l‘llt-Vll.W OPERA SCOTTISH
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OPERA - LA TRAVIATA
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Thu 30 Oct, Sat 1 Nov, Fri 6, Sun 8, Thu 12 81 Sat 14 Feb; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 19, Sun 23, Thu 27, Sat 29 Nov
‘Bomtodie’seemsabitofanextremeexpressiontodescribeasinger, but for Carmen Giannattasio it appears to fit the bill. Star of tragic opera after tragic opera, the Italian soprano says it’s unfortunate, but, ‘I have died so much inthelasttenyears. I die everytime.’ Settodosoagain, Giannattasioisquitethestarattraction ofScottish Opera’s newproduction of Verdi’s heart-breakingly tragic La Traviata. It is her debut with the company, which joins forces with Welsh National Opera to present Scottish director David McVicar’s retelling of one of opera’s most famous stories.
Giannattasio has worked with Mchr in the past and is fulsome in her praise for his work. ‘Everything he does has a sense, a meaning,’ she says, ‘and nothing is ever done for a cheap laugh.’ His new Traviata is set in 19th century France where rich, landed gentry mix with Bohemian artists and courtesans, the most famous being Violetta, the fallen woman of the opera’stitle. ltisarolethatGiannattasio has playedtwicebeforebut, ‘This time,’ she says, ‘is the first time of the history of the opera that you really seetheloveofAlfredoandVioletta. Usuallyyouseethem meeting atthe beginning andthenwhensheisdyingattheend. Inthisversion,yousee them and their relationship. It is so beautiful.’
In singing Violette, the emotions of the piece can be overwhelming. ‘With this character, every time is different - you never know how it is until the end. I have to try to keep it away from my heart, because I’ll start to cry and then can’t go on.’ Audiences, however, can - and almost certainly will — let the tears flow in bucketfuls. (Carol Main)
Musselburgh, 0844 847 1645. 7.30pm. £13 (£11; under 26s £5). See Thu 30. I Edinburgh Studio Opera Reid Hall, Edinburgh University, Bristo Square, 650 2427. 7.30pm. £8 (£5). Operatic arias by Mozart, Doniretti and Handel.
Clarkston
FREE Creenbank Recitals: lan Robertson Greenbank Parish Church, 36 Eaglesham Road, 1pm. Part of a regular series of recitals on the organ, with tea and coffee served afterwards.
Linlithgow
I Portmanteau Singers The Cross, Kirkgate & Peel, 3—4pm. By donation. Nine unaccompanied singers perfom light classical works. Pan of Celebrate Linlithgow.
I Celebrate Linlithgow Various Venues, 01506 844645. Times vary. Prices vary. See Thu 30.
Paisley I Paisley Choral Festival: Afternoon
Sahirday Concert Thomas Coats Memorial Church, High Street, 3pm. £8.50. The Stonehaven Chorus visits Paisley with its Musical Director John Heame to perform a selection of works including Rachmaninov's Vespers. Part of Voices in Paisley 2008.
I Brodsky Quartet RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 2pm. £9 (£6). John Telfer joins The Brodsky Quartet for a nutshell history of the string quartet right from Haydn (who makes a cameo appearance) to Hendrix (who doesn't), followed by off-the-wall coming of age story Anna and the Moods for narrator and string quartet — think Peter and the Wolf with fewer animals and a healthy dollop of wry humour. Written by Oscar— nominated Icelandic storyteller Sjon with music by Julian ‘Wallace and Gromit‘ Nott.
Kelvingrove Sunday Organ Recitals Kclvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 3—3.45pm. Sunday promenade concerts with different organists.
ETEQEE Requiem for All Souls St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, 300 Great Western Road, 337 2862. 6.30pm. A performance of John Rutter‘s Requiem Mass.
I John tunes: The People’s Tenor Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £l3—£22.50. The popular tenor dedicates a programme to Robert Burns, singing the lyrics of the Bard, tunes from his debut album Nessun Domia and a tribute to Mario Lama.
Edinburgh
I St Giles at Six: Recital St Giles' Cathedral. Royal Mile, 226 0673. 6pm. Retirement collection. Elizabeth Day performs works by Bach, Purcell, Gibbons, Franck, Michael Garrett and Ian Farrington.
I Mr McFall's Chamber with Valentina Montoya Martinez Brunton Theatre. Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. 7.30pm. £13 (£1 1). The far-out music group, formed around a core string quartet from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, push back more musical boundaries, joined by Valentina Montoya Martinez.
