A night at the opera . . . with Rabbie and Wolfie
It’s a highly unlikely pairing, but Scottish Opera reckons it works.
Putting our national poet on the same stage as the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is indeed brave.
And the presentation “Amadeus & The Bard: 18th Century Cosmic Brothers.” will perhaps split the purists.
It is set in one of Rabbie’s favourite leisure haunts - Poosie Nansie’s in Mauchline, the great inspiration behind The Jolly Beggars.
Show Director Mary McCluskey said: “It is our intention for our merry band of talented performers, singers, actors and musicians to give you an insight into the work of Mozart and Burns.
“We hope to entertain and inform and that the show will whet the appetite for the work of these two talented men.”
The show will open at Auchinleck Academy on Monday September 16 at 7pm and two nights later - Wednesday September 18 at 7pm - at Ayr Academy.
Jane Davidson, Scottish Opera’s Director of Outreach and Education said: “Amadeus & The Bard affords some fascinating glimpses into the ( often parallel) lives of Robert Burns and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
“They were both cultural icons of the eighteenth century whose musical and literary voices have inspired people through the generations down to the present day.
“The warmest of welcomes is extended to everyone to join our dynamic young company of performers around the fireside in Poosie Nansie’s hostelry for an hour of songs, ensembles, arias and poetry.”
The cast weave together traditional folk songs with some of Mozart’s most- loved music, to create a night of music and storytelling set in Poosie Nansie’s Inn, celebrating these two enlightenment men.
This is a brand new show from Scottish Opera and stars Andy Clark as the storyteller alongside baritone Arthur Bruce, a Scottish Opera Emerging Artist for 2019/ 20, soprano Stephanie Stanway and an ensemble made up of members of the Scottish Opera Young Company.
Amadeus & The Bard is supported by Barcapel Foundation, Edith Rudinger Gray Charitable Trust, The
Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Holywood Trust, The WM Mann Foundation, Jean Armour Burns Trust and Scottish Opera’s Education Angels.
The Cast and Creative Team are headed by director Mary McCluskey.
The Music Director is Karen MacIver; Soprano is Stephanie Stanway; Baritone Arthur Bruce and the Storyteller is Andy Clark
The Ensemble are Cara Blaikie, Ross Fettes, James McIntyre and Erin Spence ( Scottish Opera Young Company)
Shannon Stevenson is on violin and Karen MacInver on piano. Tickets , from Ticketweb, are priced from £ 6 to £ 11.