Production Officials
Director	David Tyldsley
Musical Director	Tony Polding
Choreographer	Lynda Wilde
Cast
Morales	Roy Iddon
Micaela	Ann Haslam
Done Jose	Kenneth McMinn
Zuniga	Donald Howcroft
Carmen	Jean Unsworth
Frasquita	Sylvia Fishwick
Mercedes	Valerie Walmsley
Lillas Pastia	Alan Lee
Escamillo	Edwin Williams
Dancairo	Alec Greaves
Remendado	Edward Payne
A Guide	Geoff Taylor
Dancers
Valerie Blundell, Julia Knight
Chorus
Audrey Austin, Dorothy Bramwell, Ruth Brockbank, Helen Bennett, Brenda Dixon, Joyce Foster, Christine Foster, Glenys Entwistle, Kathleen Gibson, Diane Gee, Millie Hackett, Barbara Haslam, Virginia Haslam, Carole Leaver, Rosemary Nightingale, Glenys Poole, Audrey Raistrick, Christine Roberts, Irene Taylor, Mary Topping, Jane Trotman, Mary Whittaker, Janice Warburton, Gwen White, Dorothy Yardley, Clive Austin, David Brockbank, Malcolm Digner, John Bellis, Kevan German, Gordon Green, Bill Mort, Jeff Taylor, Tom Topping, Maurice Windsor, Bill White, Joe Waite

Bolton Evening News

Splendid sets give a truly professional touch to Walmsley Church (Egerton) Operatic Society's production of "Carmen," which opened on Saturday and runs all this week. Blessed with a large and effective chorus the big moments come over extremely well with all the necessary fire and impact. In the title role, Jean Unsworth looks the part and has a well-focused, powerful voice equal to anything demanded of her. Ann Haslam as Micaela sings attractively and brings a great deal of charm to the part. The Toreador, Escamillo, played
by Edwin Williams, has a pleasing dark tone, while on the acting side Donald Howcroft brings a strong personality to the part of Zuniga. The society is to be congratulated for taking on the challenge of this, its first reall opera production. In 66 previous productions over the past 43 years the society has covered a wide range of musical shows and plays. Biggest success of this production is the second act. When the fine appearance of the stage and confident chorus and ensemble deliveries combine to ther best effect. Happily, perhaps, the two main weaknesses tend to cancel each other out. One is the feeble translation, which is something of a tongue-twister as well as adding nothing to the drama. This is a great pity because compared with many operas "Carmen" has an especially strong text. The second problem wasa general lack of clarity, which made the words hard to distinguish. This may be the fault of an exceptionally large (and splendid) hall, but the audience should read the programme notes. Otherwise, though it is in English, they will be lost. Director: David Tyldsley; musical director: Tony Polding; Lighting: not credited in the programme but thoroughly deserved to be. R.J.L.