La clemenza di Tito in Scotland
La clemenza di Tito received its first performance in Scotland on 8 April 1938 at the Athenaeum Theatre, Glasgow. The performers were the Barony Musical Association, under the musical direction of Dr Erik Chisholm. He was the leading musical figure in Scotland during the 1930s, before moving to continue his career in South Africa. With Glasgow Grand he conducted UK premieres of Mozart's Idomeneo and Berlioz's The Trojans and Beatrice and Benedick. The Barony Association was established...
Posted 18 Jul 2025 | Comments
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Trial by Jury in Scotland
Trial by Jury received its first performance in Scotland at Glasgow's Gaiety Theatre on 9 August 1876.
The performers were Emily Soldene's English and Comic Opera Company. Soldene had enjoyed a successful career in the music halls before switching her attention to operetta. However the star of the show was acknowledged to be Fred Sullivan, the elder brother of the composer, who created the part of the Learned Judge and after his early death was held to be a formative influence on the...
Posted 18 Mar 2025 | Comments
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The Merry Widow in Scotland
The Merry Widow received its first Scottish performance in Glasgow, at the King's Theatre on 23 December 1907. The touring company, up from London, where it had opened at Daly's Theatre off Leicester Square, was under the management of George Edwardes, one of the leading Edwardian impresarios. The translators were Adrian Ross and Basil Hood, two of the leading writers of musical comedies at the time. For some reason they changed some of the names of characters - for instance Hanna became...
Posted 4 Mar 2025 | Comments
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The Makropulos Affair in Scotland
The Makropulos Affair received its first performance in Scotland on 3 September 1970 at the King's Theatre as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. The National Theatre from Prague was making its second visit to the Festival, and during their two-week stay performed three works by Janácek, also giving first Scottish performances of The Cunning Little Vixen as well as the UK premiere of The Excursions of Mr Broucek. They also performed two works by Smetana, The Bartered Bride and...
Posted 1 Nov 2024 | Comments
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