Review: Scottish Opera Highlights 2023

Scottish Opera’s perennially popular Highlights tour made its second stop of Autumn 2023 at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. It’s a delight to experience Opera in more intimate settings than the grandeur of the Festival Theatre, or the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, and one I heartily recommend. So how does this year’s Scottish Opera Highlights tour measure up?

Eschewing a simple operatic cabaret, director Laura Attridge, and designer Ana Inés Jabares Pita offer a scene worthy of old-time music hall. It’s Oscar and Hugo’s wedding, the happy couple safely off-stage, whilst their guests and the venue staff embark upon all manner of romantic and wine-soaked misadventures.

This tour also represents the retiring Derek Clark’s final programme for Scottish Opera, and this stalwart of the musical stage is going out with a lyrical bang. This is a selection to delight and entertain, opting against challenge in favour of easy listening gems. Indeed, it begins as it means to go on, with the four assembled talents: Katy Thomson (Soprano), Katherine Aitken (Mezzo-soprano), Innocent Masuku (Tenor), and Jerome Knox (Baritone) conspiring in a rousing rendition of Verdi’s ‘Libiamo ne’ lieti calici’.

Matters take a turn for the more maudlin when one of the guests’ romantic ambitions is met with rejection voiced by Knox’s rich, and flowing rendition of ‘Kogda bi zhizn domashnim krugom’ from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Eugene Onegin’. From there the course of love runs suitably all over the place, occasioning a spritely, and flirtatious ‘Un soave non so che’ from Rossini’s ‘La Cenerentola’ from Masuku and Aitken, and concluding the first act with a jovial, and joyous ‘Papagena! Papagena!’ and duet ‘Pa pa, pa…’ thanks to Knox and Thomson.

The twin highlights of the first act, however, are likely Offenbach’s famous ‘Barcarolle’ sung with mellifluous relish by Aitken, and Thomson, and a characterful rendition of Puccini’s ‘In un coupé?’ from Masuku and Knox. Yes, the wedding conceit is a little stretched by the eventual sojourn into Mozart’s fantastical ‘Magic Flute’ but the Highlights tour is a feast for music lovers, not an exercise in serious playwriting.

The second act picks up where the first left off, diverting into all sorts of madness, and beginning with a bespoke composition for the tour from Music Director – and accompanying pianist – Toby Hession with librettist Emma Jenkins. ‘In Flagrante’ assembles this fab four in a scene of political scandal, and Carry-On-worthy comedy. Who knows, maybe operatic sketch comedy is the next big thing?

Afterwards, the music dives back into classic waters, whilst keeping the comedy front and centre. Offenbach is a fine conspirator in such matters, never being one for a straight-faced operetta. His ‘La Belle Hélène’ finds Masuku as legendary hero Paris, choosing from amongst three goddesses, the third played by Knox! It’s clear these four are going to have a very, very good time on the road judging by their easy chemistry on stage.

Tonally, the four are finely matched. Scottish Opera debutant Masuku’s light tenor sweetly floats above Knox’s full-bodied, velvet notes; whilst fellow debutant Thomson’s delicious Soprano, contrasts well with Aitken’s more animated gifts. It’s a tricky balancing act to find singers able to span operatic sub-types, but this Scottish Opera Highlights tour has assembled a worthy foursome.

The second act continues with a truly spiffing Promenade-quartet from Strauss II’s ‘Blindekuh’, before giving Knox a spot in the moonlight for Gilbert and Sullivan’s melodious ‘Fair moon, to thee I sing.’ The finale, arriving all too soon, plucks ‘The Saga of Jenny’ from Gershwin’s ‘Lady in the Dark’ and a fine performance from all four singers. Scottish Opera, not being stingy does have an encore available on demand, and Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Wrong Note Rag’ is a suitably absurd note on which to end! Delightful, uplifting, and ambitious, this is an operatic tour to please all comers. Bravo to the Scottish Opera Highlights Tour 2023!

Show Details

Running Time: Approximately 2 hours, including a 20-minute interval
Ticket Price: £18 (booking fees may apply for some venues).
Concessions: £6 for Under 26s (booking fees may apply for some venues). Free tickets for essential companions.
Programme Pre-orders: At selected venues, you can purchase a programme with your ticket for an additional £2. If you order a programme in advance, you will receive its digital version via email starting from 15 September. You can also collect your physical copy at the venue on the day of the performance.