Enjoy a night at the opera with new show
It is often dismissed as being an elitist type of music.
But now a new show aiming to show that opera is for everyone is heading to East Kilbride at the start of next month.
Scottish Opera’s popular Opera Highlights will begin their national tour at the Village Theatre on Tuesday February 5.
Consisting of just four singers and a pianist, the group present bite-sized versions of classic opera, offering the chance to sample the genre.
The tour will journey to 18 venues across Scotland, from Ayrshire to the Western Isles, and is aimed at reaching people who might not give opera a go otherwise.
Sara Brodie will direct a programme of works by composers from across the centuries, from Handel and Gluck, to Mozart, Verdi, Britten and Bernstein, carefully curated by Scottish Opera’s Head of Music Derek Clark.
The four performers bringing the music to life reprswent some of the company’s brightest new talent.
Scottish Opera Emerging Artist 2018/19 soprano Lucy Anderson, who sang the role of Countess Ceprano in the Company’s 2018 revival of Rigoletto, mezzo-soprano Heather Ireson, tenor Tom Smith and baritone Harry Thatcher will join music director and pianist Elizabeth Rowe to bring to life some of opera’s best-known arias alongside hidden gems and forgotten favourites.
Sara Brodie explained the concept behind the show: “Opera Highlights 2019 offers a dazzling array of operatic hits from Wagner to Gilbert and Sullivan. We promise an evening of frivolities, folly and flirtation as our singers take you to the depths of the underworld, Paris at dawn, a Viennese masked ball and a tryst by the Thames.
Four erstwhile travellers journey the seas of love and back again, in scenes of picaresque torment and delight, to warm your hearts on a chilly night.’
Scottish Opera General Director, Alex Reedijk, added: ‘Following the tremendous success of our 17-date Autumn Opera Highlights tour, we are greatly looking forward to visiting 18 smaller and rural venues in the Spring.
“This new, pint-sized production is a celebration of opera and the accomplished creative team will no doubt bring out the best in this talented cast, as they journey around Scotland from Barra to Boat of Garten.’
This tour is supported by the Friends of Scottish Opera, the JTH Charitable Trust and the Scottish Opera Endowment Trust.
Tickets for the performance are priced at £12 or £5 for anyone under 26, and are available from www. sllcboxoffice.co.uk, by popping into the Village Theatre in person or by calling 01355 248669.
The show starts at 7.30pm.