Brio SCOTTISHOPERA.ORG.UK
ISSUE 32 / AUTUMN 2019
Tosca returns... Anthony Besch’s iconic production comes home
EMERGING ARTISTS
OPERA IN CONCERT
60 SECONDS WITH...
Introducing our new rising stars
Uncovering rare operatic gems by Mascagni
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera violinist Liz Reeves
WELCOME
Welcome to this issue of Brio! It has been a very busy and fruitful summer for Scottish Opera with plenty to look forward to in the coming Season...
ISSUE 32 / AUTUMN 2019 CONTENTS 3 Headlines
We brought our 2018/19 Season to a glorious conclusion with Sir Thomas Allen’s spectacular, steampunk production of The Magic Flute, which entertained and delighted audiences not only across Scotland, but also in Belfast and London. More recently, we were very excited to give the first European performances of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s intense and deeply moving Breaking the Waves at the Edinburgh International Festival, in partnership with Opera Ventures. Over at the Edinburgh Fringe, meanwhile, we gave another premiere, this time the first ever performances of our former composer in residence Lliam Paterson’s enchanting Fox-tot!, which captivated audiences of toddlers and their parents or carers.
4–5 Feature Tosca
We look ahead to an equally busy Autumn, which sees the return of our outstanding production of Tosca from director Anthony Besch. This is no fewer than its tenth staging by the Company, and we ask: just what is it that makes it so enduring? We also look forward to our return to East Lothian’s Lammermuir Festival with a double bill of Zanetto and Susanna’s Secret, and to the Scottish Opera premiere of Iris, and we celebrate the exceptional young performers in our new group of Emerging Artists.
8 Behind the Scenes 60 Seconds with... In the Workshop
You may also notice a few new features in this issue, as we shine the spotlight on our Company and celebrate the work of some of our perhaps unsung heros and heroines, as well as looking in more depth at the invaluable support we receive from our funders. I hope to see you at one of our performances over the coming months, and I wish you an exciting Autumn of very enjoyable opera-going.
6 Emerging Artists 7 Opera in Concert 19/20
9 Development Dame Janet Baker Scottish Opera in Hackney 10 Outreach & Education Spinning Songs Trust focus 11 News 12 – 14 What the Media Said... 15 Performance Diary
Alex Reedijk General Director
CONTACT US
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IMAGE CREDITS: Julia Broadfoot, Bill Cooper, Drew Farrell, James Glossop, Mark Hamilton, Julie Howden, Gordon Terris Writers: Emma Ainley-Walker, Rishaad Ait El Moudden, Caroline Dooley, Catriona Downie, Emily Henderson, David Kettle, Grace Lyon and Nicola Smith Print: J Thomson Colour Printers This magazine is printed on an FSC® certified paper. © Scottish Opera 2019
HEADLINES
Knight of Illumination nomination for Kátya! Christopher Akerlind has been nominated for the Robert Juliat Award for Opera at the Knight of Illumination Awards for his evocative Kátya Kabanová lighting design (below). In what was Christopher’s debut production with Scottish Opera, Kátya Kabanová brought together an exceptional creative team including director Stephen Lawless and designer Leslie Travers. The winners of the Knight of Illumination will be announced at a ceremony on 15 September at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo.
AWARD WIN FOR PAGLIACCI IN PAISLEY ‘Paisley Opera House’ has won a Herald Scottish Culture Award and features at the V&A! At this year’s Herald Scottish Culture Awards, designer Tim Meacock was awarded the Best Designer Award for his incredible 360 degree design of ‘Paisley Opera House’ for our immersive performance of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Of his win, Tim said: ‘I was so pleased and a little taken aback when the Herald Scottish Culture Award for Design 2019 was awarded to the Paisley Pagliacci. What a wonderful production to be involved in. We all worked hard and had so much fun. Paisley and its people, with all their creativity, support and welcome; Alex Reedijk and Stuart Stratford of Scottish Opera, seeing their genius idea of setting Leoncavallo’s opera in a space-age tent in Seedhill Park come to life; director Bill BankesJones filling it with so many treats; and all the departments at Scottish Opera using their amazing skills to reach a far wider audience at a very high level. And finally, the large Community Chorus who really made it the show that it was. ‘It was wonderful to be part of an event that fused the high quality and scale of a main stage that you would expect of a Scottish Opera production with a fully inclusive and participative community experience. I believe this approach, which serves both the traditional opera audience side by side with an entirely new one, offers this great art form a vital and exciting future.’ In addition to this award, Tim’s designs for Pagliacci are being showcased at the V&A London, as part of Staging Places: UK Design for Performance 2015-2019. The exhibition celebrates the diversity of performance design and making practices today and aims to inspire young people to invent it in the future. It was created in collaboration with the Society of British Theatre Designers (SBTD) and runs until Sunday 5 January 2020. For more information about Staging Places and Pagliacci, visit: stagingplaces.co.uk/designers/tim-meacock/
HAVE YOU SEEN ANTHROPOCENE? Earlier this year we made a film of our production of Anthropocene, written by composer Stuart MacRae and librettist Louise Welsh. It is available to watch online free of charge on OperaVision and so far has been enjoyed by thousands of viewers, particularly in the US, Spain, France and Russia. We are delighted to have reached a global audience with opera, with one viewer commenting that it was ‘a great example of how opera can be relevant and thought provoking’. You still have the chance to see it, whether for the first time or a repeat viewing, but be quick! The stream is only available until 16 November 2019. Watch now: operavision.eu Supported by Scottish Opera’s New Commissions Circle, John S Cohen Foundation & RVW Trust
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FEATURE
Tosca returns... ... for its tenth appearance in this landmark production. But what makes this staging so enduring?
