Opera Scotland

Minotaur 2004Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Minotaur

The 2003-04 season of Scottish Opera was dominated by its opening event. Tim Albery's production of Der Ring des Nibelungen had been assembled during the three previous Edinburgh Festivals. The 2003 Festival was the culmination of this process, with complete cycles performed. After this intensive sequence of two Edinburgh cycles, the company moved on to give two in Glasgow and a final one at the recently opened Lowry at Salford Quays.

For non-Wagnerites, the rest of the season consisted of new productions of The Magic Flute and La bohème with a revival of Aïda. There was also an intimate staging of Eugene Onegin - with piano in the autumn and a small band in the spring. The Essential Scottish Opera tour of the Highlands and Islands took its regular place. A distinct novelty was a new piece composed specifically for children - on a larger scale than the company's previous works of this kind, The Minotaur by Julian Evans toured with a small orchestra.

This new opera for children was given an extensive series of performances in five major centres throughout Scotland. This work was of course very different in scale and accessibility from the Harrison Birtwistle version of the legend that appeared at Covent Garden a few years later.

The Minotaur was beautifully designed, and performed by a small chamber ensemble and a group of singers who doubled as Athenians, friends of Theseus, messengers, and others. The music was very approachable, without being especially memorable. The two short acts covered quite a lot of ground, easy for those already familiar with the legend, but perhaps confusing for young audience members for whom Greek mythology was an unknown quantity. It was all very thoroughly prepared, even to the extent of covers being available to substitute when required.

Aberdeen performances, by the way, took place at a temporary venue in Hilton Street as His Majesty's Theatre was being renovated at the time.