Opera Scotland

Happy New Year!

Posted 2 Jan 2014

What can we look forward to in 2014? 

In the summer we will see the reopening of Glasgow's Theatre Royal, home of our national opera company, brought up to modern standards and complete with extra facilities and circulation space. The original building was opened in 1867, and has been synonymous with opera for most of that time.

Opera Scotland's main work at present is identifying the date and place of first performance of particular operas in Scotland. We have identified over two hundred such premieres, and can point to Wagner's Valkyrie, Puccini's La bohème, Verdi's Otello, and Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld as having been given their first Scottish performance in the Theatre Royal.

But buildings need performances, and opera companies need a Music Director. Sources suggest there have been over fifty applicants for the job at Scottish Opera, one that demands a combination of quality, inspiration and consistency along with the ability to work with the orchestra. Let us look forward to a successful appointment.

As for the Edinburgh International Festival, the programme for which used to be eagerly awaited, we can only hope that the number and quality of performances move forwards from the low of 2013.  Fortunately, we have Scottish Opera - and others - on the Fringe, Scottish Opera promising us another mini-festival in Paterson's Land.

We can expect more from Opera Bohemia (Scotland's other touring company). The talented graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland need more opportunities to foster skills and grow careers.

Both the Wagner Society of Scotland and the Friends of Scottish Opera are planning to build membership and increase activities.

What of Opera Scotland? We will continue to bring you interviews and add to the site content. We are going to build a mailing list and collaborate with the opera-loving community in Scotland, whenever and whereever we can.

Happy New Year to Opera fans everywhere!