I
t’s perhaps hard to imagine that the production of Tosca returning to Scottish stages this autumn is almost 40 years old. It was first unveiled at the Theatre Royal Glasgow on 15 October 1980 – which, given its setting in 1943, means that we’re now further away in time from the production’s premiere than its first performance was from the year in which it’s set. It’s quite a staggering thought. And is testament to the strength of the production that it has lived for so long. It was conceived and brought to life by the esteemed director Anthony Besch, who died in 2002. He was a regular visitor to Scottish Opera in its early years, where he directed many landmark productions. The first of them was Otello in 1963, in what was only the Company’s second Season. He went on to direct productions including Albert Herring (1966), Così fan tutte (1967) and Der Rosenkavalier (1971). When his Tosca was unveiled in 1980, it was to be Besch’s final production for Scottish Opera – though his name has lived on, of course, in the many revivals that his production has received since then. And to be exact, this 2019 restaging is the production’s ninth revival, meaning that Besch’s vision of Tosca will have been seen in ten separate Seasons on Scottish stages. And not just in Scotland: in the UK, it has also toured to London, Liverpool and Newcastle, and it has been taken up by overseas companies in Boston, Lisbon, Murcia, New Zealand and Oviedo. All of which raises the question, of course, of why exactly this production has been so successful, and so enduring. Besch updates Puccini, Giacosa and Illica’s action from Italy at the start of the 19th century – when Napoleon’s forces defeated the Austrian army at the battle of Marengo, later
(left) Tosca, 2012 production
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going on to conquer Rome – to Fascist Italy in 1943, just 19 years after Puccini’s death. Besch has explained that he saw remarkably close parallels between the Italy of 1800 and the country in 1943, when the Allies were closing in on Italy and its ally Germany. The director makes explicit his references to Fascist Italy in the 1940s in his strongly visual staging, which brings in Il Duce’s famous personal headquarters in the Sala del Mappamondo of the Palazzo Venezia, and even places Mussolini himself on stage, alongside King Victor Emannuel III, the monarch who dismissed him as head of state that same year. There’s a strong argument to be made that Besch’s overall conception of the opera, alongside the brilliantly vivid, unforgettable designs of Peter Rice, are so strong that they alone have guaranteed its long life in the repertoire. But there’s maybe more going on here. Besch saw parallels between a downtrodden Italy being saved by Napoleon in 1800, and a Fascist Italy being liberated by the Allies in 1943. The forces of populism and totalitarianism are always among us, whether globally or closer to home, and have perhaps been gathering particular strength in recent years. For opera audiences in 2019, it’s hard not to see a warning in Besch’s production about the terrors of intolerance and fascism that’s relevant to all times, not least our own. Tosca: see page 15 for full performance listings. Tosca is supported by The Scottish Opera Syndicate
TOSCA FROM 1980–2019: A ROLL-CALL OF EXCEPTIONAL SINGERS
(right) Nina Rautio as Tosca and Terje Stensvold as Scarpia in the 2000 production
1980 Tosca: Marina Krilovici/Nicole Lorange Cavaradossi: Seppo Ruohonen/ Corneliu Murgu Scarpia: Guillermo Sarabia/Malcolm Donnelly 1982 Tosca: Nelly Miricioiu/Galina Kalinina Cavaradossi: Zurab Sotkilava Scarpia: Peter Glossop 1986 Tosca: Galina Kalinina Cavaradossi: Seppo Ruohonen Scarpia: Anthony Baldwin
(right) John Hudson as Cavaradossi and Elena Zelenskaya as Tosca in the 2004 production
