TOSCA NIXON IN CHINA A MIDSUMMER NIGHT S

Transcription

1 19 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT S TOSCA NIXON IN CHINA 20 DREAM THE GONDOLIERS BREAKING THE WAVES ZANETTO SUSANNA S SECRET IRIS CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA ZINGARI UTOPIA, LIMITED FOX-TOT! MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

2 5 Subscription Information 6 Tosca 8 Nixon in China 10 A Midsummer Night s Dream 12 The Gondoliers 14 Breaking the Waves 16 Opera in Concert 20 Opera Highlights 22 Fox-tot! 24 Merrily We Roll Along 26 Amadeus & The Bard 28 Pop-up Opera 32 Emerging Artists 33 Opera Unwrapped 34 Dementia Friendly Performances 36 Audio-described Performances 37 Pre-show Talks 38 Get Involved 40 Box Office Information A huge thank you to all our business sponsors and corporate members: Thanks also to our corporate supporters: Accenture, Caledonian MacBrayne, Cameron, Eusebi Deli, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Glasgow Memory Clinic, M.A.C., NorthLink Ferries and Pentland Ferries.

3 WELCOME TO SCOTTISH OPERA S SEASON Scottish Opera has been entertaining audiences the length and breadth of the country for over 56 years, and still at the heart of all we do are the words of our founder, Sir Alexander Gibson, whose vision was to lay the treasures of opera at the feet of the people of Scotland. In our 2019/20 Season, we are delighted to take forward his momentous legacy with a wealth of operatic fare including 12 operas that takes us to over 50 venues, and is augmented by numerous events in schools, community centres, care homes and our own travelling theatre trailer. An iconic production of Tosca, 20th-century masterpieces by Benjamin Britten and John Adams, and our latest staging of a Gilbert & Sullivan favourite are complemented by concerts celebrating Mascagni and rarely heard gems by Leoncavallo and Wolf-Ferrari. The Scottish Opera Young Company presents Sondheim and gets involved in an enthralling new production about two 18th-century rebels Burns and Mozart. And there s also our new show for toddlers and more of our important Dementia Friendly performances. At a time when, perhaps more than ever, we are all thinking and talking about partnership, we are proud of the relationships that are critical both to Scottish Opera s success and to our ability to create new work for you. We don t work in isolation, and this Season exemplifies this spirit of collaboration across the world of opera, embracing our partnerships and co-productions with festivals, companies and opera houses in Scotland, England, Australia, Denmark, Spain and the United States, and with artists and creative teams from near and far. We hope that you find much to enjoy, and look forward to welcoming you to a performance soon. As ever, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who makes it all possible our audiences, our supporters and the Scottish Government for its invaluable funding and support. Alex Reedijk General Director Stuart Stratford Music Director 3

4 SEASON For over 56 years, Scottish Opera has taken opera the length and breadth of Scotland travelling by land, air and sea to highlands, lowlands, cities and islands, from the smallest village halls to theatres, community centres and everything in between. We couldn t do this without support from all sorts of people and organisations, who give what they can to help us do what we do best. Thank you, each and every one of you Aberdeen 2. Aboyne 3. Alford 4. Annan 5. Arisaig 6. Arrochar 7. Ayr 8. Barrhead 9. Bathgate 10. Beauly 11. Birnam 12. Bowmore 13. Bunessan 14. Callander 15. Campbeltown 16. Castle Douglas 17. Cumnock 18. Cupar 19. Dirleton 20. Dunfermline 21. Earlston 22. Edinburgh 23. Ellon 24. Fochabers 25. Galashiels 26. Giffnock 27. Glasgow 28. Greenock 29. Haddington 30. Inverness 31. Kirkcudbright 32. Kirkwall 33. Largs 34. Lerwick 35. Markinch 36. Melrose 37. Motherwell 38. Musselburgh 39. Oban 40. Old Kilpatrick 41. Paisley 42. Peebles 43. Perth 44. Portree 45. Rutherglen 46. St Andrews 47. Stirling 48. Stonehaven 49. Stornoway 50. Stranraer 51. Tain 52. Thurso 53. Ullapool DON T MISS OUT SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! Save up to 70 Book our subscription series Tosca, Nixon in China, A Midsummer Night s Dream and The Gondoliers in Glasgow or Edinburgh and save up to 70. Book Tosca and The Gondoliers in Aberdeen or Inverness and save up to 20. Get further discounts Subscribers qualify for exclusive discounts on some Opera in Concert performances book before 29 April Secure the best seats in the house Be the first to receive new Season information and benefit from priority booking. Spread the cost Buy a subscription before 19 July 2019 and spread the cost by paying by Direct Debit over 6 months. Free seat upgrades If an upgrade is available on the day of performance, subscribers can exchange tickets for a better seat.* Free ticket exchanges If a date no longer suits, subscribers can exchange tickets up to 24 hours before a performance. For more information, go to scottishopera.org.uk or contact your local box office. * Upgrades are subject to availability in a higher price band. Ask at the box office counter 1 hour before the start of a performance until 30 minutes before curtain up. Free ticket exchanges are subject to availability in the venue for which you originally booked. If your replacement tickets are of a higher value, we will let you know the cost. DON T MISS OUT! Under 26? Know someone who is? Get cheap tickets in advance for most of our shows. Any seat, any performance. Find out more online. 4 5

