Opera Scotland

Intermezzo 1986Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Intermezzo

John Cox, as director of Scottish Opera, was able to arrange a loan of his classic Glyndebourne staging for these first performances by Scottish Opera. Martin Battersby's elegant sets were influenced by the design of the Strauss villa at Garmisch, and looked almost as good as the costumes designed for Christine.

Inevitably, Beverly Morgan did not get as much detail into her portrayal as either singer at Glyndebourne - Elisabeth Söderström in the opening run and Felicity Lott in the subsequent tour as well as the revival of a decade later. She was still very good, much helped by the use of Andrew Porter's excellent English version.

Of the other cast members, Ian Caley benefitted from his experience of singing the part of Lummer in the Glyndebourne revival, and Alan Opie and Kate Flowers both created wonderful character sketches.

 

Scottish Opera's Season - 1986/87

This season comprised Nine main stage productions plus an Opera-Go-Round staging with piano, and a most unusual Edinburgh Festival event.   The new productions were  Carmen,  Iolanthe,  Intermezzo,  Flying Dutchman,   From the House of the Dead,   Billy Budd,  and  Madama Butterfly.  There were two revivals, The Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville.  The Opera-Go Round production was of Verdi's Macbeth,  The season opened at the Edinburgh Festival, with a concert including music from Gershwin's Girl Crazy.