Opera Scotland

Valkyrie 1959Royal Opera, Stockholm

Read more about the opera Walküre

The Swedish Opera maintained a wonderful tradition whereby star singers happily went on in shorter roles - in this case as Valkyries.  Inevitably, Birgit Nilsson was the star of the show,  but there was a lot of good singing on offer in the small theatre,  and the company's director,  at the end of a long singing career,  was still able to give a performance as Siegmund.

 

Royal Swedish Opera at the Edinburgh Festival 1959

For its first Edinburgh visit, the Royal Opera, Stockholm, brought a typically ambitious programme of Verdi, Wagner, Berg and Blomdahl.  While the Rigoletto and Walküre may have been fairly conventional,  Un ballo in maschera showed a clear attempt by the director to get as close as possible to Swedish history.  Wozzeck was a Scottish premiere, and Aniara saw the British premiere of an interesting new piece only launched in May.

The five operas given were by Wagner (Die Walküre);  Verdi (Rigoletto,  Un ballo in maschera);  Berg (Wozzeck) and Blomdahl (Aniara).

The three week performance schedule was:

Week One, w/c 24 August:  Mon 24  Ballo in maschera;  Tue 25 Rigoletto;  Wed 26 Walküre;  Thu 27  Rigoletto;  Fri 28  Walküre;  Sat 29  Ballo in maschera.

Week Two,  w/c 31 August:  Mon 31 Walküre;  Tue 1 Sep  Rigoletto;  Wed 2 Walküre;  Thu 3  Aniara;  Fri 4  Ballo in maschera;  Sat 5  Aniara.

Week Three, w/c 7 September:  Mon 7 Walküre;  Tue 8  Wozzeck;  Wed 9 Rigoletto;  Thu 10  Wozzeck;  Fri 11  Rigoletto;  Sat 12  Ballo in maschera.