Opera Scotland

Tannhäuser 1954Carl Rosa Opera Company

Read more about the opera Tannhäuser

The reviewer in the Aberdeen Evening Express (3 April) welcomed the return of Wagner's magnificant music in an imaginative and artistic staging to make "an evening to remember".  Tannhauser had not been staged in the country since before the war.

"The success of Tannhauser was largely due to an exquisite performance by Ruth Packer of Elisabeth, which reached the heights in the beautiful prayer in the last act.  Throughout, the clarity of her voice was beyond reproach. Redvers Llewellyn made a distinguished Wolfram. His voice has a fine flexible quality and richness and he gave animation to the role. His really grand performance culminated in the third act with 'Oh, Star of Eve', which he sang with great depth of feeling. Tannhauser, sang by John Myrrdin, had force and was contrastingly moving in the last act. "

"Knights and minstrels sung by Herbert Armitage, David Allen, Frederick Wood and Ernest Thomas, and the chorus, were at their best in the court of the Landgraf, where they took every opportunity to show off."

"The Landgraf of Thuringia by Stanislav Pieczora was a commanding personality in voice and manner. Sophie Katsarou sang the part of Venus admirably, and Edna Graham made a short but good solo appearance as a shepherd boy."

"The first scene in the court of Venus was more akin to ballet than opera and lacked no suggestion of ethereal grandeur. great attention to details of lighting and scenery created a convincing atmosphere of the spirit world peopled with sirens, naiads and nymphs. The orchestra under Arthur Hammond was confident and very well balanced, and was obviously happy with the Wagner score."

Carl Rosa Opera's six-week 1954 Scottish tour began on 8 March with a three week stay in Glasgow, always one of its favourite dates. This was followed by a week in Aberdeen (the last visit by the company), from 29 March, and two in Edinburgh from 5 April

The tour schedule was as follows:-

Glasgow w/c 8 Mar: Mon Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Bohème; Wed Barber of Seville; Thu Traviata; Fri Carmen; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Cav & Pag. 

Glasgow w/c 15 Mar: Mon Rigoletto; Tue Tales of Hoffmann; Wed Bohème; Thu Barber of Seville; Fri Traviata; Sat m Carmen; Sat e Butterfly.

Glasgow Mon 22: Mon Cav & Pag; Tue Traviata; Wed Tales of Hoffmann; Thu Tannhäuser; Fri Faust; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Carmen.

Aberdeen w/c 29 Mar: Mon Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Carmen; Wed Cav & Pag; Thu Faust; Fri Tannhäuser; Sat m Butterfly; Sat e Trovatore. At 7.30 and 2.30 except Tannhauser 7pm 

Edinburgh w/c 5 Apr: Mon 7.30 Tales of Hoffmann; Tue Bohème; Wed Traviata; Thu Rigoletto; Fri 7.00 Tannhäuser; Sat m 2.30 Butterfly; Sat e Cav & Pag.

Edinburgh w/c 12 Apr: Mon Carmen; Tue Faust; Wed Trovatore; Thu Tales of Hoffmann; Fri Cav & Pag; Sat m Bohème; Sat e Traviata.