1990 Tosca: Maria Abajan Cavaradossi: Arthur Davies Scarpia: Malcolm Donnelly 1993 Tosca: Eva Zseller Cavaradossi: Jonathan Welch Scarpia: Henk Smit 1997-8 Tosca: Elizabeth Byrne Cavaradossi: Ian Storey Scarpia: Matthew Best 2000 Tosca: Nina Rautio Cavaradossi: David Rendall Scarpia: Terje Stensvold
(right) Susannah Glanville as Tosca in the final scene of the 2012 production
2004 Tosca: Elena Zelenskaya Cavaradossi: John Hudson Scarpia: Matthew Best 2012 Tosca: Susannah Glanville Cavaradossi: José Ferrero Scarpia: Robert Poulton 2019 Tosca: Natalya Romaniw/Sinéad Campbell-Wallace Cavaradossi: Gwyn Hughes Jones Scarpia: Roland Wood scottishopera.org.uk AUTUMN 2019 / 5
EMERGING ARTISTS
OUR 19|20 RISING STARS Introducing our 2019/20 Emerging Artists: meet our singers, repetiteur, composer, costume trainee and the new role of Associate Producer
T
his Season, we welcome soprano Charlie Drummond, baritones Arthur Bruce (The Robertson Trust Scottish Opera Emerging Artist 2019/20) and Mark Nathan, repetiteur Michael Papadopoulos and the Elizabeth Salvesen Costume Trainee Jasmine Clark. They join Samuel Bordoli, who returns for a third year as Composer in Residence, and Lucy Walters (below), who takes on a new role to the programme – that of Emerging Artist Associate Producer.
Emerging Artist Lucy Walters describes her new role as Associate Producer... What does your role entail? My contract lasts for one year. This is a new role so it’s still evolving, but at the moment I’m working on Breaking the Waves, on both the performances at the
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Edinburgh International Festival and the future life of the project. My role is jointly supported by Scottish Opera and Opera Ventures (co-producers of Breaking the Waves) so I am working closely with both companies, and have professional mentoring and support from both sides. What exactly does an Associate Producer do? It can be quite a flexible role in opera. Basically I’m a collaborator and a facilitator – I do what needs to be done to make a show happen! Day to day I can be in rehearsals, liaising with creative teams, working on contracts and financing or booking travel. It’s very varied. Can you tell us a bit about your background? I studied initially to be a singer – first at Bristol and then at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I’ve always been interested in the process of putting on a performance and partway through my post-grad I started helping the Head of Vocal Studies with scheduling and organising performances. I found I was having more fun doing that than the actual singing so decided to pursue it! I did an internship at Wigmore Hall and then worked at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Opera North before applying for this role.
What are the benefits of a role like this? Nothing like this is happening anywhere else that I’m aware of. It’s very hard to get hands-on experience in the variety of skills this role offers. I meet and work with such a wide range of people, both internally and externally, and that is really widening my experience. As this is an Emerging Artist role it provides a brilliant balance of doing the job and also having a support system in place. I feel I can ask any questions I need to! What do you hope to learn? I applied saying that I hoped to learn how to put on a really good show, and that still stands. A lot of my knowledge at the moment is theoretical, and this role gives me an amazing opportunity to gain practical skills and build on the experience I already have in a very supportive environment. For more information on where you can hear our 19/20 Emerging Artists: see page 15.
Scottish Opera’s Emerging Artists are supported by The Robertson Trust, Idlewild Trust, Elizabeth Salvesen and Scottish Opera’s Emerging Artist Benefactors and Supporters.
(left-right below) Charlie Drummond, Arthur Bruce, Michael Papadopoulos and Mark Nathan.
