Scottish Opera - Glasgow | 28 March 2024 |
You've been granted free access to this page.
Take a FREE 7 DAY TRIAL or SUBSCRIBE today to access the full content of theoperacritic.com.
Free access
Performance reviews
Key | Photo gallery | Production details | Video link |
Die ZauberflöteScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 6 |
A very welcome return of the Scottish Opera's 2012 production of The Magic Flute |
4 Jul 19 / Opera Journal |
A fun-filled Magic Flute |
8 Jun 19 / The Opera Critic |
This five star production is thanks to the stars aligning in every aspect of its creation |
12 May 19 / The Reviews Hub |
more reviews [+]
The Magic Flute is still pulling in the crowds |
11 May 19 / The Scotsman |
Stovepipe hats are back: Scottish Opera’s steampunk Magic Flute returns |
8 May 19 / Bachtrack |
A grand night out |
7 May 19 / The Herald |
SilvanoScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 2 |
Mascagni's Silvano proves to be a topical treat |
22 Apr 19 / The Opera Critic |
As the wretched Matilde, Emma Bell stole the show |
20 Apr 19 / The Scotsman |
Kat'a KabanovaScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Death on the Volga |
25 Mar 19 / The Opera Critic |
A traditional staging of Katya Kabaonva at Scottish Opera that is poetic and thoughtful |
22 Mar 19 / The Spectator |
Scottish Opera’s new Kátya Kabanová is musically strong but intermittently satisfying |
18 Mar 19 / Seen and Heard |
more reviews [+]
At Scottish Opera, a great season for Kátya Kabanová continues |
17 Mar 19 / The Observer |
A finely sung Katya Kabanova in rust-bucket Russia |
15 Mar 19 / Bachtrack |
This is a staging full of big stuff |
14 Mar 19 / The Herald |
AnthropoceneScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 9 |
Arctic diversions |
3 Feb 19 / The Opera Critic |
Tensions rise as an Arctic expedition becomes trapped in ice |
3 Feb 19 / The Observer |
A bankable asset |
29 Jan 19 / The Scotsman |
more reviews [+]
A timely chiller from Scottish Opera |
29 Jan 19 / Bachtrack |
With superb diction from the whole company, Anthropocene is a work of great clarity |
28 Jan 19 / The Herald |
Atmospheric operatic thriller |
28 Jan 19 / The Stage |
A tense and riveting 3-Act thriller set in the icy wastes of Greenland |
28 Jan 19 / Opera News |
Icily resonant tale with a remorseless grip |
26 Jan 19 / Telegraph |
MacRae's arctic adventure delivers operatic thrills |
26 Jan 19 / The Guardian |
RigolettoScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 7 |
A Rigoletto revival that resonates with today's audience |
12 Nov 18 / The Opera Critic |
Vocally, Scottish Opera has a wealth of talent |
12 Nov 18 / The Reviews Hub |
A dark, unflinching Rigoletto from Scottish Opera |
23 Oct 18 / Bachtrack |
more reviews [+]
The real fire came from the pit |
23 Oct 18 / The Times |
Scottish Opera opens the new season with a revival of Verdi’s Rigoletto |
22 Oct 18 / Seen and Heard |
Greek baritone Aris Argiris brings a sympathetic Zero Mostel-approach to the title character |
22 Oct 18 / The Herald |
Individually there are golden moments |
20 Oct 18 / The Scotsman |
EdgarScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 3 |
Edgar is well worthy of a place in Scottish Opera’s Sunday afternoon opera-in-concert series |
3 Nov 18 / The Scotsman |
Puccini's early opera gets a rare outing |
30 Oct 18 / The Opera Critic |
Peter Auty was in superb voice in the title role |
29 Oct 18 / The Herald |
The Burning Fiery FurnaceScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Burning Fiery Furnace is a masterclass in austerity opera |
27 Sep 18 / The Spectator |
A mesmerising, memorable and quietly provocative production |
