‘IT'S LIKE DIPPING A TOE IN THE WATER BEFORE FULL IMMERSION'
Stephen Deazley and Alexander McCall Smith
Size isn't everything
Scottish Opera attempt to turn preconceptions on their heads with FiveztS, a series of five new innovative 15-minute works. Carol Main reports
hink opera. and it‘s usuall) think big. .-\t l5
hours in total. for instance. the fottr operas that
make up \Vagner's Ring are Ver} definitel} tipping the o\erh|o\\n end of the scale. l’rming that the genre doesn't ;t|\\;t}s hate to he of such towering proportions. IIU‘.\ e\ er. Scottish ()pera's latest \enture presents operas that are a mere l5 minutes long. the speciall} commissioned operas will he staged together to make tip a performance experience that represents a next \\a_\ of thinking about opera and e\ploring \\ hat it might look like in the future. liach \\ot‘k hoasts its o\\n L‘I'L‘Ltlch‘ team. tnade up Ul‘ some of the leading lights in Scotland's creati\e and cttltttral \\orld. including ('raig Armstrong. Ian Rankin. Ron Butlin and l._\|e ('ressoell. The the operas co\ er an intriguing range of subject matter from 'liln' ant'ns o/‘(iomn to (it's'uu/t/o. the Italian Renaissance prince and composer. famous for his murders as tnuch as his music.
Heading it all tip is project dramatttrg. Michael .\lc(‘arth_\. '()pera isn't just the fat lad) singsf he sa_\s. ‘l-i’t‘t':/5 is a sharing of the disco\er_\ of opera itself. confronting this big. historic art fortn in a \\a_\ that is friendl} and refreshing. It's like dipping a toe in the \xater before full immersion.‘
'l‘he operas are not intended to be seen as the separate productions. but as a \\ hole \xhich embraces the ct‘eati\it} of all of those im'olxed. composers. \Vl'iiL‘t's and directors. Many of them liLIVC little e\perience of opera. hut. sa_\s McCarthy Having the different teams under one roof is incredibl} e\citing \\ ith a \er_\ Vibrant sense of creativit}.~
'5!
()ne teatn faced \\ith the challenge of distilling the
musical and dramatic alcheni} that is opera into the time it usuall} takes to knock hack a drink in the
inter\al. comprises composer Stephen Meade). \\ riter
.-\le\ander .\Ic(‘al| Smith and director Hen 'l'uist. 'l‘heir piece is Drum; glugtts. inspired It} the (‘eltic god of dreams. ‘lt‘s gorgeous. form} and amusing and sends shi\ers tlti\\li the spine.. sa_\s ’l‘\\ist. "l‘he ke_\
thing is that the three of its had been \xorking on it for \Vc‘ll (“Cf l\\t) )L‘dl's. st) \\ c‘l'L‘ CtllIII-Ul'lillilL‘ together
and kneu ho“ each other‘s minds \tork.‘
l-‘or composer Stephen “ea/Icy [fut/5 also offers an opportunit} to test-dri\e their \xork. He describes his music as ‘quite tuneful and a response to Sand} ‘s te\t. There is no (‘eltic music. as that's not in} \\til'ltl and l \xouldn't dare to impinge on it.‘ [hum] .lrrens
uses three solo singers and a chorus of four. as \\ ell as
:1 IS-piece til'L‘lic‘sll'Lt. so litts the largest range Hi.
singers of the li\e operas.
"l‘he chorus helps to tell the stor_\ in a \xa) that is a combination of classic (ireek chorus and helping .-\ngtts get his point across.‘ sa_\s l)ea/le_\. l'ot‘ .\lc(‘arth'\. l)r'cun1.-lngus is but one of li\e operas that might inspire audiences to catch the hug. 'lhe} all hare a different approach. and all tie in midi helping stimulate and de\e|op ne\\ operaf he sa_\s. "l‘here are no certain ansuers for the future. hut ltopclttll} \\ hat \\e are doing is part of a ne\\ period of creati\ it} for opera in Scotland.‘
Oran Mor, Glasgow, Fri 29 Feb, Sat 1 8. Sun 2 Mar; The Hub, Edinburgh, Sat 8 & Sun 9 Mar.
:1. Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano in Recital Antonio l7 ttiththo takes a break to for hrs; poottrrh at london's; Ho.al Opera House, .vhere he 's‘ l‘citl‘th‘ lltvettor, to
owe a rare perlorrriarv w an Mano. Appearing; alonrisme tenor Ian Bostntloo {I‘ll‘lllflltlL the It‘ltjtlitiiltititill‘x ttititiwtitftl part appear as part of Glasoovr's International Classwxn Season Wllll an all Schubert programme. Cttv Ha/ls. Glasgow Sun 5') Aria/1 -.< The Meadows Chamber Orchestra Brand new more from oung composer Jonathan Pitktn. his first for orchestra filliCO hrs BBC $80 eomm salon, Borrowed l/me In 900.1. Scored for conventional chamber orchestra forces, Mesh us part of Meadows' DOlIC‘y of sottrng new r/rorks alongsrde estalilrshed hiastt—Brptecr—zs. Queen's Ha/l. Ed/nht/rgh, Sun 5,) Mar.
IT' Edinburgh University Renaissance Singers :10 years old thts year. thti; ehotr. Whteh C(fliiDHSOS stttt‘let'tts and others assooeaterl wrth Edinburgh Ulit‘.’(3f.‘5li‘,’. eeletnates; its litrthday to appropriate style mth Renatssance WOrks th «10 parts by Tallis (Spam ll) Alarm; and Strtggto, ooth tnvolwrig past as well as present writers. Canongate K/rk. Ed/hhurgh, Sat 7 Mar.
fi' Scottish Opera - Five:15 See prevtow. left. Oran Mor. G/asgow. FM 2.9 Feb, Sat 7 It; Sun 2 Mar; The Hut), Edinburgh, Sat 8 8 Sun 9 Mar.
ffi' The Lost Happy Endings Indulge the Child r/tthrn and pm a muSrcal promenade adventure through the deltghts of Edtnburgh's Botantc Gardens. Stuoents from Edinburgh Unt-rerstty's Mustc lfl the Communtty coorse collaborate wrth 100 prtmar; sonooi ontldren in adapting Carol Ann Duffy's book. The Lost Happy Endrngs. Royal Botath Gardens. Edinburgh, Thu 6 8 Fr/ 7 Mar.
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