Opera Scotland

Albert Herring in Scotland

Posted 15 Aug 2024

Albert Herring was first performed in Scotland on 31 August 1965 at the King's Theatre Edinburgh.  The English Opera Group championed the works of Britten and were regular visitors to the Edinburgh Festival.

Colin Graham's production, in designs by John Piper, was conducted by Vilém Tausky. The role of Albert was taken by the Iona-born character tenor Kenneth Macdonald.  Two more prominent Scottish singers had leading roles, contralto Johanna Peters (Florence Pike) and Harold Blackburn (Superintendent Budd).  The Australian dramatic soprano Sylvia Fisher, who sang a number of character parts towards the end of her career, was Lady Billows.  The cast also included Benjamin Luxon (Sid), Anne Pashley (Nancy) and April Cantelo (Miss Wordsworth).

Scottish Opera first mounted the work in the 1966 spring season, opening at the ideally intimate Perth Theatre on 11 April.  Roderick Brydon conducted the production by Anthony Besch in designs by Adam Pollock. The staging remained in the repertoire, with frequent performances until the sets wore out in 1971.  It was the choice for Scottish Opera's first foreign tour, to Florence in June 1968, and led the way for a series of successful productions of the Britten chamber operas performed by what amounted to a regular repertory company. Albert was sung by the Australian tenor Gregory Dempsey, with Rae Woodland and Judith Pierce as Lady Billows.  Various company regulars got together for performances all over Europe - Johanna Peters (Florence), Michael Maurel (Sid), Catherine Wilson (Nancy), Bill McCue (Superintendent Budd), Francis Egerton (Mr Upfold), Ronald Morrison (Mr Gedge), Patricia Clark (Miss Wordsworth) and Anna Reynolds (Mrs Herring).

Since then the opera has been the preserve of Scottish students.  The RSAMD has mounted it in Glasgow in 1999 and 2011, while Byre Opera at St Andrews staged it in 2014.