5 REVIVAL OF THE 1980 PRODUCTION Supported by The Scottish Opera Syndicate Subscription HHHHH The Herald HHHH The Scotsman Passion, glamour, love worth dying for Anthony Besch s Tosca has it all. In 1940s Rome, in the shadow of Mussolini s tyrannical rule, the ill-fated lovers come to life against a backdrop of political corruption and intrigue. With Peter Rice s designs providing a spectacular setting to equal the drama, this superb production is beloved the world over. Don t miss it as it comes home to the Scottish Opera stage. Scottish Opera s Tosca is flawless, from start to finish a feast for the eyes. The Herald Puccini s music, at times heartbreakingly tender, at others powerful and harrowing, captures the sweeping span of the story from the exquisite stillness of a silent dawn in Rome to the raw drama of Tosca s final, desperate plight. The must-see internationally renowned cast includes award-winning soprano Natalya Romaniw (Eugene Onegin 2018), tenor Gwyn Hughes Jones (Il trovatore 2015) and baritone Roland Wood (Pelléas & Mélisande 2017). Music Director Stuart Stratford conducts. Theatre Royal Glasgow Oct pm 20 Oct pm Dementia Friendly Performance 24 Oct pm (see page 34) His Majesty s Theatre, Aberdeen 31 Oct 2 Nov pm Dementia Friendly Performance 1 Nov pm (see page 34) Eden Court, Inverness Nov pm Festival Theatre Edinburgh Nov pm 17 Nov pm Dementia Friendly Performance 19 Nov pm (see page 34) Running time approx. 2 hrs 45 mins Sung in Italian with English supertitles Puccini TOSCA Conductors Stuart Stratford & Derek Clark Original Director Anthony Besch Revival Director Jonathan Cocker Designer Peter Rice Lighting Robert B Dickson Tosca Natalya Romaniw & Sinéad Campbell-Wallace Cavaradossi Gwyn Hughes Jones Scarpia Roland Wood Angelotti Dingle Yandell Spoletta Aled Hall Sacristan Paul Carey Jones Sciarrone Lancelot Nomura 7

6 SCOTTISH OPERA PREMIERE A new co-production with The Royal Danish Theatre & Teatro Real Madrid Subscription A first for Scottish Opera. John Fulljames Director of Opera at The Royal Danish Theatre directs Adams iconic work, with designs by the ever-inventive Dick Bird (The Mikado 2016). Inspired by Nixon s much-publicised visit to China in 1972, this groundbreaking piece explores the reality behind the hype. It is as much about the private moments as the public, about the wives as much as the husbands, and about what we choose to remember as much as what actually happened The most influential opera of the last few decades, it has lost none of its power and remains Adams finest stage work. The Guardian Theatre Royal Glasgow Feb pm Festival Theatre Edinburgh Feb pm Running time approx. 3 hrs 30 mins Sung in English with English supertitles John Adams NIXON IN CHINA Famed for giving minimalism a human face, Adams mixes a huge range of sounds in his eclectic score. Pre-recorded electronics sit alongside live passages echoing Wagner and Johann Strauss; jazz references alongside big band sounds that evoke the 1930s of Nixon s youth. Acclaimed Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro leads an exciting cast including American baritone Eric Greene, Swedish soprano Julia Sporsén (Ariadne auf Naxos 2018), British tenor Mark Le Brocq (Anthropocene 2019) and South Korean soprano Hye-Youn Lee (La bohème 2017). Libretto Alice Goodman Conductor Joana Carneiro Director John Fulljames Set & Costume Designer Dick Bird Lighting Designer Ellen Ruge Video Designer Will Duke Sound Designer Cameron Crosby Original Choreographer John Ross Revival Choreographer Nathan Johnston Richard Nixon Eric Greene Mao Tse-tung Mark Le Brocq Chou En-lai Nicholas Lester Pat Nixon Julia Sporsén Henry Kissinger David Stout Chiang Ch ing (Madame Mao) Hye-Youn Lee First Secretary to Mao Louise Callinan Second Secretary to Mao Sioned Gwen Davies Third Secretary to Mao Emma Carrington 9

7 Britten A MIDSUMMER NIGHT S DREAM NEW PRODUCTION Supported by The Alexander Gibson Circle Subscription Dominic Hill, Artistic Director of the Citizens Theatre, returns to Scottish Opera to bring his Shakespearean expertise to bear once more. Joined by designer Tom Piper, famed for the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation at the Tower of London, he promises to enchant and entertain with Britten s beguiling work. Four lovers lost in the woods, fairies, magic, comedy and more all come together in an otherworldly blend of imagination and reality. The music is some of Britten s most atmospheric. With a staggering range of instrumental colours that brings to life fairies, lovers and rustics as well as the wood itself it is intense, heady, and packed with standout vocal writing. The cast of talent-to-watch includes David Shipley, recent graduate of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, and countertenor Morten Grove Frandsen, a winner of Denmark s Reumert Talent prize, alongside soprano Jennifer France (Anthropocene 2019) and Scottish tenor and BBC broadcaster Jamie MacDougall (Ariadne auf Naxos 2018). Music Director Stuart Stratford conducts. Conductor Stuart Stratford Director Dominic Hill Set & Costume Designer Tom Piper Lighting Designer Lizzie Powell Movement Director Kally Lloyd-Jones Bottom David Shipley Oberon Morten Grove Frandsen Tytania Jennifer France Demetrius Michel de Souza Helena Charlie Drummond* Snout Jamie MacDougall Flute William Morgan Snug Dingle Yandell Starveling Mark Nathan* Theseus Trevor Eliot Bowes Festival Theatre Edinburgh 31 Mar 2 4 Apr pm Theatre Royal Glasgow Apr pm Running time approx. 3 hrs 15 mins Sung in English with English supertitles * Scottish Opera Emerging Artist (see page 32) Britten s wonderful music has always captivated me, plunging us into the mysterious, unnerving world of sleep and dreams. Dominic Hill Look out for HERMIA S NIGHTMARE A new work from Composer in Residence Samuel Bordoli, exploring the scenes from the play that Britten cut. Performed in the foyer before each show more info coming soon! 11

