list.co.uk/music Intermezzo

Having wife troubles? Richard Strauss feels your pain. The composer wrote this libretto based on real-life ‘cross words’ exchanged with his own trouble-and-strife at home. A witty new production from Scottish Opera, sung in German by Roland Wood (taking the lead role as conductor Richard Storch) and Anita Bader (his wife Christine) with Francesco Corti on real-life conducting duties. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sat 2 Apr; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 7 and Sat 9 Apr.

The ensemble performs the Victorian composer’s most popular work. FREE St Giles’ at Six: Paul Chamberlain & Hazel Collins St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile, 226 0673. 6pm. Music by JS Bach, Sarasate, Piazzolla, Moszkowski and Angelis, played on accordion and violin. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Adams, Mahler & Brahms Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £10–£26. See Fri 8. Perth Perth Youth Orchestra Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, 01738 621031. 7.30pm. £7 (children free). A varied programme including many solos.

Haddington Nikolai Demidenko Town House, 01620 826725. 7.30pm. £20. Renowned piano virtuoso plays a roller-coaster programme of Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt. Price includes champagne reception.

Monday 11 Glasgow Russell Watson SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 7pm. £25–£60. One of the country’s most popular crossover singers returns.

Edinburgh Catrin Finch and Robin Huw Bowen Merchiston Castle School, 294 Colinton Road, 478 8446. 7.30pm. £13 (£11). Finch plays Bach, Debussy, Fauré and Parish-Alvars, with traditional Welsh harp music from Bowen in support. Part of Edinburgh International Harp Festival and Ceilidh Culture.

CLASSICAL Music

HITLIST THE BEST CLASSICAL & OPERA

ecat: Myth and Ritual: Burgess, Michael and Evans Only ecat could programme a piece for speaking percussionist and four flower pots. Hear the best of cutting edge contemporary music in their last concert this season, including the Scottish premiere of John McLeod’s Chinese opera for solo percussion, Thrashing the Sea God, and the world premiere of his new Song of Leda for cello and piano. Wed 27 April, Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

RSNO: Nicola Benedetti Plays Korngold Unmissable not just because it’s wunderkind Benedetti in the solo role, but also because what she’s playing is the luscious, rich score of the rarely heard violin concerto by Hollywood film composer of the 1930s and 40s, Erich Korngold. Fri 1 April, Usher Hall, Edinburgh; Sat 2 April, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Scottish Opera: Intermezzo Hot on the heels of their enormously successful Orlando, Scottish Opera turn to something completely different and Richard Strauss’s witty and elegant comedy of manners inspired by the real- life marital goings on in his own home. Sat 2 Apr, Theatre Royal, Glasgow; Thu 7, Sat 9 April, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.

Friday 15 Glasgow Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Musical Toybox City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £11.50–£25. The SCO comes over all playful in this performance of Mussorgsky’s La Couturière (The Seamstress), Schumann’s Cello Concerto and one of Debussy’s La Boîte à Joujoux. Conducted by Oliver Knussen.

31 Mar–28 Apr 2011 THE LIST 107

Awesome X, a comic opera set in a future of economic crisis, environmental disaster and ubiquitous reality TV. RSNO Great Concertos: Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £10–£32 under 16s free. Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin joins the RSNO for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 4.

Saturday 9

Glasgow NYCoS National Boys Choir City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 3.30pm. £12. Premières of new Scottish pieces commissioned by the NYCoS alongside traditional Scottish folk songs. RSNO - Great Concertos: Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£32. See Fri 8.

Edinburgh ✽✽ Scottish Opera: Intermezzo Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13–29

Nicolson Street, 529 6000. 7.15pm. £15.50–£63.50 (concessions available). See Sat 2.

Perth FREE Perth & Kinross Music Camp Concert Perth Concert Hall,

Mill Street, 01738 621031. 7.30pm. Finale of the residential week featuring over 200 young musicians in a variety of ensembles.

Sunday 10 Tuesday 12

Glasgow FREE Kelvingrove Sunday Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 3–3.45pm. See Sun 3. Scottish Ensemble: Anthony Marwood City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 3pm. £12–£14.50 (£9–£11; students £5; under 16s free). See Tue 5. Edinburgh Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Chamber Concert The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 2.30pm. £12 (£5–£10). Robert Levin returns to the piano with three pieces from Mozart and one from Beethoven. Rebecca Tavener & Bill Taylor and Robin Ward Merchiston Castle School, 294 Colinton Road, 478 8446. 3pm. £10 (£8). Modern and medieval songs. Part of Edinburgh International Harp Festival and Ceilidh Culture. Edinburgh Royal Choral Union: Stainer’s Crucifixion St Cuthbert’s Church, 5 Lothian Road, 229 1142. 5pm. £12 (£9; students/children £5).

Glasgow Worldwide Flute and Piano Ramshorn Theatre, 98 Ingram Street, 552 3489. 1.15–2pm. £4. Aisling Agnew and Mira Opalinska perform 20th-century music from the UK, France, Russia and America.

Thursday 14

Glasgow BBC SSO: Flights of Inspiration City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £10–£23. Donald Runnicles conducts music by French composers including Dutilleux, Debussy and Ravel. Edinburgh FREE Rudsambee National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, 624 6200. 6pm. A selection of new works and familiar pieces. Dunedin Consort & Players: St Matthew Passion St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Cathedral Lane, 516 3718. 7.30pm. £15–£18 (£12–£15). John Butt conducts Bach’s magnificent sacred drama.

Never been before? Try it for free. Get a taster at Opera Unwrapped where the orchestra, singers and back-stage crew introduce you to the plot, characters and music and let you in on some behind-the-scenes secrets.

29 Mar 13 May | Theatre Royal Glasgow 6 Apr 25 May | Festival Theatre Edinburgh 3 Jun | His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen 10 Jun | Eden Court Inverness