W. Pyatt’s Ballad Opera Company at the Gaiety Theatre, October 1879: Sims Reeves in “The Beggar’s Opera”; “The Waterman”; and a Scene from “Il Trovatore”

An advertisement is on the front page of The Glasgow Herald, on Wednesday the 8th of October 1879.

Sims Reeves performed the role of ‘Captain Macheath’, in The Beggar’s Opera, on Monday the 13th of October; and, on Wednesday the 15th, ‘Tom Tug’ in The Waterman, and ‘Manrico’ in the Tower Scene, in Il Trovatore.

 

A short notice on page four of the Herald, on Monday the 13th, reads:

 

“MR SIMS REEVES AT THE GAIETY. – Mr Sims Reeves appears at the Gaiety Theatre to-night as Captain Macheath in the “Beggar’s Opera.”

The great tenor is now in the city, and is in excellent voice. Captain Macheath is one of Mr Reeves’s earliest characters, and as the famous

highwayman he sings a number of fine old songs. The theatre is certain to be crowded, and we would therefore advise those who have not

already secured places to go in good time.”

 

There is a review of the above, on page four of the Herald, on Tuesday the 14th, where it is announced that Reeves is expected to perform in

Guy Mannering on Friday. There is a short notice on page four, on Friday the 17th, which refers to the singer’s hoarseness on Wednesday,

and his appearance as ‘Henry Bertram’ in Guy Mannering. The latter was reviewed on page four, in Saturday’s Herald, and it is noted that Reeves still was

apologising for his hoarseness, although the critic commented that although the tenor was “not in his strongest voice it was in perfect order.”