The man who did most to bring opera to Scotland (and indeed Britain) in the golden age of opera, the late nineteenth century, was Karl Rose, a native of Hamburg and by turns a citizen of the USA and finally of Britain. He was active in Britain with Carl Rosa Opera from 1873 until his death in 1889, at the early age of 47. Histories, memoirs and biographies proved of little use in uncovering details of Rosa’s business model, and of his opera tours. Current research would not have been practicable before the digitisation of newspapers accelerated the search process. They represent a critical resource, not least as newspapers in those days carried more detail in both advertisements and reviews than they do today. Iain explains his research in this podcast. For more information visit: https://www.raggeduniversity.co.uk/2018/04/05/26th-april-2018-carl-rosa-the-entrepreneur-who-made-opera-popular-or-from-juvenile-paganini-to-operatic-entrepreneur-by-iain-fraser/

1. Carl Rosa
From ‘juvenile Paganini’ to operatic entrepreneur
The man who made opera popular in Britain
Ragged University
Thursday 26 April 2018 Iain Fraser

2. Opera Scotland
for listings and performance history

4. Rosa’s repertoire to 1889
4064 mainstage performances; 240-280 each year; over twenty towns; 18
seasons
Opera Perfs Composer School
Bohemian Girl 614 Balfe English
Carmen 378 Bizet French
Maritana 341 Wallace English
Mignon 273 Thomas French
Faust 270 Gounod French
Trovatore 223 Verdi Italian
Marriage of Figaro 167 Mozart Italian
Lily of Killarney 116 Benedict English
Esmeralda 102 Goring-Thomas English
Flying Dutchman 83 Wagner German
Don Giovanni 80 Mozart Italian

5. Current position 2016-17 and Carl Rosa
Opera
Company Performances on
main stage
Productions
Royal Opera, London 163 (no touring) 20
English National Opera,
London
95 (no touring) 12
Welsh National Opera 36 8
Opera North 35 8
Scottish Opera 30 11
Carl Rosa Opera 1886-87 279 17

7. First visit November 1855 – March 1856
Twelve concerts, six Edinburgh; St Andrews, Linlithgow, Dundee, Crieff, Stirling, Belfast.

8. December 1856 – March 1857 Eleven concerts, eight promoted by Wm Methven;
Edinburgh two, Dundee three, Arbroath two, Montrose, Forfar; Falkirk, St Andrews

9. Third visit December 1858 – March 1859
16 concerts
Town performances
Dundee two
Glasgow four
Edinburgh two
Brechin one
Aberdeen one
Manchester three
Liverpool two
Birmingham one

19. Zelie de Lussan