8 Gilbert & Sullivan THE GONDOLIERS A new co-production with D Oyly Carte Opera & State Opera South Australia Supported by Scottish Opera s Play A Supporting Role Appeal Sunny, funny and with more tra la la las per square inch than any other opera in the canon, The Gondoliers is a joy from start to finish. In a flight of the satirical whimsy so typical of G&S, two happy-go-lucky gondoliers discover that one of them is, in fact, heir to the throne of a distant kingdom. True to their (adopted) Republican roots, they set off together to rule in idealistic, if somewhat chaotic, style... Director Stuart Maunder, Artistic Director at State Opera South Australia, teams up with designer Dick Bird (The Mikado 2016) to stage a production that is fast, furious and full of fun. The Gondoliers is a glorious confection the sunniest, most joyous of the Savoy scores, jam-packed with star roles, all unforgettable. It s an irresistible helping of relentless joy. Stuart Maunder Subscription Theatre Royal Glasgow May pm 17 May pm His Majesty s Theatre, Aberdeen May pm Eden Court, Inverness Jun pm Festival Theatre Edinburgh Jun pm 13 Jun pm Hackney Empire, London Jul pm Jul pm Running time approx. 2 hrs 40 mins The score sees Sullivan at the top of his game and is packed with favourites including the Regular Royal Queen quartet. The fabulous ensemble cast includes ENO Harewood Artist William Morgan (The Magic Flute 2019), Ellie Laugharne (The Pirates of Penzance 2013), Ben McAteer (The Mikado 2016), Sioned Gwen Davies (Rigoletto 2018) and G&S favourite Richard Suart (The Mikado 2016). Scottish Opera s Head of Music and G&S aficionado Derek Clark conducts. Conductors Derek Clark & James Hendry Director Stuart Maunder Set & Costume Designer Dick Bird Lighting Designer Paul Keogan Choreographer Yvette Lee Marco Palmieri William Morgan Giuseppe Palmieri Mark Nathan* Gianetta Ellie Laugharne Tessa Sioned Gwen Davies The Duchess of Plaza-Toro Sarah Pring The Duke of Plaza-Toro Richard Suart Don Alhambra del Bolero (The Grand Inquisitor) Ben McAteer Casilda Charlie Drummond* Antonio Arthur Bruce* Sung in English with English supertitles * Scottish Opera Emerging Artist (see page 32) Don t miss UTOPIA, LIMITED A semi-staged performance of one of G&S s lesser-known works more information on page

9 EUROPEAN PREMIERE A new co-production with Opera Ventures & Houston Grand Opera, in association with Bristol Old Vic Co-presented with Opera Ventures & Edinburgh International Festival Edinburgh International Festival 2019 Missy Mazzoli s dark and daring opera caused a sensation when it premiered in 2016 it won the 2017 Best New Opera Award from the Music Critics Association of North America and was shortlisted for an International Opera Award. Based on Lars von Trier s award-winning film, it tells the story of a young woman living in the Scottish Highlands in the 1970s. Caught in a torrent of contradictions about how to behave, she struggles to appease. Then, following a tragic accident, she finds herself in an impossible situation, and has no choice but to carve out her own path King s Theatre, Edinburgh Aug pm Running time approx. 2 hrs 30 mins Sung in English with English supertitles Please note: Contains strong language, violence, adult themes and partial nudity Savage, heartbreaking, and thoroughly original. The Wall Street Journal Bristol Old Vic s Tom Morris, Tony Award-winning director of War Horse, follows his acclaimed The Death of Klinghoffer at ENO and the Met with the European premiere of Mazzoli s hugely original work. The international cast includes American soprano Sydney Mancasola, Edinburgh-born baritone Duncan Rock and Irish-Canadian mezzo Wallis Giunta, winner of the 2018 International Opera Awards Young Singer of the Year. Music Director Stuart Stratford conducts. Libretto Royce Vavrek Missy Mazzoli BREAKING THE WAVES Conductor Stuart Stratford Director Tom Morris Designer Soutra Gilmour Lighting Designer Richard Howell Projection Designer Will Duke Sound Designer Jon Nicholls Associate Director & Movement Sara Brodie Bess McNeill Sydney Mancasola Jan Nyman Duncan Rock Dodo McNeill Wallis Giunta Mother Orla Boylan Dr Richardson Elgan Llŷr Thomas Terry Byron Jackson Councilman Freddie Tong This production has been made possible with support from Howard and Sarah Solomon Foundation, Denise Coates Foundation, Karl Sydow, Scottish Opera s New Commissions Circle, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music and a syndicate of donors. 15

10 Supported by Scottish Opera Endowment Trust & Friends of Scottish Opera Opera in Concert Following the overwhelming success of recent years, Music Director Stuart Stratford again curates the Opera in Concert series offering a fantastic selection of rarely performed gems. This Season s semi-staged performances include several firsts both for Scottish Opera and for Scotland. Stuart continues to celebrate his love of the verismo works of Pietro Mascagni, and we delve deeper into the world of Gilbert & Sullivan with a rare performance of one of their lesser-known works. & Mascagni ZANETTO Lammermuir Festival St Mary s Parish Church, Haddington 20 Sep pm Wolf-Ferrari SUSANNA S SECRET OPERA IN CONCERT The Orchestra of Scottish Opera David Parry conducts this double bill of semi-staged two-handers, the Mascagni a Scottish Opera premiere. Silvia, a lonely courtesan, has lost her faith in love until an encounter with a wandering minstrel re-awakens her heart. Set in the hills above Renaissance Florence, Zanetto is a far cry from the earthy grit of Cavalleria rusticana but nonetheless shares the atmosphere and lyricism of Mascagni s best-loved work. Susanna s Secret is sophisticated and charming of the same time as Zanetto, but the perfect comedic contrast. A husband, smelling smoke on his wife s clothes, accuses her of cheating. She reluctantly admits to having a secret, but it isn t quite what he expected. Conductor David Parry Director Rosie Purdie Soloists include Sinéad Campbell-Wallace, Hanna Hipp, Richard Burkhard & Clare Presland Running time approx. 1 hr 50 mins Sung in Italian with English supertitles On sale 28 May 2019 at lammermuirfestival.co.uk Scottish Opera s Opera in Concert series is an invaluable contribution to opera in Scotland. The Scotsman on Le villi

