Opera Scotland

Masked Ball 1991Tayside Opera

Read more about the opera Ballo in maschera

Ballo features in Scottish performance schedules so rarely that it is good to see the various amateur companies tackling it from time to time.

This run had particular significance because of the presence of semi-retired tenor David Hillman, veteran of Sadler's Wells and Scottish Opera. He was clearly tempted back to Scotland for a role he had never sung before, and it fitted him very well. His alternate, Ian Priestley, was a student gaining experience with several Scottish societies prior to turning professional. The other principals were established stalwarts with the various local groups, though Helen Brown, usually a mezzo, was having her first (and far from last) attempt at a majot Verdi soprano role.