Opera Scotland

Rosenkavalier 1978Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Rosenkavalier

This was final revival of Anthony Besch’s classic staging from 1971.  It showed absolutely no sign of staleness, and after a spring tour had a short run at the Glasgow Theatre Royal over Christmas and New Year.

Many of the cast were returning from earlier runs, including Anne Howells' charming Octavian and Catherine Wilson's elegant Marschallin.  Michael Langdon’s irrepressible Ochs was now indispensable, and the December run saw his farewell performances of a role he had performed in many of the world's great houses. Judith Pierce sang Marianne in every performance of the production, and Thomas Hemsley, as an unusually likeable Faninal, only missed one night.

Notable newcomers included Norma Burrowes as Sophie, Graham Clark as the Tenor, Cynthia Buchan as Annina, and Donald Maxwell putting in an early appearance as a Footman.

One important change was the introduction of a new conductor. Walter Weller.  Viennese through and through, and himself a former leader of the Vienna Philharmonic, he had the score of Rosenkavalier in his blood, and produced a level of idiomatic and stylish performance from the orchestra that was quite glorious.  His happy memory of these performances encouraged him to accept the post of the RSNO’s chief conductor a few years later.

 

Scottish Opera's 1978-79 season

Scottish Opera's fourth season at the Theatre Royal (1978-79) opened with Simon Boccanegra, and continued with Jenůfa, Catiline Conspiracy then an unusual triple-bill of Savitri, Fanny Robin and Dido and Aeneas. Next came Seraglio, Rosenkavalier, Hansel and Gretel, Fledermaus, Midsummer Night's Dream, Bohème, Kátya Kabanová and Rigoletto. In June there followed the company's first staging of a musical, Fiddler on the Roof. Many of these works were also toured.