OPERA IN CONCERT
Hidden gems We continue to celebrate rarely-performed works this Autumn with our Opera in Concert performances
F
rom Tosca to The Gondoliers, and even Nixon in China and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, there are plenty of opportunities for operalovers to indulge their passions in well-established, much-cherished operas this season. But what if you’d like to venture down some of opera’s less-travelled byways, to sample works that are just as compelling, but perhaps less regularly performed? There are two opportunities this Autumn to do just that. Scottish Opera made its debut at East Lothian’s Lammermuir Festival last year, in a roundly acclaimed production of Britten’s Church Parable The Burning Fiery Furnace in the warm, resonant interior of Haddington’s St Mary’s Church. And the Company returns to Haddington on 20 September 2019 with a very different offering. This year’s double bill of twohanders, directed by Rosie Purdie and conducted by David Parry, offers gentle comedy and soaring lyricism. In Susanna’s Secret by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, a husband suspects his wife of infidelity, but what she’s been up to in private isn’t quite
what he expects. Mezzo-soprano Clare Presland stars as Susanna, with Richard Burkhard (an unforgettable Papageno in our recent The Magic Flute, below) as her husband Gil. Zanetto is a little-known opera by Pietro Mascagni, but it’s a long way away from the gritty earthiness of his universally adored Cavalleria rusticana. In Zanetto, Mascagni conjures a magically evocative atmosphere to tell the story of lonely courtesan Silvia (soprano Sinéad Campbell-Wallace) and her love for a wandering minstrel (Hanna Hipp, last seen as Varvara in Kátya Kabanová, below). The operas of Mascagni are a particular passion of Scottish Opera’s Music Director Stuart Stratford, and he continues his exploration of the composer’s exquisite music dramas on 1 December in Glasgow’s City Halls, conducting Iris in a concert staging directed by Company Staff Director Roxana Haines. Set in ancient Japan,
it tells a tragic story of innocence lost, when the naïve eponymous heroine is abducted from her home and finds herself immersed in a world of dangerous seduction and unbearable shame. Natalya Romaniw – who sings the title role in this Season’s Tosca, and last appeared as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, among several other roles for Scottish Opera – stars as the tragic Iris, with support from Ric Furman (Boris in Kátya Kabanová) and Roland Wood (Scarpia in this Autumn’s Tosca). Opera in Concert: see page 15 for full performance listings. The Opera in Concert series is supported by Scottish Opera Endowment Trust & Friends of Scottish Opera
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BEHIND THE SCENES
IN THE WORKSHOP: THANK YOU FOR PLAYING A SUPPORTING ROLE!
60 SECONDS WITH... LIZ REEVES INSTRUMENT: VIOLIN, THE ORCHESTRA OF SCOTTISH OPERA What musical training did you have? I started violin lessons when I was eight years old at primary school in a group with three others. I then quickly moved on to private lessons, and had a few teachers, most influential of whom was a violinist with the Royal Northern Sinfonia. I was with her when I gained a place to study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. I studied there for four years, and it was in my final year that I started to work professionally as an orchestral musician. Can you tell us about a piece of music that made you fall in love with your instrument? There isn’t a specific violin piece, actually! It was more the experience and joy of playing within an orchestra and the beautiful sound that is produced. I would love to play for all of the Rachmaninov piano concertos, but I guess that is highly unlikely in an opera orchestra! Who have been the most influential people in your life? The most influential, and I really wouldn’t be where I am without her, was my violin teacher at the RSAMD called Jerre Gibson. I was incredibly lucky to be her student for five years, and everything she taught me has stayed with me after all this time. What is the most fulfilling aspect of your life as a musician? There are so many things! The feeling of playing beautiful music, hearing the applause and (hopefully) cheers from an appreciative audience, travelling and playing at different venues, working with the friendly, immensely talented group of musicians at Scottish Opera, many of whom are my close friends. I could go on! 8 / AUTUMN 2019 scottishopera.org.uk
What have been your most memorable performances with Scottish Opera? The highlight of my career so far was Wagner’s Ring cycle. I will never forget the feeling of playing such passionate, moving music with amazing singers in an atmosphere that can only be described as electric. Also, Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier – I have played it twice and it is one of my favourites. What are you looking forward to musically this Season with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera? The season ahead with Scottish Opera is going to be interesting, challenging and fun. I’m most looking forward to Tosca for a few reasons. I have played it before and it is one of my favourite Puccini operas. The music is so rich and dramatic – it has everything! Also, it has a special poignancy this time for me because it was my friend and the Company’s former Orchestra Co-ordinator Rona Dill’s favourite opera. She passed away earlier this year, so I will be thinking about her during every performance. We are delighted to welcome the following musicians to the Orchestra of Scottish Opera: Cillian Ó Ceallacháin (Principal Trombone), Lauren Reeve Rawlings (Principal Horn No 3) and Maria Oguren (First Violin). Opera in Concert: see page 15 for full performance listings. The Opera in Concert series is supported by Scottish Opera Endowment Trust & Friends of Scottish Opera
They say there is no rest for the wicked – and as it turns out there’s little rest for the good folk of Scottish Opera’s workshops either. As we put this issue of Brio together, Breaking the Waves had its European premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival with a fantastic revolving set, and Fox-tot! delighted our youngest audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe. So there has been little chance to pause and reflect on the huge success of The Magic Flute.
