Opera Bohemia:

Verdi’s Falstaff

Nine productions and 120 performances later, Opera Bohemia is no longer the new kid on the opera block.

Instead, it is an experienced and polished unit which specialises in putting on productions that have a simple set and let the music do the talking.

After a huge success with The Pearl Fishers last year, the company is returning to the Whitehall Theatre next week (16th) with one of Verdi’s classics – Falstaff.

The opera is based on the character from Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor. It was the last of the composer’s 28 operas and was premiered at La Scala Milan in 1893.

The company was founded by Fifeborn Douglas Nairne and Alistair Digges in 2010. “We started with Puccini’s La Boheme,” says Alistair. “Dougy and I were both just out of music college and were desperate to perform one of our favourite operas.

“However, I don’t think we ever thought it would turn into what it has become.”

Alistair added: “We love Verdi and having performed La Traviata a couple of years ago we were keen to do another of his works.

“We’ve done a lot of romance and tragedy over the years but not a lot of comedy, so Falstaff seemed like a great opportunity to give our audience something different. It’s also full of energy and has fantastic music.

“Dougy and I share all the responsibilities of running Bohemia together and we’ve learned a lot of new skills along the way.

“It’s a huge commitment but great fun and worth it when the productions come together.”

Award-winning director Adrian Osmond and designer Kenneth MacLeod will team up with a starstudded cast including former Scottish Opera emerging artists Andrew McTaggart, who plays the title role, Hazel McBain and Opera Bohemia favourites Douglas Nairne and Catriona Clark.

The performance will be sung in Italian with English surtitles and will be accompanied by pianist Andrew Brown.

The cast includes a large percentage of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland alumni.

“Some operas lend themselves better to our way of thinking than others,” said Alistair.

“Falstaff is by far our most substantial production and Adrian and Kenneth have created a great show on a relatively small scale for Falstaff – but on quite a big scale for Opera Bohemia.

“There’s so much in the piece in terms of the settings and props that you just must make it all work. It’s certainly been an exciting adventure for us all.”

Andrew McTaggart puts the finishing touches to his performance during dress rehearsals for Falstaff.