Opera Scotland

Parsifal 2012Edinburgh Players Opera Group

Read more about the opera Parsifal

In its now traditional style, this group of dedicated Wagnerians gave a full-scale concert run-through of the final masterwork, following a few days of enthusiastic rehearsal. The principal soloists have all appeared before, singing at least one role in the previous Ring, and if anything the Parsifal roles seemed to suit them even better. The quality of orchestral playing, given the lack of preparation time, was simply astonishing, with Mike Thorne extracting a genuinely expressive performance. Even the limitations brought about through the lack of a large chorus worked - all the soloists joined in to amplify the sound as required, and the four Flower Maidens covered the solo work while also blending expertly. Next year they return to Tristan on 29 September.