From the re-building of the firebreathing serpent to Papageno’s scene-stealing magic bells, the Scottish Opera workshops handcrafted all of the stunning sets, costumes and props, making Simon Higlett’s designs even more magical than in the 2012 production. A huge thank you to our Play a Supporting Role supporters for helping us breathe fresh life into this fantastic production! Always ready for a new challenge, the team is now working with designers to discuss the materials needed for the coming 2019/20 Season’s productions and planning for any challenging or unusual pieces. In particular, Scottish Opera’s award-winning Head Scenic Artist Kelvin Guy has been charged with recreating Canaletto’s Venice as just one of the stunning backdrops for The Gondoliers. Look out for more information coming soon! Information on Play a Supporting Role for The Gondoliers will be available in the Autumn.
DEVELOPMENT
SCOTTISH OPERA IN HACKNEY
Inspired by... Dame Janet Baker A special celebration of the wonderful work of the Dame Janet Baker Circle We were thrilled to welcome Dame Janet Baker to our Production Studios in Glasgow on 28 May. She joined us to celebrate the work of our Dame Janet Baker Circle, for those who have pledged a gift in their Wills, and to encourage supporters to consider this special way of helping Scottish Opera. The gathered audience were entranced by tales from her experiences on stage and as a recording artist. Our 2018/19 Emerging Artists Bethan Langford, Lucy Anderson and Erika Gundesen performed a short recital and Dame Janet offered them her expertise, advice and inspiring words of encouragement. She talked candidly with General Director Alex Reedijk and guests about her early career at Scottish Opera, working with Sir Alexander Gibson, the vast array of productions she appeared in and the exhausting schedule that this entailed. We join all of those who were able to attend in thanking Dame Janet for her visit and her continued dedication to our work.
Thank you for all the positive feedback received too:
‘… fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable’ ‘How fortunate we are to have her to inspire our Emerging Artists, and campaign for Scottish Opera both within and beyond the company itself! Thank you so much for having us with you on such a unique, and moving, occasion’ You too can join Scottish Opera’s Dame Janet Baker Circle by pledging a gift to us in your Will. All gifts in Wills are directed to Scottish Opera’s Endowment Fund where your support will help us deliver world-class opera for generations to come. For more information about joining today, please contact Nicola Smith on 0141 242 0598 or email nicola.smith@scottishopera.org.uk
After making our debut appearance at East London’s Hackney Empire with Anthropocene we were thrilled to return with The Magic Flute at the end of June. Designed by Frank Matcham (who also designed the King’s Theatre in Glasgow) in 1901, Hackney Empire is one of the finest surviving variety theatres in Britain. The Grade II listed building was recently restored, and boasts a grand vestibule and double staircase with marbled finishes. We have loved working with the staff at Hackney Empire to present our fabulous productions and attract great audiences, with approximately one third being new to opera.
‘It was good to see Scottish Opera in London. It felt that a chunk of audience was seeing it for the first time (hurrah!)’ ‘Nice to see the younger generation there for opera’ ‘One of our party was in a wheelchair, and the Empire’s arrangements are superb’ We are very grateful for funding from the Cross Border Touring Fund, which enabled us to bring The Magic Flute to London. Looking to the future, we hope to build on our recent successes and take more performances to Hackney Empire. In the meantime, we will return to the fabulous Hackney Empire in July 2020 with The Gondoliers. We’d love you to join us there, and if you have friends in London, please encourage them to come along. There are five chances to see The Gondoliers between 15 and 18 July 2020, including two matinees. Utopia, Limited is also semi-staged there on 17 July – so a real feast, particularly for fans of Gilbert & Sullivan! scottishopera.org.uk AUTUMN 2019 / 9
OUTREACH & EDUCATION
Our funders: news and updates
SPINNING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN YOUNG AND OLD Spinning Songs is our intergenerational programme for pre-school, primary and elderly citizens, which is inspired by a growing awareness of the benefits of interaction between people living with dementia and young children. During weekly workshops, participants are encouraged to develop their musical and expressive arts skills, together creating a series of original songs that reflect life in their local communities. These are performed at an informal tea party for friends and family at the end of the project.
