Opera Scotland

Rake's Progress 1969Sadler's Wells Opera

Read more about the opera Rake's Progress

The 1968 visit to Glasgow had featured a repertoire of only five works and seems rather lightweight. This time there were eight, with some relative rareties. Edinburgh and Aberdeen, with one week apiece, saw The Magic Flute, Offenbach's Bluebeard, The Force of Destiny and The Rake's Progress. Glasgow, with a three week visit, saw all of the above, plus Count Ory, Ariadne on Naxos, Madam Butterfly and Patience.

The Rake had been done by Scottish Opera as its contribution to the 1967 Edinburgh Festival, but this production was more traditional and Hogarthian in appearance. It originated in 1962, when Colin Davis headed the company. Roderick Brydon was an expert conductor, rapidly gaining in experience. The cast was of very high quality, from young Margaret Neville as Anne to the veteran Edith Coates. Gregory Dempsey and Ann Howard became regular visitors to Scottish Opera.

Cast details from a programme in the OperaScotland collection.

 

Sadler's Wells Opera in Scotland - 1969

The 1969 tour was the last occasion on which Sadler's Wells visited Aberdeen.  There was a single week in Edinburgh (King's Theatre), followed by one in Aberdeen (His Majesty's) and three in Glasgow (King's).  Eight operas were brought, four being seen in all three cities and a further four just in Glasgow.

The operas were:  Mozart (Magic Flute);  Rossini (Count Ory);  Verdi (Force of Destiny);  Offenbach (Bluebeard);  Sullivan (Patience);  Puccini (Madam Butterfly);  Strauss (Ariadne on Naxos) and Stravinsky (Rake's Progress).

The tour schedule was as follows:

Edinburgh, w/c 13 October:  Mon 13 Magic Flute;  Tue 14 Rake's Progress;  Wed 15 Bluebeard;  Thu 16 Magic Flute;  Fri 17 Force of Destiny;  Sat 18 Bluebeard. 

Aberdeen, w/c 20 October:  Mon 20 Magic Flute;  Tue 21 Rake's Progress;  Wed 22 Bluebeard;  Thu 23 Magic Flute;  Fri 24 Force of Destiny;  Sat 25 Bluebeard.

Glasgow, w/c 27 October:  Mon 27 np;  Tue 28 Magic Flute;  Wed 29 Count Ory;  Thu 30 Bluebeard;  Fri 31 Rake's Progress;  Sat 1 Nov Bluebeard.

Glasgow, w/c 3 November:  Mon 3 Count Ory;  Tue 4 Bluebeard;  Wed 5 Force of Destiny;  Thu 6 Rake's Progress;  Fri 7 Magic Flute;  Sat 8 Force of Destiny.

Glasgow, w/c 10 November:  Mon 10 Patience;  Tue 11 Ariadne on Naxos;  Wed 12 Madam Butterfly;  Thu 13 Ariadne on Naxos;  Fri 14 Patience;  Sat 15  Madam Butterfly.