Opera Scotland

Mozart and Salieri 1990Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD)

Read more about the opera Mozart and Salieri

This short piece of rather untypical Rimsky had been unveiled to Glasgow audiences four years earlier in a concert performance by the SNO. Someone at the Academy then had the idea of using it as the second part of a programme on the general subject of Mozart and Salieri.

The first part consisted of an imaginary first-night party celebrating the opening of The Magic Flute, scripted by none other than Liz Lochhead. This drama introduced a range of Mozart's contemporaries - courtiers, friends and singers. The musical excerpts alternated familiar scenes by Mozart (The Magic Flute Act 1, Idomeneo Act 3 and The Marriage of Figaro Act 2) with rather less familiar music by Salieri (Tarare Act 3 and La grotta di Trifonio Act 1). Under the joint direction of department head Joyce Deans and brilliant student David McVicar this must surely have been a fascinating evening.

The Rimsky followed the interval. Both parts of this programme were double cast, with the performers of the two title roles appearing in both parts.

Cast details are from a programme in the Conservatoire archive in Glasgow.