Opera Scotland

Albert Herring 1971Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Albert Herring

Scottish Opera's tour in Spring 1971 was one of its most extended and elaborate, stretching from 11 March to 12 June. There were two clear phases, the first took in Perth, Aberdeen, Newcastle and Liverpool, with the second embracing Glasgow, Edinburgh and a return to Aberdeen.

The Perth opening included the recent stagings of Magic Flute and Traviata, accompanied by the BBC SSO, with two Britten revivals, Albert Herring and Turn of the Screw. for which the pit was occupied by the Scottish Opera Chamber Ensemble. In Aberdeen the SNO joined up for the revival of the 1967 Rheingold staging, as preparation for the single Ring Cycle announced for December. In Glasgow, Albert Herring dropped out, and the season's two big new productions, Siegfried and Der Rosenkavalier, arrived.

By 1971, it must be said that the sets for this much-travelled production were beginning to come apart at the seams, and these would be their final appearance. The performances were still of a very high quality, led by Roderick Brydon, and featuring several singers, such as William McCue, Ronald Morrison, Johanna Peters, Catherine Wilson and Michael Maurel, who never missed a performance during the six years that they toured round Europe. Other company stalwarts could show their versatility - Ann Baird, formerly a member of the Sadler's Wells company, usually played Cis, one of the schoolgirls, but could step up to sing Miss Wordsworth if necessary. John Robertson, not a regular member of the cast, covered both tenor roles, and could go on if required either as Mr Upfold, as in 1969, or in the title role, as here.