Opera Scotland

Hirda

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Music

Chris Stout

Gareth Williams

Text

Siân Evans

 

Premiere

First Performance: Lerwick (Mareel Arts Centre), 26 November 2015.

 

Background

The opera, which uses Shetland words and dialect (Hirda is a Shetland word meaning chaos or extreme untidiness), tells the story of Alasdair, a once successful actor who returns to his island home for the wedding of his brother Iain to Muireall, a young archivist working in the local museum. Everyone's world is turned upside down when Alasdair and his sister-in-law find that they have a strong attraction to each other. This part of the opera has a contemporary setting. It is woven together with another story about a 19th century woman and her sailor fiancé which is told through the letters they wrote to each other. 

 

Characters

Sailor (bass)

Crofter Lass (soprano)

Iain, a boat builder and fisherman (tenor)

Alasdair, his brother, an actor (baritone)

Elsa, their sister (soprano)

Vaila, an archivist, Iain's wife (mezzo-soprano)

 

Plot Summary

The opera, which uses Shetland words and dialect (Hirda is a Shetland word meaning chaos or extreme untidiness), tells the story of Alasdair, a once successful actor who returns to his island home for the wedding of his brother Iain to Vaila, a young archivist working in the local museum. Everyone's world is turned upside down when Alasdair and his sister-in-law find that they have a strong attraction to each other. This part of the opera has a contemporary setting. It is woven together with another story about a 19th century woman and her sailor fiancé which is told through the letters they wrote to each other.