The effects of Coronavirus
It was sadly inevitable that this one off project would fall a victim to the burgeoning impact of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that swept the world during the first quarter of the year, with its effects continuing throughout the year. It was made clear on Monday, 16 March, that all meeting places of any significance - pubs, restaurants, concert halls, theatres and opera houses - would be closed for a significant duration. Not only was the new staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream cancelled, but also the subsequent productions of The Gondoliers and Utopia Limited. The concert performances of Cavalleria rusticana and Zingari also bit the dust. It is hoped that they will all be revived when the theatres reopen, with luck sooner rather than later.
The original performance was scheduled for Saturday 02/05 at 19.30 in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh.
Scottish Opera's relationship with Mascagni's first masterpiece is slightly odd, in that the company has never mounted a full-scale staging. This is a semi-staging for one-night only. Scottish Opera celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a concert performance in the City Halls of Cav & Pag. Apart from that there was only previously a medium-scale tour of the Highland regions - and that was actually Pag & Cav.
His less-renowned operas have featured strongly in the revival of rarities produced in recent seasons, with L'amico Fritz and Silvano both coming up as fresh and enjoyable works. By the time Cavalleria appears, Iris and Zanetto will allso have seen the unaccustomed light of day. Whether their rediscovery will last remains to be seen.
This semi-staged performance is paired with a much rarer Leoncavallo piece I Zingari (The Gypsies), which was premiered in London in 1912. It will be interesting to see if there is a clear reason for its initial success not lasting. Three soloists have been identified so far for the entire evening, without specifying roles. They are all welcome returnees in baritone Evez Abdulla with mezzos Justina Gringyte and Julia Sporsén.
Scottish Opera's 2019/20 Season
The season opened at the Edinburgh International Festival with the European premiere of Breaking the Waves by Missy Mazzoli. The autumn performances got under way with a visit to the Lammermuir Festival on 20 September with a single performance in concert of an unusual double bill - Mascagni's Zanetto and Wolf-Ferrari's Susanna's Secret. The Glasgow season opens with a welcome revival of Tosca. There is a Sunday afternoon concert of Iris, another rare work by Mascagni. In the New Year there are new productions of Nixon in China by John Adams as well as Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream. and Sullivan's Gondoliers. Further concerts include a pairing of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana with Leoncavallo's Zingari. There are also concert performances of a late Sullivan piece, Utopia, Limited, as well as the usual Opera Highlights tour of the Highlands and Islands.
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