‘Some of our P6 children have been working with the @ScottishOpera Spinning Songs group. The group worked closely with West Mains School, Halfmerke Nursery and Bosfield House residents. A fantastic project, making fantastic links across our community.’ Halfmerke Primary School, Twitter
‘The choir has helped me a lot after everything I’ve been through… it’s helped improve my self-confidence and reignited my love of singing.’ Alison, a resident at retirement housing development Brookwell Court in Edinburgh
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Find out more about the benefits of intergenerational bonding and cooperation at scottishopera.org. uk/spinning-songs Our Dementia Friendly performances of Tosca are in Glasgow, Edinburgh and for the first time in Aberdeen. See page 15 for full performance listings.
In 2010, The Robertson Trust, Scotland’s largest independent grant-giving funder began supporting our Emerging Artists Programme. One of the 50 trusts that support different aspects of Scottish Opera’s work each year, The Robertson Trust has now helped launch the careers of soprano Marie Claire Breen and soprano Lucy Anderson (above); mezzo-sopranos Laura Margaret Smith, Emma Kerr and Catherine Backhouse; baritone Andrew McTaggart (top left); and bass Ross McInroy. Along with all of our Emerging Artists’ donors, this support has been essential in helping us to invest in the future of opera in Scotland. We are delighted when Emerging Artists return to work with us as principal singers – and equally delighted that The Robertson Trust will this year again be supporting a talented singer, baritone Arthur Bruce. Gordon Hunt of the Trust said: ‘The Robertson Trust and Scottish Opera share a goal in helping people realise their potential. We are delighted to have invested in the talent of eight young Scottish singers.’ For more information about supporting our Emerging Artists, please contact Grace Lyon on 0141 242 0594 or email grace.lyon@scottishopera.org.uk
NEWS
JOIN OUR OPERA BREAKS! Do you have a love for opera and for travelling? Come and sample the delights of new cities and cultures with Scottish Opera trips and meet new friends, or renew old acquaintances. In 2020 we visit Bristol, Milan and Turin, and the Buxton Festival. Bristol – 11 to 15 March 2020 The performances are: Thu 12 March – Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro Fri 13 March – Bizet’s Carmen Sat 14 March – Verdi’s Les vêpres siciliennes Price per person: £1,295 based on two people sharing a room. Single supplement £200. Includes flights/train travel to Glasgow/Edinburgh and Bristol, four nights B&B in the Bristol hotel, best available tickets to three operas, guided tours of Bristol and Bath with entry to the Roman Baths, four meals with wine and tour escort. Milan and Turin – 7 to 11 May 2020 The performances are: Thu 12 March – Donizetti’s Don Pasquale Fri 13 March – Wagner’s Tannhäuser Price per person: £2,395 (based on two people sharing double/twin room) Single supplement £240 – Includes return flights, coach transfers, category 1 tickets to two performances, four meals with wine, two guided sightseeing tours, four nights bed and breakfast in 4-star hotels within walking distance of the operas, services of tour escort. To book for Bristol (nearly full) or Milan and Turin, or to receive further details, contact the Whibley Holidays team on 01663 746578 or email john@whibley.co.uk Buxton International Festival – 6 to 10 July 2020 Includes performances of Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Rossini’s La donna del lago and operetta Ciboulette by Hahn, staying at the Palace Hotel.
OBITUARIES Joseph Rouleau (1929-2019) French Canadian bass Joseph Rouleau, who died in Montreal on 12 July, was a regular performer at Scottish Opera in the 1960s and 1970s, and performed in the Company’s inaugural season in 1962. His debut with Scottish Opera was as Arkel in Debussy’s Pelléas and Mélisande, a part he returned to several times, and he also appeared with the Company in, among others, Faust, Boris Godunov, The Trojans, Don Giovanni, Otello and The Mastersingers of Nuremberg. Rouleau worked internationally but is perhaps best known for his roles at Covent Garden, which spanned several decades. He sang with the Royal Opera in more than 40 operas, and worked frequently with Joan Sutherland. (above) Joseph Rouleau as Arkel and Jeanette Pilou as Mélisande in Pelléas and Mélisande, 1972. Photography by Bob Anderson.
