Edinburgh >11 Hebrides Ensemble: Rush Hour Concert St Mark‘s (’hurch. ('axtlc 'l‘errace. (rpm. 'l‘ieketx a\ai|able on the door: £(i i£4l inc glaxx ol~ \\ ine. 'l’he \eeond ol‘ three programmes l‘eaturing chamber inuxie masterpieces. \\ ith Janaeek ax the common link. 'l'onight‘x Janacek is the lirst string quartet 'I‘lu' KIZ’HIH’I' Sonulu along \\ ith Kodal} \ Utmjin' violin and (‘t'l/n and other music for \tringx.
Friday 18
Glasgow
ill Matthew Best and Chris Glynn RSANll). l00 Renli‘eu Street. 3.33 .5057. lpm. £7 (£5). ()ne ol' the \xorld‘x leading operatic baxxex perl'orms music from the (iermanie and Rllxxittll repertoire in an intimate setting. accompanied b} pianist (‘hris (}I_\nn.
I Masterclass: Matthew Best RSAN“). l00 Renl'reu Sll‘L‘L‘l. 33: .5057. 2.30pm. l-‘ree. The leading internatioiml opera ba\\ putx Academ} \llltlL‘lllN through their pace\.
I Scottish Opera: Lucia Di Lammermoor Unwrapped 'l'heatre Rt)_\£tl. 233 Hope Street. 0870 0(10 (1047. (rpm. l5ree. ad\ance booking required. Ke) memberx ol' east. orchextra and backxtage team \hare \ome or" their \ecretx with neueomerx and e\i\ting opera goers alike in an hour long look at \xhat makes opera tick.
Edinburgh
I Lunchtime Concert St (iilu‘ ('athedral. l{o_\al .\lile. 220 0073. 13.|5pm. Free. With the l)rur} Singerx all the \\a_\ li‘om Springfield. .\li\\ntll‘l. I Pixar . . . After Hours Ro}al .\lu\euni. 2 ('hamberx Street. 347 42W. () 10pm. l‘ree. (‘elebrate the museum'\ Pi\ar exhibition with style. Dress up ax your favourite cartoon character. and enjo} the \oundx ol' the lidinburgh Symphon} ()rchextra interpreting claxxie animation and film \corex. lhe bar and cale \\ill be open, \\ ith \ i\lt;tl and audio treat\ to keep _\ou entertained all exening.
Paisley
I Gleniffer Singers Annual Concert Paisle} 'l'oun llall. Abbe} (lose. 887 Hill). 7.30pm. £0 'I‘raditional. claxxical. religioux and secular tilll\lc l'rom lliix ~l0—\ll't)llf_' ladies choir.
Saturday 1 9
Glasgow
I Play it Again The Old l-‘ruitmarket. ('andleriggx. 353 S000. l0.30am & 3pm. l‘ree. .v\ccompan_\ ing the hit BB(’ tele\i\ion \hou ol' the \ame name. thix ix one iii a xeriex of live e\ent\ taking place itL‘t‘t)\\ Scotland ol‘l'ering ll]t)ll\ltlltl\ ol' people a chance to sing or pla} \\ ith the BB(' SS() and BB(‘ singerx. ()pen to L‘\L‘l'_\t)nL‘ U\ L‘l' L'lglll )L‘ttl'x. l’L‘gill'tllex (ll. musical abilit} or experience.
I Scottish Opera: Lucia Di Lammermoor 'l‘heatre Ro}al. 382 Hope Street. (1370 not) (1647. 3.15pm. £3.50 £40. Sec Wed l().
I RSAMD Students’ Concert RSAMI). I00 Renli‘e“ Street. 333 5057. 4pm. l‘ree. ticketed. Including a perl'orinance b_\ the academ} \ YnttllflVtH‘lxx \lthic SL‘L‘Utitl Orchestra. conducted b} 'l‘imoth} l’a\ton.
I Cathures: From Strife to Serenity Kelx inxide llilllteatl l’al'lxli ('hurch. ()bxerxator) Road. 334 3788. 7.30pm. :\tlltli\\it)tl b} programme. Winners ol. the ()rpheux lt‘opll} at llllx _\ear\ (ilaxgou .\lu\ic l‘extixal. the compact mi\ed-\'oice choir perl‘orni a journe} in song \ ia the lltll\lL‘ ol Vaughan Williams. .\lae(‘unu. Wood. Parr} and others.