11 Mascagni CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Usher Hall, Edinburgh 2 May pm A young Sicilian villager returns from the wars to find his fiancée has married another. Unable to resist her former lover she is soon back in his bed, but her husband is distraught and intent on revenge Effortlessly evoking the harsh romance of Sicilian life, Cavalleria rusticana is a work of pulsing passion and rich lyricism. In this semi-staged performance, Stuart Stratford chooses to pair it not with Pagliacci, as is often the case, but with the Scottish Opera premiere of a lesser-known work by Leoncavallo, Zingari. With a parallel narrative that sees another love triangle go disastrously wrong, it is based on Pushkin s The Gypsies a fiery testament to Leoncavallo s love of combining music and poetry. Conductor Stuart Stratford Director Orpha Phelan Soloists include Evez Abdulla, Justina Gringyte & Julia Sporsén Running time approx. 2 hrs 30 mins Sung in Italian with English supertitles 18 SCOTTISH OPERA PREMIERE Mascagni IRIS City Halls, Glasgow 1 Dec pm A gripping story of innocence lost, Iris tells the tale of a naive young girl. She is blissfully unaware of life s darker side but, tempted from her home, suffers a brutal crash course in how cruel the world can be. Looking to Japan for inspiration, Iris pre-empted Puccini s Madama Butterfly by six years. An opera of contradictions, where the most despicable characters are often given the most alluring melodies, it is full of colour and vibrancy, and includes the stunning Hymn to the Sun often extolled as Mascagni s finest writing. Conductor Stuart Stratford Director Roxana Haines Soloists include Ric Furman, Natalya Romaniw & Roland Wood Running time approx. 2 hrs 45 mins Sung in Italian with English supertitles Leoncavallo &ZINGARI SCOTTISH OPERA PREMIERE A new co-production with D Oyly Carte Opera & State Opera South Australia Gilbert & Sullivan UTOPIA, LIMITED Theatre Royal Glasgow 21 May pm Festival Theatre Edinburgh 12 Jun pm Hackney Empire, London 17 Jul pm Gilbert & Sullivan s penultimate opera, Utopia, Limited, was written immediately after The Gondoliers. Here, in a semi-staged performance with an updated libretto by director Stuart Maunder and a revised musical version by Scottish Opera s Head of Music Derek Clark, it is given its Scottish Opera premiere and the airing it so deserves. Satirising the conceits of the mighty British Empire, its politics, monarchy and press, Utopia, Limited is as incisive now as ever it was. On the island of Utopia, in the far South Seas, King Paramount dreams of England. But his hope to civilise his people by adopting English ways backfires, and all turns out to be decidedly less civilised than expected Full of sparkling wit, Utopia, Limited is packed with showstopping patter, brilliant choruses and music that is, at times, of almost Verdian beauty. Performed by the cast of The Gondoliers. Conductor Derek Clark Director Stuart Maunder Set & Costume Designer Dick Bird Lighting Designer Paul Keogan Choreographer Yvette Lee Running time approx. 2 hrs 40 mins Sung in English with English supertitles Opera in Concert 19 20

12 OPERA HIGHLIGHTS Supported by Friends of Scottish Opera On the Road HHHH The Scotsman 2019 HHHHH Scotsgay 2018 HHHH The Herald 2017 Each year, Opera Highlights takes four singers and a pianist out and about around Scotland, travelling the highways and byways by land, air and sea, to bring a musical mix of operatic treasures to venues the length and breadth of the country. This Season, the show is visiting 34 venues over Autumn 2019 and Spring 2020, and is packed with operatic classics and must-hear rarities, once again curated by Scottish Opera s Head of Music Derek Clark. Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti rub shoulders with Gilbert & Sullivan and a new piece by Scottish Opera Composer in Residence Samuel Bordoli. A splendid evening, beautiful music with verve and humour. And on our doorstep! I d go again at the drop of a hat. Audience member 2018 AUTUMN Sep to 19 Oct Touring to Motherwell, Stirling, Stonehaven, Tain, Ullapool, Stornoway, Portree, Oban, Galashiels, Perth, Dunfermline, Thurso, Kirkwall, Ellon, Stranraer, Greenock & Musselburgh On sale Summer 2019 SPRING Feb to 14 Mar Touring to Bathgate, Birnam, Markinch, Campbeltown, Bowmore, Arrochar, Bunessan, Arisaig, Beauly, Cumnock, Castle Douglas, Callander, Lerwick, Peebles, Fochabers, Alford & Rutherglen A wonderfully diverse view of what opera has to offer. Scots Whay Hae 2019 On sale Winter 2019 Running time approx. 2 hrs Roxana Haines (Edgar 2018) directs two casts of fresh, new talent, including Scottish Opera s Emerging Artist singers for 2019/20 soprano Charlie Drummond, former young artist at the National Opera Studio; baritone Mark Nathan, recent graduate from the Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; and baritone Arthur Bruce, a former member of Scottish Opera Young Company, who also recently graduated from the RCS Opera School. Why not JOIN THE FRIENDS Become a Friend of Scottish Opera and help make this tour happen find out more at scottishopera.org.uk 21