Ludmilla Andrew (1952-2019) Soprano Ludmilla Andrew, known to all as Milla, first worked with Scottish Opera in 1970, appearing as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, then in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, which had several revivals throughout the 1970s. Milla took on the role of Turandot in 1984, in what would be Sir Alexander Gibson’s only performances of the work. Her final performances with Scottish Opera were in the role of Berta in The Barber of Seville in 1985 and 1987, for which she switched from her dramatic soprano roles to a character part as featured in this photo. OperaScotland wrote: ‘Slatternly, shuffling about in worn out slippers, cigarette dangling from lips, TV flickering in her room at the back, this usually serious artist gave a revelatory comic performance.’ (above) Milla Andrew as Berta in The Barber of Seville, 1987. Photography by Eric Thorburn.
For more information on upcoming trips, contact Anne Higgins, Friends Manager, on 0141 242 0599
Ian Hogarth (1928-2018) Ian Hogarth, who died at the age of 90 on 14 December 2018, was the well-liked and respected Chairman of the Lothian and Borders Branch of the Friends of Scottish Opera for over 20 years. He was also a member of the Friends Council during that time. Ian and his late wife Muriel held numerous Friends meetings and events in their home and were renowned for their hospitality and friendliness. Ian was a long-standing and generous supporter of Scottish Opera and the Theatre Royal Glasgow both as a Patron of the Alexander Gibson Circle and a Friend.
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WHAT THE MEDIA SAID...
THE MAGIC FLUTE ‘It was a glorious evening’s entertainment, with something for everyone’ Mary Woodward, ScotsGay Arts
‘An eminently revivable hit that will serve Scottish Opera well for many years to come’ Simon Thompson, The Times
‘Threatening to bring the house down… is Richard Burkhard, whose lovelorn yet jovial Papageno overflows with warmth, wit and charm’ Kelly Apter, The Scotsman
‘Sir Thomas has treated us once again to a glorious Magic Flute – with a little touch of Mozart by the Clyde’ Tom Kyle, Scottish Daily Mail
ScotsGay Arts
The Morning Star
Edinburghfestival.org
The Times
The Scotsman
The National
Scottish Daily Mail
The Stage
The Herald
Bachtrack
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WHAT THE MEDIA SAID...
BREAKING THE WAVES ‘This new Scottish Opera production by Tom Morris – the work’s European premiere – confirms the view that Mazzoli and Vavrek struck operatic gold’ Ken Walton, The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Times
The Observer
The List
FOX-TOT! ‘Lliam Paterson’s original score is glorious – a gorgeous piece of music in its own right, but also one that’s subtly tailored to its audience, quenching thirsts for discovery by weaving in different musical styles and references, and switching form and instrument frequently for short attention spans’ Lucy Ribchester, The List
The List
Edinburgh Festivals for Kids
SGFringe scottishopera.org.uk AUTUMN 2019 / 13
WHAT THE MEDIA SAID...
ORFEO & EURIDICE ‘Not only is it an impeccably staged and delivered production, the Young Company shows hope for the future of opera in Scotland’ Glasgow Theatre Blog
POP-UP OPERA TOUR WHAT THE AUDIENCE SAID...
‘Fantastic experience for the P1-3 kids at school. @ScottishOpera Opera house in a lorry. Genius.’ School review, Twitter (Puffy McPuffer and the Crabbit Canals) ‘Tonight I went to the opera. When you live in a wee town, the opera comes to you, in a big truck. Thank you @CuparArts for bringing @ScottishOpera to town’ Audience review, Twitter ‘Thanks to @ScottishOpera for a fantastic potted #MagicFlute at Haddington Show. Ten-week-old Astrid at the younger end of your audience was wide-eyed in awe throughout. Never too soon for opera!’ Audience review, Twitter ‘We saw it at the festival and loved it! Perfect start to the Canal festival fun. My son is still quoting lines from the show’ Audience review, Facebook ‘Was braw at Port Seton’ Audience review, Facebook 14 / AUTUMN 2019 scottishopera.org.uk
PERFORMANCE DIARY
