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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Albert Herring in Scotland
Albert Herring was first performed in Scotland on 31 August 1965 at the King's Theatre Edinburgh. The English Opera Group championed the works of Britten and were regular visitors to the Edinburgh Festival.
Colin Graham's production, in designs by John Piper, was conducted by Vilém Tausky. The role of Albert was taken by the Iona-born character tenor Kenneth Macdonald. Two more prominent Scottish singers had leading roles, contralto Johanna Peters (Florence Pike) and Harold Blackburn...
Posted 15 Aug 2024 | Comments
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