13 WORLD PREMIERE A new co-commission with Royal & Derngate, Northampton Supported by Scottish Opera s Education Angels & New Commissions Circle For Little Ones HHHHH The Herald BambinO 2017 HHHHH The Observer BambinO 2017 Edinburgh Academy Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2 to 16 Aug 2019 (excl. Mondays) 10am & 11.30am Following the enormous popularity of BambinO, composer Lliam Paterson is back with a brand new opera for 12 to 24 month olds. Director Roxana Haines and designers Giuseppe Belli and Emma Belli (BambinO 2017) join him to create a show that is full of imagination a magical journey of discovery for those taking their first small steps into the big wide world. A perfect piece for the youngest audience. Sunday Herald on BambinO 2018 A little fox is sent on an adventure to explore the world and learn to see through the eyes of other creatures. Stretched out in the sun as a cat, soaring in the sky as a butterfly... it s fun to be someone else. But, as Mother Vixen guides her cub s journey from the shadows, will the little one discover what it takes to become an excellent fox? On sale now see page 43 Royal & Derngate, Northampton 27 Aug pm 28 Aug to 1 Sep am & 2pm On sale now see page 44 Touring Scotland Spring 2020 Go to scottishopera.org.uk for more details from Summer 2019 Running time approx. 45 mins Set in a woodland world where anything can happen, this engaging mix of music and puppetry is an interactive experience for small people and their adults to enjoy together. Performed by two singers, a cellist and a percussionist, Paterson s score draws on influences from French Baroque dances to contemporary opera all cleverly reimagined for an audience at the very start of their musical lives. Lliam Paterson FOX-TOT! Director Roxana Haines Designers Giuseppe Belli & Emma Belli Puppet Designer Mervyn Millar for Significant Object Mezzo-soprano Katie Grosset Countertenor Daniel Keating-Roberts Cello Laura Sergeant Percussion Michael D Clark This production is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. 23

14 SCOTTISH OPERA PREMIERE Supported by Scottish Opera s Education Angels Scottish Opera Young Company HHHH The Herald Opera Sparks 2018 HHHH The List The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 2016 Glasgow Spring 2020 On sale Winter 2019 The Scottish Opera Young Company continues to stretch its wings this Season performing Sondheim s multi-olivier Awardwinning Merrily We Roll Along. Young Company Artistic Director Jonathon Swinard conducts this Scottish Opera premiere of a sophisticated score that was, unusually, written to be performed entirely by young adults. Running time approx. 2 hrs Sung in English Sondheim s wonderful score is both uplifting and incredibly poignant his jazzy ensemble writing full of characteristic wit and toe-tapping Broadway energy. Jonathon Swinard Stephen Sondheim MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Merrily We Roll Along has long been a go-to work for recording artists from Sinatra to Liza Minnelli, and the unfailingly original score is full of the devilish wit for which Sondheim is so loved. A dark tale of ambition and disillusion, the story starts at the end of a successful career that has seen Franklin Shepard go from penniless composer to Hollywood impresario. But as the years roll back, it is soon evident that much has been lost to get there, and success isn t necessarily the key to happiness Scottish Opera Young Company For 17 to 25 year olds with a passion for performance Scottish Opera Young Company gives aspiring young singers and stage managers a unique and practical introduction to the world of opera. Rehearsing throughout the year, Young Company members work with a range of opera professionals including directors, choreographers, conductors and vocal coaches to hone their skills, culminating in their own fully-staged production. And for those not yet quite ready for the Young Company, SOYC Gateway is the perfect first step for 14 to 17 year old aspiring singers. Holly Jarvis, Dillon McFarlane & James McIntyre, Scottish Opera Young Company 2018/19 For more information on how to join, go to scottishopera.org.uk or call the Education team on

15 Supported by Edith Rudinger Gray Charitable Trust & Scottish Opera s Education Angels On the Road Love, magic, music there are a surprising number of similarities between Mozart and Robert Burns. Conceived, written and directed by Mary McCluskey, former Artistic Director of Scottish Youth Theatre, this original piece is an energetic exploration of the links between two disparate, but much-loved, 18th-century Enlightenment giants. Two protégés blessed with exceptional talent, both hugely passionate. This piece is a celebration of their lives, their loves and their legacy. Mary McCluskey AUTUMN Sep to 12 Oct Touring to Earlston, Kirkcudbright, Annan, Cumnock, Ayr, Largs, Edinburgh, Glasgow & Paisley On sale Summer 2019 Running time approx. 1 hr * Scottish Opera Emerging Artist (see page 32) Scottish Opera s Head of Music Derek Clark curates a programme of music that celebrates the work of these extraordinary men from the magical and mystical in The Magic Flute and Tam O Shanter to the wonderful declarations of love in Don Giovanni and A Red, Red Rose. Traditional Burns songs sit alongside new arrangements by Music Director and pianist Karen MacIver, one half of award-winning duo PianoPiano. The cast includes renowned Scottish actor Andy Clark; Arthur Bruce, one of Scottish Opera s Emerging Artists for 2019/20; and Samling Young Artist Stephanie Stanway, as well as a four-voice ensemble from the Scottish Opera Young Company. AMADEUS & THE BARD 18 TH CENTURY COSMIC BROTHERS Music Director/Pianist Karen MacIver Director Mary McCluskey Soprano Stephanie Stanway Baritone Arthur Bruce* Actor Andy Clark Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius. Mozart 26 27

