Opera Scotland

Oedipus Rex 2002Canadian Opera Company

Read more about the opera Oedipus Rex

The opera programme at the 2002 Edinburgh Festival was of excellent quality. The two central stagings were of Wagner - a co-production with Salzburg of Parsifal, conducted by Claudio Abbado, directed by Peter Stein, and Siegfried - the third instalment of Scottish Opera's memorable Ring cycle, conducted by Richard Armstrong and directed by Tim Albery. The Turn of the Screw was directed by Luc Bondy and conducted by Daniel Harding. There was also a striking production of Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex from Canada, directed by François Girard. Concert performances included Donizetti's Maria Stuarda conducted by Charles Mackerras and Enescu's Oedipe.

Following their Bluebeard’s Castle and Erwartung double bill, the Canadians brought another stimulating staging of an early 20th century classic to the Edinburgh Festival. The perennial problem of what to couple it with was given a further option with performances of Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, composed a few years later. The staging was a rivettingly effective one, with far more movement and colour than the piece is usually given. The emphasis was on the plague, with bodies writhing about on stage. There were no masks - the soloists certainly stood out, with Oedipus in bright red and Jocasta in orange. Michael Schade and Ewa Podles dominated the show musically as well.

Oedipe, the distinctly rare Enescu treatment of the same myth, was given a welcome concert performance in the Usher Hall during the same Festival.