Edinburgh I Edinburgh Academy Summer Concert ()ueen‘\ Hall. 37 S‘) (‘lel‘lk
80 THE LIST 2):: Ma, :i'iri,’
()PE RA
SCOTTISH OPERA: LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Wed 16, Sat 19, Tue 22, Sat 26, Thu 31 May; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 16, Wed 20, Fri 22 Jun
They have been described as wild, cheerless and bleak, but it is the landscape of the Lammermuirs, these low, rolling hills that characterize the area bounded by the Berwickshire coast, that provide the setting for Sir Walter Scott’s gothic novel, The Bride of Lammermoor. In turn, it inspired one of the finest examples of 19th century Italian opera, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, that retells Scott’s dark story of two feuding Scottish families, a forced marriage, and the mad bride who stabs her husband on their wedding night.
It’s hardly feature material for You and Your Wedding, but as operas go, it’s got the right ingredients. The plot, however, is fairly sparse, and, for director John Doyle, there lies its challenges. ‘lt’s grand opera, with bel canto, wonderful tunes,’ he says, ‘but the biggest challenge is holding interest in the story while the opera develops musically.’ Doyle, whose international theatre work has won countless accolades, most recently a TONY for his Broadway Sweeney Todd, is delighted to be working with Scottish Opera. Born and brought up in Inverness, he fondly recalls being taken to productions as a boy.
Combining a passion for visual storytelling with his feelings about the Scottish landscape, Doyle’s Lucia is one to look at as well as listen to. ‘The chorus are used more than usual - they’re not there just to park and bark,’ he says, ‘and although Scotland is very beautiful, we are thinking here of the hills in November, you’re freezing, you don’t do over the top gestures, you don’t show oft.’ It is certainly not Brigadoon, but a more timeless Scotland that Doyle has created. ‘lt’s a kind of bleakness with a sense of eternity, that’s in touch with nature.’ A world away from Sweeney Todd and Broadway, but, as Doyle says, ‘lt’s beautiful music and full of great, hummable tunes.’ (Carol Main)
Edinburgh
I St Giles’ at Six: Heriot Watt Chorale Excelsior Si (iilex‘ ('athedral. Ro)al .\li|e. 220 0(17 3. (1pm. l‘ree. Ste\e King conduclx a perl'ormanee ol‘ .\la\\\ ell l)a\ ie\' The [\‘(W/IYI/ /\’ml(/.
I St Andrew’s and St George’s Church Choir: Music for Ascensiontide St .-\ndre\\ ‘\ and Si (it‘ttl'gt"\ (.lllll'c'll. l .3 (iL‘ttl'gL‘ Slt‘L‘L‘l. 225 3347. 7.30pm. £7 t£5i. The choir is joined b) nunicianx li'oin the ()I'L‘llt‘xll'tt til Scotlixlt Opera and organist \lichael ll;tl‘l'l\ l'or an mening pei'l'orinance ol~ lla_\dn\ Iii/Ir ()rei/H .l/(I\\ and Bach\ ()rr/rm/m/ Sui/v .Vu / and Uni/min fulfilu Mix/(w /)i1\'. licketx autilable on the door or in ad\ance lroin
choirUl \taudi‘e“ \andxtgetu‘gexorgtik.
Street. ()(18 20W. 7pm. £0 t£3i. Programme includes .\lalco|ni .v\rno|d\ .S‘i'ullixli lhuruw and wine \olox li‘om linal _\ear pupilx.
I Thistle Music: A Concert of Richard Strauss (ire) lt'ittl'x Kirk. (ire.\lriar\ l’lace. 0l3ol 310480. 7.30pm. £l3 l£H l. Sti‘;itt\\'.-l//iim'Syrup/1mm. l'HllI’ luxl .Snngn. I)” /\’U\(‘Ill\(ll‘(l/l('l‘ Suite and ‘Xloonlight .\lu\ic‘ li'ottt (ii/nit (in. conducted b} Jamex lime and lcaturing \opt'atlo ('atriona ('lark. .-\ littingl} ambitioux launch tor a neu agcnc} l'or niuxic in Scotland.
Glasgow
I ll Divo Sli( ‘('. l‘innieston ()uav 0370 040 4000. 7.30pm. £35 £40. Pop'opera l'roin the phenomenth \uccexxlul ll I)i\o.