16 Supported by Scottish Opera s Education Angels On the Road Pop-up Opera is back on the road in 2019 with three brilliant shows for audiences of all ages. Performed in a specially adapted trailer, each performance is brought to life by a storyteller, two singers, musicians and a series of colourful illustrations. A Little Bit of Magic Flute and A Little Bit of Iolanthe are cleverly rewritten 25-minute versions of the full operas, while Puffy McPuffer & the Crabbit Canals has been created for 5 to 8 year olds. A LITTLE BIT OF IOLANTHE Gilbert & Sullivan arr. Derek Clark Supported by The D Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Iolanthe is banished by the Fairy Queen for marrying a mortal. Now, 25 years later, two worlds again collide when her son announces he s in love. Unfortunately, his beloved is a popular girl and he has some serious competition Light-hearted satire at its best, Iolanthe is full of fun. SUMMER May to 20 July Tour includes Perth Festival of the Arts, Dunfermline, Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival, Old Kilpatrick, Barrhead, Giffnock, Borders Book Festival, Dirleton, Callander, Cupar Arts EDEN, Aboyne & Deeside Festival, Haddington Show & Glasgow Canal Festival Go to scottishopera.org.uk for details A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC FLUTE Mozart arr. Derek Clark Tamino is in love with Pamina, the daughter of the mysterious Queen of the Night. When she is abducted, he sets off to rescue her but soon realises all is not quite as it seems. A beguiling mix of comedy, fantasy and pantomime, The Magic Flute is also a profound story of the search for love, wisdom and truth. PUFFY McPUFFER & THE CRABBIT CANALS Music Marion Christie Words Allan Dunn For kids aged 5 to 8 A tale of the five waterways that link Scotland from the North Sea to the Atlantic. Like most families, each one is different: Caledonian the longest; Crinan the most beautiful; hard-working Monklands; Union the fastest; wise old Forth & Clyde. Each one thinks they re the best. Can an ordinary little puffer boat make them think again? POP-UP OPERA 2019 Storyteller Ross Stenhouse Sopranos Jessica Leary & Charlotte Hoather Baritone Aidan Edwards Accordion Lizy Stirrat Flute Laura Cioffi Harp Sharron Griffiths & Gwen Yorke Sinclair 29

17 BECAUSE YOU LOVE... MUSIC DRAMA THEATRE BECAUSE YOU LOVE... OPERA Support us at scottishopera.org.uk/support-us Or call us on

18 DEVELOPING NEW TALENT OPERA UNWRAPPED Scottish Opera has a long history of nurturing talent: from performers to composers and costume trainees, it s always been an integral part of the Company s activity. This Season there is a whole range of performances featuring up-and-coming stars, including our Emerging Artists. Emerging Artists Supported by The Robertson Trust, Elizabeth Salvesen & Scottish Opera s Emerging Artist Benefactors The Emerging Artists programme gives young artists the opportunity of a lifetime a period of full-time work with the Company to help them launch their careers. Our 2019/20 artists are: Soprano Charlie Drummond Baritones Arthur Bruce & Mark Nathan Repetiteur To be announced Costume trainee To be announced Composer Samuel Bordoli Emerging Artists are involved in productions throughout the Season, and you can hear Samuel Bordoli s work in Hermia s Nightmare, as well as in our Opera Highlights tour. The singers also perform in three recitals during the year: University of St Andrews Wed 20 Nov 2019 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Fri 10 Jan 2020 University of Glasgow Thu 16 Jan 2020 For more information, performance details and how to book, go to scottishopera.org.uk Whether you re new to opera or an old hand, you can find out more at Opera Unwrapped hour-long tasters that give insights into our shows and how they are created. Presented from the stage, Unwrapped events involve singers, backstage crew and The Orchestra of Scottish Opera. You ll hear highlights from the music and find out more about the props, costumes, lighting and direction, as well as some backstage secrets. Tickets are just 5 come along and find out more! Tosca Unwrapped Glasgow Mon 21 Oct pm Inverness Fri 8 Nov pm Edinburgh Mon 18 Nov pm Nixon in China Unwrapped Glasgow Fri 21 Feb pm Edinburgh Fri 28 Feb pm A Midsummer Night s Dream Unwrapped Edinburgh Wed 1 Apr pm Glasgow Wed 22 Apr pm Presenter Allan Dunn FREE SCHOOL TICKETS... Available for secondary school groups. Call our Education team on to book. Limited availability

19 DEMENTIA FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES Performances for people living with dementia have become an important part of Scottish Opera s Season. Designed to make attending a favourite opera as easy as possible, they run alongside the full-length performances in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and this Season, for the first time, in Aberdeen too. Each of our Dementia Friendly operas is specially created, and is a fully-staged, shortened version of one of our main titles. This Season, it s Puccini s Tosca. Packed with passion and drama, and some spectacular music, it s one of the world s favourite operas. A narrator, The Orchestra of Scottish Opera and a full cast of singers lead audiences through the story and some of the best-loved music from the opera. The show lasts under two hours, with an interval, and doors open 45 minutes before the start time so there is lots of time to find your seat and get settled in for the performance. There are plenty of wheelchair spaces and extra staff on hand to help those who wish to transfer. Lighting levels in the auditorium are slightly brighter, and members of the audience are able to come in and out of the auditorium if they need to, or to watch the show in the bar on TV screens if they prefer. Quiet areas are available and the cafés at each theatre are open for teas, coffees and a selection of cakes. Tosca Glasgow Thu 24 Oct pm Aberdeen Fri 1 Nov pm Edinburgh Tue 19 Nov pm Presenter Allan Dunn Sung in Italian with English supertitles Running time approx. 1 hr 45 mins Great experience. We couldn t have been looked after better. Audience member So relaxing to have a day at the opera again without worrying about offending anyone or having to start explaining about [my spouse s] behaviour. Audience member Tickets 10 call your local box office to book. Wheelchair spaces should be booked in advance. Groups welcome