SCOTTISH OPERA SEP – DEC 2019 September Mon 9 7pm Wed 11 7pm Thu 12 7.30pm Fri 13 7pm Sat 14 7.30pm Mon 16 7pm Tue 17 7.30pm Wed 18 7pm Thu 19 7pm Thu 19 7.30pm Fri 20 7.30pm Sat 21 7.30pm Tue 24 7.30pm Thu 26 7.30pm Sat 28 12pm & 3pm Sat 28 7.30pm October Tue 1 1.30pm Tue 1 7.30pm Wed 2 1pm Thu 3 7.30pm Fri 4 7.30pm Sat 5 7.30pm Tue 8 7.30pm Thu 10 7.30pm Fri 11 7.30pm Sat 12 3pm & 7.30pm Sat 12 7.30pm Tue 15 7.30pm Wed 16 7.15pm Thu 17 7.30pm Fri 18 7.15pm Sat 19 7.30pm Sun 20 3pm Mon 21 6pm Tue 22 7.15pm Thu 24 3pm Fri 25 6.30pm Sat 26 7.15pm Thu 31 7.15pm November Fri 1 3pm Sat 2 7.15pm Tue 5 7.15pm Thu 7 7.15pm Fri 8 6pm Sat 9 7.15pm Thu 14 7.15pm Sun 17 3pm Mon 18 6pm Tue 19 3pm Wed 20 1.10pm Thu 21 7.15pm Sat 23 7.15pm December Sun1 3pm
Amadeus & The Bard Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Zanetto & Susanna’s Secret Opera Highlights Opera Highlights Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights
Earlston High School Kirkcudbright Academy Motherwell Theatre Annan Academy The Albert Halls, Stirling Auchinleck Academy Stonehaven Town Hall Ayr Academy Largs Academy Duthac Centre, Tain St Mary’s Parish Church, Haddington The Macphail Centre, Ullapool An Lanntair, Stornoway Aros Centre, Portree National Museum of Scotland The Corran Halls, Oban
Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Opera Highlights Opera Highlights Amadeus & The Bard Amadeus & The Bard Opera Highlights Opera Highlights Tosca Opera Highlights Tosca Opera Highlights Tosca Tosca Unwrapped Tosca Dementia Friendly Tosca An Evening with the Scottish Opera Emerging Artists Tosca AD/TT/PST Tosca
Lodging House Mission, Glasgow Volunteer Hall, Galashiels Eric Liddell Centre, Edinburgh Perth Theatre Paisley Grammar School Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline Thurso High School Orkney Theatre, Kirkwall Scottish Opera Production Studios Scottish Opera Production Studios Haddo House, Ellon Ryan Centre, Stranraer Theatre Royal Glasgow Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock Theatre Royal Glasgow The Brunton, Musselburgh Theatre Royal Glasgow Theatre Royal Glasgow Theatre Royal Glasgow Theatre Royal Glasgow
Dementia Friendly Tosca Tosca AD/TT/PST Tosca Tosca Tosca Unwrapped Tosca AD/TT/PST Tosca Tosca AD/TT Tosca Unwrapped Dementia Friendly Tosca Emerging Artist Recital Tosca Tosca PST
His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Eden Court, Inverness Eden Court, Inverness Eden Court, Inverness Eden Court, Inverness Festival Theatre Edinburgh Festival Theatre Edinburgh Festival Theatre Edinburgh Festival Theatre Edinburgh University of St Andrews Festival Theatre Edinburgh Festival Theatre Edinburgh
Iris
City Halls, Glasgow
National Museum of Scotland Theatre Royal Glasgow His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
HOW TO BOOK Amadeus & The Bard/ Opera Highlights Please visit scottishopera.org.uk for booking details for each venue Zanetto & Susanna’s Secret – Lammermuir Festival St Mary’s Parish Church, Haddington EH41 4BZ Box Office 0131 473 2000 lammermuirfestival.co.uk Theatre Royal Glasgow 282 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 3QA Box Office 0844 871 7647 atgtickets.com National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF Box Office 0300 123 6789 nms.ac.uk His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL Box Office 01224 641122 boxofficeaberdeen.com Eden Court, Inverness Bishops Road, Inverness IV3 5SA Box Office 01463 234234 eden-court.co.uk Festival Theatre Edinburgh 13-29 Nicholson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9FT Box Office 0131 529 6000 capitaltheatres.com City Halls, Glasgow Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ Box Office 0141 353 8000 glasgowconcerthalls.com
AD Audio-described performance TT Touch Tour prior to performance PST Pre-show Talk prior to performance
scottishopera.org.uk AUTUMN 2019 / 15
A gripping story of innocence lost... some of Mascagni’s finest writing. City Halls, Glasgow Sun 1 Dec 3pm BOOK NOW
IR IS Mascagni
Concert performance Conductor Stuart Stratford Director Roxana Haines Soloists include James Creswell, Ric Furman, Aled Hall, Natalya Romaniw & Roland Wood Supported by Scottish Opera Endowment Trust & Friends of Scottish Opera
Registered in Scotland Number SC037531 Scottish Charity Number SC019787
0141 353 8000 glasgowconcerthalls.com