Opera Scotland

Trial by Jury 2025Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Trial by Jury

Trial by Jury is the first work by Gilbert and Sullivan to survive. This was commissioned by Richard D'Oyly Carte in 1875. 

In those days it was the convention to perform a short 'curtain-raiser' before the main event of a theatrical evening. Sometimes an 'after-piece' would be employed instead.  D'Oyly Carte had brought Offenbach's La Périchole from Paris, and Trial, beginning the evening's entertainment, soon overtook the import in popularity. Its success led to the commissioning of the famous series of full-length G & S comic operas over the next twenty years.

During the 20th century, Trial by Jury continued to be played by the D'Oyly Carte company, usually, though not always, before H M S Pinafore. There have also been attempts by other companies to partner it with non-G & S works, though no such arrangements have become well established.

For this collaboration between Scottish Opera, Holland Park and D'Oyly Carte, a new comic work titled A Matter of Misconduct! was commissioned from Emma Jenkins and Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Toby Hession, who also conducted the evening.

The direction by John Savournin took a surprisingly novel approach to the piece. The setting was updated to the recent TV age, within a studio during a live broadcast - one of those deliberately provocative events prototyped by Jerry Springer in the USA.  The bridesmaids' costumes made them look almost like cheerleaders. There were flashing lights above, instructing the (theatre) audience to applaud or boo as the directors deemed appropriate.  At the first Edinburgh performance they got the message quickly - is opera really elitist? Everything seemed stacked in the Plaintiff's favour even before the Defendant could be seen or heard. Jamie MacDougall played him as a middle-aged roué in padded suit and wig that put us all in mind of President Trump. Inevitably he also attempted the unscripted interruption to proceedings. Much enjoyed by audience members.

The cast also included veteran Gilbert and Sullivan exponent Richard Suart as the Judge. Every word still crystal clear, even when the tone can sound a bit thread-bare. It was 'his show', as he portrayed the 'Springer character' with glee. An intriguing novelty sees the Counsel for the Plaintiff here played by a woman, Chloe Harris, something that could not have been possible in Victorian times. This of course made the Defendant's task even more difficult. Kira Kaplan, cast as the Plaintiff, is also one of the new crop of Scottish Opera's Emerging Artists.  They make an excellent squad - a third one was Edward Jowle, giving a super account of the Usher, here an effective stage manager desperately trying to hold the show together.

Toby Hession, as well as composing the new work, also made an excellent job of conducting both pieces.  The Sullivan had an appropriate and impressive fizz right from the start.