20 AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES PRE-SHOW TALKS If you re visually impaired, you can enjoy the full opera experience with a live commentary that describes the action on stage, without compromising the music. Want to know more about the opera you re going to see? As part of the experience, we include: A free CD with an introduction to the production A Touch Tour of the set, costumes and props before the show An audio introduction 15 minutes before the start of the main performance. If you or someone you know is interested in booking for an audio-described performance, simply contact the box office at your chosen theatre. Discounted tickets are available. Tickets for audio-description and Touch Tours must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Guide dogs are welcome. Audio-described performances are listed opposite. Touch Tours start at 6pm for evening performances and 1.45pm for matinees (1.15pm for The Gondoliers on 13 Jun). Interested? FIND OUT MORE... There s more information on all this service provides at scottishopera.org.uk Breaking the Waves Edinburgh Fri 23 Aug pm Tosca Glasgow Sat 26 Oct pm Aberdeen Sat 2 Nov pm Inverness Sat 9 Nov pm Edinburgh Sun 17 Nov pm Nixon in China Glasgow Sat 22 Feb pm Edinburgh Sat 29 Feb pm A Midsummer Night s Dream Edinburgh Sat 4 Apr pm Glasgow Sat 25 Apr pm The Gondoliers Glasgow Sat 23 May pm Aberdeen Sat 30 May pm Inverness Sat 6 Jun pm Edinburgh Sat 13 Jun pm These free half-hour sessions delve deeper into the opera, enhancing your enjoyment and extending your knowledge of the piece. Tickets are free but should be reserved by calling the box office at your chosen venue. Limited availability. Tosca Glasgow Sat 26 Oct pm Aberdeen Sat 2 Nov pm Inverness Sat 9 Nov pm Edinburgh Sat 23 Nov pm Nixon in China Glasgow Sat 22 Feb pm Edinburgh Sat 29 Feb pm A Midsummer Night s Dream Edinburgh Sat 4 Apr pm Glasgow Sat 25 Apr pm The Gondoliers Glasgow Sat 23 May pm Aberdeen Sat 30 May pm Inverness Sat 6 Jun pm Edinburgh Sat 13 Jun pm London Sat 18 Jul pm 36 37

21 GET INVOLVED... Join in with choirs, school events, community projects and more. For information on all of these projects, call our Education team on or go to scottishopera.org.uk Community Choir For adults of all ages We need your voice! With a mix of opera, classical, popular, folk and world music, our Community Choir meets on Wednesday evenings in the Robertson Trust Education Rooms at Theatre Royal Glasgow. You don t need to be able to read music or have any previous experience. Just come and give it a go, and see what fun singing can be! Conductor Katy Lavinia Cooper Sep to Dec 2019 Jan to Apr 2020 May to Jun 2020 Primary Schools Tour For Primary 5-7 classes Our children s operas make learning fun and creative. Pupils participate in a high-quality, day-long music theatre workshop, culminating in a performance for parents and guests. This year s show is Warriors! The Emperor s Incredible Army, commissioned in partnership with the five Scottish Confucius Institutes. Music Alan Penman Words Ross Stenhouse Jan to Mar 2020 Apr to Jun 2020 The Opera Factory For Primary 3 classes What are the essential ingredients for making an opera? Singers? Orchestra? Costumes? Scottish Opera invites young audiences on a whirlwind musical adventure to find out how opera is made. Supported by online resources designed to reinforce key learning outcomes of A Curriculum for Excellence for Level 1. Presenter Allan Dunn May to Jun 2019 Memory Spinners For people living with dementia Memory Spinners groups meet weekly in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Airdrie. Using music, movement and the visual arts, the programme helps participants relax, get creative and form new support networks, sharing memories that are incorporated into a relaxed performance for friends and family. Airdrie Aug to Sep 2019 Jan to Mar 2020 Glasgow Sep to Nov 2019 Apr to Jun 2020 Edinburgh Oct to Dec 2019 Spinning Songs An intergenerational programme for pre-school, primary and elderly citizens This new project is inspired by a growing awareness of the mutual benefits of interaction between people living with dementia and young children. During weekly workshops, participants are encouraged to develop their musical and expressive arts skills, together creating a series of original songs that reflect life in their local community. Our education work is supported by Scottish Opera s Education Angels Become an EDUCATION ANGEL... And support projects like these. Go to scottishopera.org.uk to find out more. 38

22 INFORMATION INFORMATION 282 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 3QA Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9FT By phone: Mon to Sat 9am-10pm & Sun 10am-8pm. Calls cost up to 7p per minute, plus your phone company s access charge. In person: Mon to Sat 10am-6pm. (8pm on performance nights sales for that evening s performance only from 6pm.) Online: atgtickets.com/glasgow Access Freephone number: Text relay: YOU CAN PAY BY All major credit cards including Amex (Electron only in person). Cheques payable to ATG London Ltd. DISCOUNTS (*except Fri and Sat evenings) Discounts available for over 60s.* Discounts available for wheelchair users, people with disabilities, audio-description patrons, full-time students and unwaged. Group rates available.* Call Group Bookings on Mon to Fri 9am-5.30pm. Calls charged at local rate. Under 26s 10 tickets, any seat, any performance. Bookable in advance. Show valid ID when booking. TICKETS IN PERSON (Subscription Series), (Utopia, Limited) TICKETS ONLINE/PHONE (Subscription Series), (Utopia, Limited) A one-off 2.85 transaction fee applies to online, phone and postal bookings. By phone: Mon to Sat 11am-6pm. In person: Mon to Sat 10am-6pm (until curtain up on performance nights). Online: capitaltheatres.com Text relay: YOU CAN PAY BY Visa Electron, Visa/Delta, Mastercard and Maestro. Cheques payable to Capital Theatres. DISCOUNTS (*except Fri and Sat evenings) Day seats 14 (Subscription Series), 11 (Utopia, Limited). Available from 10am on the day of the performance. Limited availability, in person only. We reserve the right to limit to 2 per person. Discounts available for over 65s, unwaged, Capital Theatres Friends, YoungScot card holders and full-time students.* Discounts available for people with disabilities, wheelchair users and audio-description patrons. Please contact box office for details. Full-time students and unwaged 10 standby ticket. Show valid ID when booking. Subject to availability on the day of performance, from 10am in person with valid ID.* Group/school rates available.* Call Group Bookings on Mon to Fri 11am-6pm. Under 26s 10 tickets, any seat, any performance. Bookable in advance. Show valid ID when booking. TICKETS (Subscription Series), (Utopia, Limited) Prices at Festival Theatre Edinburgh include a contribution to the Theatres Development Fund. An 1 handling charge will be added for posting your tickets to you (when booked more than 1 week in advance)

