Opera Scotland

His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen Aberdeen

His Majesty's has served as Aberdeen's principal theatre since it opened in December 1906. The owner was the theatrical impresario Robert Arthur, who had already added Her Majesty's (now the Tivoli) to his chain several years before. The design was by the greatest theatrical architect of the day, Frank Matcham. When most theatres were located on unimpressive sites, the cheapness of the land being the prime criterion, Aberdeen's attitude seems to have been different, with His Majesty's having a prominent site on Rosemount Viaduct, overlooking Union Terrace Gardens.

The city was fortunate in that during the half-century roughly  from 1920 to 1970, when so many theatres were acquired by cinema chains, or closed altogether, His Majesty's came into the ownership of the local Donald family, who did not exclude cinema, but were determined to maintain the presence of live entertainment. Audiences were therefore able to see touring operas, musicals, dance, drama and pantomime on a regular basis - an asset that Inverness and Dundee had ceased to enjoy.

In the eighties, ownership passed to the local authority, in order that a substantial renovation of the building could be afforded. That has since been supplemented by a further period of closure to expand front of house facilities and greatly improve backstage. His Majesty's remains what it has always been, one of the most attractive theatres in the country, intimate enough for drama and Mozartian opera, but also able to accommodate larger-scale productions including Scottish Opera's stagings pf The Trojans and The Ring.

 

Scottish Premieres:

Turandot (Giacomo Puccini 1929)

Rondine (Giacomo Puccini 2006)