Entführung aus dem Serail 1963Scottish Opera
Read more about the opera Seraglio
For Scottish Opera’s second season the number of venues doubled, with the addition of Edinburgh, and there were three programmes instead of two. Following the previous year's Puccini (Butterfly) and Debussy (Pelléas), the pattern was moved even more towards the unusual. A Verdi work might have been expected, but with the formation of the new Scottish Opera Chorus, Otello was chosen. An unusual double-bill of the company's first living composer, Dallapiccola, (Night Flight) and Ravel (L'Heure Espagnole) was certainly stimulating. It was not a surprise for a Mozart opera to be presented. However the choice of Seraglio was still a bold one, avoiding the obvious.
Apart from this brief run of performances in Peter Ebert's staging, Die Entführung was known in Scotland largely through performances at the Edinburgh Festival by visiting German companies. It was most unusual to hear it in English.
The strong links Alexander Gibson and Peter Hemmings maintained with Sadler's Wells can be seen in the visit by Rae Woodland, John Wakefield and Marion Studholme. Indeed the first two would return to these roles in Edinburgh when the Sadler's Wells company visited in the spring of 1965.
Schedule foe Scottish Opera's Second Season - 1963
In Scottish Opera’s second season, one week was given in Glasgow followed by a week in Edinburgh
Glasgow, w/c 27 May: Mon 27 Otello; Tue 28 Seraglio; Wed 29 Volo di Notte and L’Heure Espagnole; Thu 30 Seraglio; Fri 31 Volo di Notte and L’Heure Espagnole; Sat 01 Otello.
Edinburgh, w/c 3 June: Mon 3 Otello; Tue 4 Seraglio; Wed 5 Volo di Notte and L’Heure Espagnole; Thu 6 Seraglio; Fri 7 Volo di Notte and L’Heure Espagnole; Sat 8 Otello.