23 INFORMATION INFORMATION By phone: Mon to Sat 9.30am-6pm. In person: Mon to Sat 9.30am-6pm (8pm on performance nights). Online: aberdeenperformingarts.com YOU CAN PAY BY Visa, Mastercard and Maestro. DISCOUNTS Discounts available for APA Friends, students, over 60s, unemployed, people with disabilities and audio-description patrons. Group rates available. Under 26s 10 tickets, any seat, any performance. Bookable in advance. Show valid ID when booking. TICKETS A 1 postage charge will be added if applicable. EDEN COURT INVERNESS Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL By phone: Mon to Sat 10am-8pm (Sun from 11am). In person: Mon to Sat 10am-8pm (Sun from 11am). Online: eden-court.co.uk YOU CAN PAY BY Visa, Mastercard and Maestro. Cheques payable to Eden Court. DISCOUNTS Discounts available for Eden Court Friends, students, over 60s, Jobseekers Allowance, ES40s, people with disabilities and audio-description patrons. Group rates available. Contact the box office for details. Under 26s 10 tickets, any seat, any performance. Bookable in advance. Show valid ID when booking. TICKETS A 1 postage charge will be added if applicable. Bishops Road, Inverness IV3 5SA Please note: advance tickets for Breaking the Waves are only available from Hub Tickets. By phone: Mon to Sat 10am-5pm. In person: Hub Tickets, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NE Mon to Sat 10am-5pm. Online: eif.co.uk YOU CAN PAY BY All major debit/credit cards (excl. Diners Club and Visa Electron). Cheques payable to Hub Tickets. DISCOUNTS A 50% discount is available for young people aged under 18. A 25% discount is available for people aged 26 or under. 8 tickets can be purchased from Hub Tickets on the day of a performance by people aged under 26 or recipients of Universal Credit. A 30% discount will be available for seniors and Arts Workers from 3 July. All discounts are limited. TICKETS A transaction fee of 1 per ticket, up to a maximum of 5, will be added to all bookings. 1 for postage will be added if applicable. By phone: (from Jun 2019). In person: Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QS (from Jun 2019). Online: edfringe.com (from Apr 2019). Pre-show on the door: Magnusson Theatre, Edinburgh Academy, 42 Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5BL (subject to availability). YOU CAN PAY BY All major debit/credit cards (excl. American Express, Diners Club and Visa Electron). TICKETS 12 (adult + toddler) A 1.50 postage charge will be added if applicable. Breaking the Waves at King s Theatre 2 Leven Street, Edinburgh EH3 9LQ Fox-tot! at Magnusson Theatre, Edinburgh Academy 42 Henderson Row, Edinburgh EH3 5BL 42 43

24 INFORMATION Fox-tot! at Royal & Derngate Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP By phone: In person: Royal & Derngate Online: royalandderngate.co.uk TICKETS 15 (adult + toddler). A 3 transaction charge applies to all bookings of 15 and over, excluding Friends, groups and disabled patrons. Iris at City Halls Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ By phone: In person: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and City Halls & Old Fruitmarket Online: glasgowconcerthalls.com DISCOUNTS Standard concessions available. Under 26s 10 tickets. TICKETS A 1.50 transaction fee applies to phone bookings. A 1 transaction fee applies to online bookings. A 1 postage fee will be charged if applicable. Cavalleria rusticana & Zingari at Usher Hall Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2EA By phone: In person: Usher Hall Online: usherhall.co.uk DISCOUNTS Standard concessions available. Under 26s 10 tickets. TICKETS A 1.50 transaction fee applies to phone and online bookings. 44 The Gondoliers & Utopia, Limited at Hackney Empire 291 Mare Street, London E8 1EJ By phone: In person: Hackney Empire Online: hackneyempire.co.uk DISCOUNTS Standard concessions available. Under 26s 10 tickets. TICKETS (The Gondoliers), (Utopia, Limited). A 1.25 per ticket booking fee applies to phone bookings. A 1 per ticket booking fee applies to online bookings. Image credits Pages 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 16, 22 & 24 James Glossop Page 22 Helen Musselwhite/Jonathan Beer Page 28 The cast of Pop-up Opera 2018 Rachel Bibby at 58 North Photography Page 30 Hye-Youn Lee in Madama Butterfly 2014 KK Dundas Page /19 Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Sofia Troncoso (2nd from right) in Opera Highlights 2018 Sally Jubb Page 33 Susannah Glanville & José Ferrero in Tosca 2012 Mark Hamilton Page 34 Scottish Opera s Dementia Friendly performance of La bohème 2017 James Glossop Page 37 Samuel Dale Johnson in Eugene Onegin 2018 James Glossop Page 38 Pupils from Baljaffray Primary School in 1719! Primary Schools Tour 2019 Nadine Boyd Page 39 Airdrie Memory Spinners 2018 Christina Riley Programme All contents Scottish Opera Compiled by Scottish Opera. All details are printed in good faith and are correct at the time of going to press. Scottish Opera reserves the right to change programme and cast details at any time. Visual material contained within the brochure is illustrative and does not necessarily relate to stage productions. Printed by J Thomson Colour Printers This programme is printed on an FSC certified paper

25 CONTACT US Scottish Opera, 39 Elmbank Crescent, Glasgow G2 4PT JOIN OUR LIST Call us on or sign up online at scottishopera.org.uk TELL US WHAT YOU THINK If you have any feedback on any of our activity, we d love to hear from you. feedback@scottishopera.org.uk scottishopera.org.uk Registered in Scotland Number SC Scottish Charity Number SC Scottish Opera Theatre Royal Ltd Scottish Charity Number SC Scottish Opera Endowment Trust Scottish Charity Number SC Scottish Opera is core funded by