Opera Scotland

Bartered Bride 1978Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Bartered Bride

Scottish Opera's third winter season at the Theatre Royal (1977-78) opened with Thea Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots, premiered a few weeks earlier at the Edinburgh Festival. It was followed by Fidelio, Otello, Ariadne on Naxos, The Golden Cockerel, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Falstaff, The Marriage of Figaro (launched earlier in the year), Madama Butterfly and The Bartered Bride - this last being the only completely new production.

The company now launched itself thoroughly into a Czech phase - over the next twenty years they would stage nine Czech operas by three different composers. This Bartered Bride was one of the liveliest, with enthusiastic dancing from the chorus, as well as circus performers. At the time, Felicity Lott was at the start of her illustrious career, even then recognised as an expert performer of Mozart and Strauss. She never sang in an opera in Scotland again, not even at the Edinburgh Festival. Alexander Oliver was a thoroughly endearing hen-pecked son, especially memorable in his bear disguise. Allen Cathcart added another leading romantic role, and the many company members were notably successful.

The circus artists on this first run were Suzanne, Eleky, Laszlo and Sylvia.

Further dates to be added.