand opera, which was beautifully staged, ran with success from start to finish.'

 

Glasgow Opinion

Glasgow Herald:  Monday, 3 March 1913

Faust

'The performance of Faust in the evening was admirably sustained.  Despite the company's familiarity with the opera there were no signs of perfunctory or careless treatment in the ensembles.  The cast of principals was strong all round, being composed of artistes who have repeatedly borne their parts with success.  Mr Hedmondt sang as artistically as ever, and acted much more intelligently than most men that play Faust. Mr Winckworth, having just doffed the robes of the Landgrave, assumed the part of Mephistopheles, and once more showed his versatility in personating great operatic characters.  In all respects Mr Hebden Foster and Miss Elizabeth Burgess were excellent as Valentine and Marguerite respectively, and the other parts were competently filled.  Mr Van Noorden directed the performance and enjoyed much approbation on the part of a crowded house "

 

Carl Rosa Scottish Tour - 1913

This late winter Scottish season conisisted of seven weeks, each with seven performances.  After a week in Aberdeen (w/c 20 Jan) then one in Dundee (w/c 27 Jan), there followed three in Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre (commencing 3 Feb, 10 Feb, 17 Feb) and two in Glasgow’s Theatre Royal (w/c 24 Feb; 3 Mar).  Two performances originally scheduled of Jewels of the Madonna in Edinburgh were cancelled to allow for more rehearsals.  The operas that replaced them were Mefistofele (20 Feb) and Magic Flute (22 Feb mat)

The sixteen operas performed were by:  Mozart (Don Giovanni, Zauberflöte);  Benedict (Lily of Killarney);  Balfe (Bohemian Girl);  Thomas (Mignon);  Wallace (Maritana);  Wagner (Tannhäuser, Lohengrin);  Verdi (Trovatore);  Gounod (Faust);  Goldmark (Queen of Sheba);  Boito (Mefistofele);  Bizet (Carmen);  Leoncavallo (Pagliacci);  Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana);  Wolf-Ferrari (Jewels of the Madonna).

The performance schedule was:

Aberdeen, w/c 20 January:  Mon 20 Carmen;  Tue 21 Lohengrin;  Wed 22 Trovatore;  Thu  23 Mefistofele;  Fri 24 Magic Flute;  Sat 25 m Tannhäuser;  Sat 25 e Mignon.

Dundee, w/c  27 January:  Mon 27 Tannhäuser;  Tue 28 Magic Flute;  Wed 29 Mignon;  Thu 30 Trovatore;  Fri 31 Mefistofele;  Sat 1 Feb m Carmen;  Sat 1 Feb e Bohemian Girl.

Edinburgh, w/c 3 February:  Mon 3 Tannhäuser;  Tue 4 Mignon;  Wed 5 Magic Flute;  Thu 6 Trovatore;  Fri 7 Lohengrin;  Sat 8 m Faust;  Sat 8 e Bohemian Girl.

Edinburgh, w/c 10 February:  Mon 10 Magic Flute;  Tue 11 Queen of Sheba;  Wed 12 Carmen;  Thu 13 Maritana;  Fri 14 Magic Flute;  Sat 15 m Mignon;  Sat 15 e Lily of Killarney.

Edinburgh, w/c 17 February:  Mon 17 Cav & Pag;  Tue 18 Don Giovanni;  Wed 19 Faust;  Thu 20 Mefistofele;  Fri 21 Tannhäuser;  Sat 22 m Magic Flute;  Sat 22 e Trovatore.

Glasgow, w/c 24 February:  Mon  24 Magic Flute;  Tue 25 Mignon;  Wed 26 Trovatore;  Thu 27 Cav & Pag;  Fri 28 Jewels of the Madonna;  Sat 1 Mar m Tannhäuser;  Sat 1 Mar e Faust.

Glasgow, w/c  3 March:  Mon 3 Lohengrin;  Tue 4 Jewels of the Madonna;  Wed 5 Magic Flute;  Thu 6 Mignon;  Fri  7 Carmen :  Sat 8 m Jewels of the Madonna;  Sat 8 e Magic Flute.