Revival of Puccini’s “La Boheme”, Glasgow, October 1907

On page eight of The Glasgow Herald, on Friday the 18th of October, 1907, the paper’s music critic commented:

 

“During the seven years they have been visiting Glasgow, the Moody-Manners Opera Company, like all who cater for a fickle public, have had many ups and downs. One is pleased to find that they are reaping the reward of hard, conscientious work. I know nothing of box-office secrets, but imagine that, with Mr Manners, artistic prosperity and financial prosperity now go hand in hand. Every evening this week English opera – or opera in English – has crowded the largest theatre in Glasgow. At the performance of ‘La Boheme’ last night it is not unlikely that money was turned away. There was hardly a vacant seat to be seen. … Puccini is fashionable, and Glasgow, in spite of some real artistic seriousness, is not indifferent to fashion. Perhaps some of last night’s audience were in the Theatre-Royal because it was ‘the right thing,’ but on the whole the opera was taken on its merits, and the loud applause that followed each fall of the curtain was eloquent of appreciation of both music and  performances.”

 

The writer continues the review with an interesting discussion about Puccini’s musical style, and concludes with comments that as ‘it was some ten years since “La Boheme” was heard in Glasgow, the work would probably be new to the majority of last night’s audience.’