Opera Scotland

Nabucco 2025Tayside Opera

Read more about the opera Nabucco

This year, Tayside Opera presented a new production of one of their most frequently performed operas - the perennial favourite among Verdi's early works - Nabucco. Even so, this was only the fourth time they have staged the piece.

The four performances at the attractive Space (with an excellent pit) had an orchestra of twenty, while the Brechin evening featured piano accompaniment. The effective direction was by Fraser Grant, an experienced hand. The visual side was simple, with modern military outfits for the Babylonians. Projections gave the occasional hint of the use of concentration camp elements.

It is very cheering, when most of the historically important amateur groups have fallen by the wayside, to discover that Tayside is in fine fettle. The chorus, so important in this opera, and not just for 'Va, pensiero', consisted of twenty-seven voices, thirteen of them being men. This made for a firm and virile sound in the big dramatic choruses that really need it. A great deal of the credit must go to the company's long-serving conductor, Richard Johnston.

Russell Malcolm has sung the title role previously, and his voice retains its great range and sweetness of tone.  At the first of the Dundee performances, Susan McNaught revealed an effective dramatic edge to her soprano - her previous roles have ranged from Lady Macbeth to Queen of the Night.  The excellent tenor, Aidan Thomas Phillips, is still a student in Glasgow, but already reveals a highly promising voice.

The Zaccaria was Zorbey Turkalp, an excellent dark-toned bass. He had no difficulty with the extensive vocal range, and produced some lovely legato sounds.  Jolanda Grijpstra also made an excellent impression in her beautifully phrased aria in the final act.

So great is the company's confidence that in the summer they will announce plans for the next three seasons, taking them up to the sixtieth anniversary of their launch in 1968.