Opera Scotland

Albert Herring ready to go

Posted 31 May 2014

St Andrews Opera, under the management of Michael Downes, Director of the University Music Centre, is steadily developing into an important part of Scotland's operatic world. Almost all the parts are cast from students currently studying at the University. Some of the performers are certainly good enough to have a real chance of making a professional career.

And what about this year's choice of production, Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring?  When the well-known critic Michael Tanner wrote last year that Albert Herring was Britten's masterpiece, eyebrows were raised in certain quarters. But Tanner argued that the opera was inspired throughout, and like all great comedies is serious, generous in its humanity, and "leaves the responsive spectator glowing."

Tanner went on to say that Britten's other operas were considered great because they created a sense of unease, something taken to be deeper than pleasure. Eric Crozier's text for Albert Herring, Tanner thought the finest Britten had had to work with, inspiring some marvellously inventive music.

Come and see for yourselves this production by Tania Holland Williams! Click through the listings and buy your tickets here.

Look up Michael Tanner's comments in full, given in a review of a performance at the Barbican in the Spectator of 30 November 2013.

Listen to Laurie Slavin who is playing Albert here.