Opera Scotland

Don Pasquale 1972Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Don Pasquale

Don Pasquale had been a mainstay of the piano-accompanied Opera For All tours over several seasons, but Scottish Opera had not until now given it a main stage production. The immediate stimulus for this was the great bass Michael Langdon, who, having thoroughly enjoyed his two Aberdeen performances as Ochs in 1971, was keen to return. Agreement was soon reached - a role he had always wanted to do, and an opera that was both popular and cheap to mount.

The result was quite delightful, as Alexander Gibson revealed a wonderfully light touch right from the start of the overture. It was a modern concept by Peters Ebert and Rice which included Pasquale preparing for his marriage by pedalling furiously on an exercise bike while smoking a cigar and singing flat out. Thomas Hemsley, also a veteran of the Rosenkavalier, returned for another comic classic. Sheila Armstrong had not sung with the company before, and showed off a lovely, creamy soprano voice, ideal for the part.

Alexander Oliver dropped out of this tour at a late stage, so John Robertson transferred in from the Figaro revival (where he had been cast as Basilio).

On the company's visit to Leeds, these two effervescent comedies were joined by a performance of The Trojans, given its local première straight from its Edinburgh Festival revival.