A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Rosa, Carl

by George Grove

ROSA (ROSE), Carl August Nicolas, was born at Hamburg, March 22, 1843, was educated as a violin player and made such progress as to be sent to the Leipzig Conservatorium, which he entered in 1859. In 1866 he came to England and appeared as a solo player at the Crystal Palace on March 10. After a short stay in London he joined Mr. Bateman in a concert-tour in the United States, and there met Madame Parepa, whom he married at New York, in Feb. 1867. His wife's success on the stage led to the formation of a company under the management and conductorship of Mr. Rose, which during its early campaigns could boast such names as Parepa, Wachtel, Santley, Ronconi and Formes among its artists.

Early in 1871 Mr. Rose—who by this time had changed his name to Rosa to avoid mistakes in pronunciation—returned to England with his wife, and then made a lengthened visit to Egypt for health. After this they again returned to London, but only for the lamented death of Madame Parepa-Rosa, which took place Jan. 21, 1874. Mr. Rosa however was resolved, notwithstanding this serious blow, to test the fortunes of English opera in London, and on Sept. 11, 1875, he opened the Princess's Theatre with a company including Miss Rose Hersee as prima donna, Mr. Santley, and other good singers. He closed on Oct. 30, having produced Figaro, Faust, *^[1]The Porter of Havre (Cagnoni), Fra Diavolo, Bohemian Girl, Trovatore, *The Water Carrier (Cherubini), and Siege of Rochelle.

The season of 1876 was undertaken at the Lyceum (Sept. 11–Dec. 2). It included The Water Carrier; The Lily of Killarney (with additions); Sonnambula; Faust; *Giralda (Adam); Bohemian Girl; *Flying Dutchman; Zampa; Trovatore; Montana; *Joconde (Nicolò); Fidelio; Fra Diavolo; *Pauline (Cowen); Porter of Havre. The next season was at the Adelphi Theatre (Feb. 11–April 6, 1878). It included *The Golden Cross, by Brüll; The Merry Wives; The Flying Dutchman; The Lily of Killarney, and others of those already named. For the fourth season Mr. Rosa took Her Majesty's Theatre (Jan. 27–March 22, 1879), brought out *Rienzi, *Piccolino (by Guiraud) and *Carmen, and played The Golden Cross, Huguenots, Lily of Killarney, etc., etc. His fifth season was at the same theatre (Jan. 10–March 6, 1880); *Mignon (Thomas), *Lohengrin and *Aida were all produced for the first time in English; and The Taming of the Shrew (Goetz), Carmen, Rienzi, etc. were performed. The artists engaged at the season of 1880 included Miss Minnie Hauk, Miss Julia Gaylord, Mad. Dolaro, Herr A. Schott, Mr. Maas, etc., etc. The careful way in which the pieces are put on the stage, the number of rehearsals, the eminence of the performers and the excellence of the performances have begun to bear their legitimate fruit, and the 'Carl Rosa Opera Company' bids fair to become a permanent English institution.

[App. p.775 "Add that in 1882 a season was given at Her Majesty's Theatre, from Jan. 14 to March 11. 'Tannhäuser' and Balfe's 'Painter of Antwerp' ('Moro') were produced, and Mme. Valleria joined the company. For the season of 1883 (March 26–April 21) the company moved to Drury Lane, which was its London centre until 1887. Thomas's 'Esmeralda' and Mackenzie's 'Colomba' were produced, and Mme. Marie Roze appeared as Carmen, etc. In 1884 (April 14–May 10) Stanford's 'Canterbury Pilgrims' was the only new work produced. In 1885 (April 6–May 30) Thomas's 'Nadeschda' and' Massenet's 'Manon' were given. In 1886 (May 23–June 26) Mackenzie's 'Troubadour,' and in 1887 (April 7–June 11) Corder's 'Nordisa' were the novelties. In 1889, a 'Light Opera Company' opened with Planquette's 'Paul Jones' at the Prince of Wales's Theatre."]

[App. p.820 "Add date of death, April 30, 1889, at Paris. To works mentioned, iv. 775b, add In 1888 'Robert the Devil,' 'The Puritan's Daughter,' 'The Star of the North,' and 'The Jewess' were produced; and on Jan. 12, 1889, Planquette's 'Paul Jones' at the Prince of Wales's Theatre, London."]

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1. Denotes that the works had not been before produced in England, at least in English.