Stirling
I Stirling City Choir Albert llttllx. Dumbarton Road. ()l7h’o 473 544. 7.30pm. £l0 (£3). The “BF Scollixlt Symphon) ()rehextra. Stirling ('it} ('hoir. Roxenethe Singers and St .\lodan'\ School (‘hoii' perl‘orm llltlxic‘ l1} Verdi.
Tuesday 22
Glasgow
I Organ Recital: Kevin Bowyer RSAMI). I00 Renli‘eu Street. 333 5057. 5.l5pm. l‘i‘ee. ticketed. An earl} e\ening perl'ormanee ol' \an‘kx b} John Roxe. Maurice l)urulle and from The ('u/nm‘x (gill/iv ()reun.
I Scottish Opera: Lucia Di Lammermoor ’l‘heatre Ro} al. 282 Hope Street. 0870 0(10 (1047. 7. l Spill. £8.50 £40. See \Ved lo.
I The Mitchell Music: Piano Etudes Mitchell Library. Ztll North Street. 287 2870. 7.30pm. £l5. l’itllll\l Simon Smith perl‘orms ax part ol' a \L‘I'lL‘\ Ul- I‘L‘L‘lltth pl‘L‘SL‘nlL‘tl it} the .\litchell in partnerxhip \\ ith the Scottish International Piano ('ompetition.
Wednesday 23
Glasgow
I Scottish Opera: Madama Butterfly 'l‘heatre Royal. 3S: llope Street. 0870 0(10 (1(147. 7. l 5pm. £8.50 £40. See 'l‘hu I7.
I Beethoven: The Late Piano Works ('it)‘ lltlllx. (‘andlerigg\. 35.3 S000. 8 10pm. £l0 (£5). (ins/tar l-‘en'\o perl'ormx Beetho\'en'\ sublime late piano \\t)t'k\ including the Hummer/Jul [er Sonata and Uiu/wl/i liiriulionx.
Thursday 24
Glasgow
I BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Thursday Night Series ('it} llallx. (‘andleriggx 353 8000. 7.30pm. £0 £3 l .50. The orchestra is joined b) the BBC Singers for a perl‘ormance ol' Stra\ inxk} '\ Slurp/11mins of ii'im/ imirunn’nlx. l)ebu\\_\ \ .Vm‘lln'ltt's and lla}dn\ .lluu in (' Il’uuki'lmn'ne). Pie-concert prelude at (1.30pm. featuring an a cappella performance by the BB(‘ Sittget'x. l’oxl—cottcet‘l coda li‘om the
RSAMI) ('hamber (’hoir. Edinburgh
Hebrides Ensemble: Rush Hour Concert St .\l;lt'l\\ (‘liureh (’axtle 'l’ei‘race. (3pm. Tickets axailable on the door: £6 t£4) inc glihx ol~ \\ iue. lliL‘ linal Ul~ lltl‘L‘L‘ \\ eekl) pttxl-“Ut‘k hour-long pt‘tigl'illlltllL‘x l‘eaturing chamber music maxterpiecex. 'l‘onight‘x .lanacek ix the second string quartet Intimuli‘ Let/en along with l)\or;il\\ "lint-run and other lllllslc‘ l'or strings.
I NYOS Staffa Awardl-‘reemaxons’ llall. (ieorge Street. Tickets: 0| 355 244960 (Supersonic lixentxl. 7.00pm. £l5 t£l0/£Zl: £40 inc dinner. It‘s been a while \ince music ha\ been heard in the capital's l-‘reemasonx' llall. but it no“ re-openx its doors to three intei‘iuitional _\oung musicianx. l\\o pla}ing mum and one clarinet. l'roni three different Britixh couxenatoirex \\ ho compete lor lllL‘ llt‘xl pri/e (ll. £3,000.
I George Heriot’s School Queen‘x llttll. 37 h") (‘lk‘lh Street. (1(13 lel‘). 7.30pm. £tbc. l’upilx l'roin P4 P7 perl'orm a \ariet} ol' maxic. including choirs and instrumental ensembles. 'l‘iclxetx a\ailable tin uriting onl_\ please» limit the School ()l'lice. (iL‘Ul'gL‘ lleriot'x School. l.auri\ton Place. lidinburgh. lill3 ‘ll-ZQ. Please encloxe S.-\li.
Dunfermline
I Scottish Chamber Orchestra (‘arnegie llall. liaxt Port. (H.383 3l-l000. 7.30pm. £l3.50 (£5 £l01.Sec “ed :3.