Opera Scotland

Iphigenia in Tauris 1937Barony Musical Association

Read more about the opera Iphigénie en Tauride

Erik Chisholm and his doughty band of supporters set up the Barony Musical Association with the intention of performing music, both Church and secular, that Glaswegians were otherwise unlikely to hear. As far as opera was concerned, this meant not just avoiding competition with the visiting touring companies, but also the still-thriving Glasgow Grand. Indeed Dr Chisholm and most of the soloists continued to work in both the amateur organizations.

There were three opera productions in the short period before the war killed off the enterprise. Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris in 1937 and Armide in 1939 sandwiched Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito. All were Scottish premieres.

Newspaper reviews in Herald and Scotsman were sketchy, and no copies of the programmes for the Gluck works have yet come to light.