Town Hall will host opera highlights

Scottish Opera will celebrate the 21st anniversary of Opera Highlights by kicking off their next tour at Rutherglen Town Hall.

The show, which features bite-sized chunks from opera, will be back at the Town Hall on January 29 at 7.30pm

Opera Highlights features music from some of the world’s most popular operas, as well as some lesser-known treats selected by Scottish Opera’s Head of Music, Derek Clark.

This year the programme will feature Arias from Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Verdi’s La traviata will be showcased alongside the famous Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen.

Audiences will also be treated to Gilbert & Sullivan classics from HMS Pinafore and The Gondoliers as part of the 2-hour production, while there will also be a world premiere from Scottish Opera’s new Composer in Residence, Lliam Paterson, entitled “Touching Eden”.

Scottish Opera’s Head of Music, Derek Clark, said: “In the midst of a Scottish winter sometimes we all need a bit of warming up, so the theme for the show this year is an operatic garden party.

“These are really evenings for everyone. Even if you don’t know a single tune when you come to see us, I guarantee you’ll be humming at least one of them on the journey home.”

This year’s singers are former Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Sioned Gwen Davies and tenor Sam Furness, who performed as Kate and Frederic in 2013’s The Pirates of Penzance.

They are joined by Welsh tenor Joshua Owen Mills, Ben McAteer, winner of NI Opera’s inaugural Festival of Voice competition in 2011, and soprano Reisha Adams, winner of the 2012 Ian Stoutzker prize for outstanding musicianship.

“They will be accompanied by pianist Ina Selvelieva and the production is directed by Max Webster.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £11 or £5 and the show is 7.30pm.