Opera Scotland

Patience 1969Sadler's Wells Opera

Read more about the opera Patience

Until this production was mounted, Patience was widely considered to be the most dated and beyond rescue element of the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire.  At a stroke, John Cox and John Stoddart transformed the reputation of the work.  With a great deal of assistance from Derek Hammond-Stroud and Heather Begg as Bunthorne and a double bass playing Lady Jane, the work came back with complete freshness.

 

Sadler's Wells Opera in Scotland - 1969

The 1969 tour was the last occasion on which Sadler's Wells visited Aberdeen.  There was a single week in Edinburgh (King's Theatre), followed by one in Aberdeen (His Majesty's) and three in Glasgow (King's).  Eight operas were brought, four being seen in all three cities and a further four just in Glasgow.

The operas were:  Mozart (Magic Flute);  Rossini (Count Ory);  Verdi (Force of Destiny);  Offenbach (Bluebeard);  Sullivan (Patience);  Puccini (Madam Butterfly);  Strauss (Ariadne on Naxos) and Stravinsky (Rake's Progress).

The tour schedule was as follows:

Edinburgh, w/c 13 October:  Mon 13 Magic Flute;  Tue 14 Rake's Progress;  Wed 15 Bluebeard;  Thu 16 Magic Flute;  Fri 17 Force of Destiny;  Sat 18 Bluebeard. 

Aberdeen, w/c 20 October:  Mon 20 Magic Flute;  Tue 21 Rake's Progress;  Wed 22 Bluebeard;  Thu 23 Magic Flute;  Fri 24 Force of Destiny;  Sat 25 Bluebeard.

Glasgow, w/c 27 October:  Mon 27 np;  Tue 28 Magic Flute;  Wed 29 Count Ory;  Thu 30 Bluebeard;  Fri 31 Rake's Progress;  Sat 1 Nov Bluebeard.

Glasgow, w/c 3 November:  Mon 3 Count Ory;  Tue 4 Bluebeard;  Wed 5 Force of Destiny;  Thu 6 Rake's Progress;  Fri 7 Magic Flute;  Sat 8 Force of Destiny.

Glasgow, w/c 10 November:  Mon 10 Patience;  Tue 11 Ariadne on Naxos;  Wed 12 Madam Butterfly;  Thu 13 Ariadne on Naxos;  Fri 14 Patience;  Sat 15  Madam Butterfly.