LJnllithW
I Celebrate Linlithgow Various Venues, 01506 844645. Times vary. Prices vary. See Thu 30.
Paisley
I Paisley Choral Festival: Sunday Afternoon Concert Thomas Coats Memorial Church, High Street, 3pm. £8.50. Edinburgh chamber choir Cadema pays its second visit to the festival with conductor Jenny Sumerling. Known for its diverse repertoire, the performance could involve anything from classical to jazz to folk to popular song. The Glasgow Russian Choir will also perfomi, under its director Vladimir Morozov. Part of Voices in Paisley 2008.
ES‘EEEE Paisley Choral Festival: Choral Evensong Paisley Abbey, Abbey Place, 889 7654. 6.30pm. The choir of Paisley Abbey performs the Evensong in the beautiful 12th century building, led by organist and choirmaster, Dr George McPhee. Part of Voices in Paisley 2008.
Glasgow I Music on Mondays RSAMD (Guinness Room), 100 Renfrew Street, 1pm. £5. Improvised piano music from Estonian duo Anto Pctt and Anne-Liise Poll.
I A Concert, a Cocktail and a Canape Oran Mor, 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 6.15pm. £10. Les Sirenes, the all-female chamber choir from the RSAMD, perform a programme of works by Poulcnc, Bennett and Rutter. With director Andrew Nunn. Doors open
Iasgow FREE Music in the University: Musica Electronica Concert Hall, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, 330 4092. 1.10—2pm. A surround-sound presentation of electroacoustics and mixed media with audio visual sculptures.
I Michael Collins with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15—£28 (concessions available). Britten's Sinfonietta, Mo7art's Concerto in E flat, in its world premiere version for clarinet, and Clarinet Concerto in A major and Haydn‘s Symphony No 45 with British clarinettist Michael Collins.
Edinburgh
FREE Edinburgh University Lunchtime Concert: Michele Benuzzi St Cecilia‘s Hall, Niddry Street. 650 2427. 1.10pm. The harpsichordist performs works by two generations of Bachs: JS, CPR and WF.
Haddington
I Dunedin Consort: Acis and Galatea St Mary‘s Parish Church, The Sidegate, 01620 823738. 7.30pm. £12—£15 (students £5; school pupils free). The award-winning ensemble celebrates the release of its latest Cl) with a perfonnance of Handel‘s Acis and Galatea in its original 1718 version, under the directorship of John Butt. The Consort is celebrated for its expertise in both vocal and baroque music, so this promises to be a great performance.
ClassicalMusic
ti: Hebrides Ensemble - Jane lrwin First stop in Scottish tour featuring three pieces for string quartet and voice, one of which is a new commission from the young, Glasgow-born composer Martin Suckling called ‘Aotromachd/Lightness’, a setting of a poem by Meg Bateman, using both the Gaelic original and her own translation. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Wed 5 Nov.
:E: Karl Jenkins conducts The Armed Man Raised in a small Welsh village and going on to become a jan and jan- rock musician, Karl Jenkins has achieved meteoric fame as a composer through his Adiemus project. Taking the ancient French popular song ‘L'Homme Arme’ as his starting point for his Mass for Peace, Jenkins conducts the National Youth Choir of Scotland and SPO to help teenagers with cancer. Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sun 9 Nov.
ii: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra - Messiaen Centenary From the Canyons to the Stars, an extraordinary piece even by Messiaen standards. The roaring winds of Utah’s Bryce Canyon, the pure bird-song that inspired so much of Messiaen’s music and the delights of nature and light all shine out from the orchestral textures of this great masterpiece of the 20th century. City Halls, Glasgow, Sat 1 Nov.
Edinburgh
‘3, Hebrides Ensemble: Jane ’A" Irwin Queen's Hall, 87—89 Clerk Street, 473 2000. 7.30pm. £7—£l2. Romanticism meets Modemism in this chamber programme from the Hebrides Ensemble, which explores love and loss with the powerful voice of mezzo soprano Jane lrwin in Schoenberg, Respighi and young Scottish composer Martin Suckling.
Kirkcaldy
I The Merry Wives of Windsor Adam Smith Theatre, Bennochy Road, 01592 583302. 7.15pm. £12 (£11). Fife Opera performs this light and comical tale of two Tudor wives and their mischievous plotting.
3O Oct—13 Nov 2008 THE LIST 81