26 Sep 18 / The Scotsman |
The sequence of ritualistic scenes and tableaux suited the work perfectly |
25 Sep 18 / The Herald |
more reviews [+]
Jenny Ogilvie struck the right balance between the archaic and the everyday |
24 Sep 18 / The Times |
Sonorous singing and sensuous ecstasy |
24 Sep 18 / The Guardian |
A colourful and exotic parable |
23 Sep 18 / The Opera Critic |
Eugene OneginScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 15 |
Everything that is great about Eugene Onegin comes together perfectly in this Scottish Opera production |
5 Jul 18 / Opera Journal |
Scottish Opera’s first-rate production of Tchaikovsky’s great Eugene Onegin |
2 Jul 18 / Seen and Heard |
Scottish Opera's Eugene Onegin gives an outstanding account of the Russian soul |
30 Jun 18 / The Irish News |
more reviews [+]
Kiwi leading Scottish Opera through a decade of successes |
9 Jun 18 / National Business Review |
An Onegin full of memories |
26 May 18 / The Opera Critic |
La Scottish Opera cierra la temporada con Eugene Onegin de Tchaikovsky |
16 May 18 / Opera World (Spanish) |
Natalya Romaniw thrills in Scottish Opera’s epic Eugene Onegin |
9 May 18 / Bachtrack |
Scottish Opera’s strongly performed production is charged with emotion |
2 May 18 / The Stage |
An unflinchingly serious three-and-a-quarter hours |
2 May 18 / The Scotsman |
Crackling with vitality |
2 May 18 / Telegraph |
Scottish Opera’s new production of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved opera is nothing if not attention-grabbing |
30 Apr 18 / The Herald |
The Royal Opera's artistic director stages Tchaikovsky's romantic masterpiece for Scottish Opera |
30 Apr 18 / What's on Stage |
Magnificent singing in a new production of Eugene Onegin at Scottish Opera |
30 Apr 18 / Seen and Heard |
A grand production of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece |
30 Apr 18 / The Guardian |
Natalya Romaniw’s stunningly sung Tatyana one of the highlights |
30 Apr 18 / The Times |
Francesca da RiminiScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 3 |
A double dose of Rachmaninov |
9 May 18 / The Opera Critic |
Scottish Opera’s outstanding performances of rare Rachmaninov operas |
8 May 18 / Seen and Heard |
Two operas with similar grizzly endings |
7 May 18 / The Herald |
AlekoScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 3 |
A double dose of Rachmaninov |
9 May 18 / The Opera Critic |
Scottish Opera’s outstanding performances of rare Rachmaninov operas |
8 May 18 / Seen and Heard |
Two operas have similar grizzly endings |
7 May 18 / The Herald |
Ariadne auf NaxosScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 6 |
Passionately sung modern dress opera containing elements of burlesque |
10 Apr 18 / The Stage |
Initial misses give way to big hit |
9 Apr 18 / Seen and Heard |
A Scottish take on Ariadne auf Naxos |
9 Apr 18 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
Ariadne auf “Glasgow” |
4 Apr 18 / Opera World (Spanish) |
Scottish Opera’s Ariadne auf Naxos is witty and passionate |
27 Mar 18 / Bachtrack |
Scottish Opera's highly enjoyable Ariadne auf Naxos is proof that unlikely ideas can work |
27 Mar 18 / The List |
FlightScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 8 |
Scottish Opera and cast triumph with Jonathan Dove’s Flight |
6 Mar 18 / Seen and Heard |
The solo piano only added to the sense of intimacy that pervaded the whole evening |
6 Mar 18 / The Scotsman |
Flight takes off, despite the weather |
5 Mar 18 / The Opera Critic |
more reviews [+]
Witty and poignant tale of airport life at Scottish Opera |
27 Feb 18 / Bachtrack |
Jonathan Dove's airport opera soars above the ordinary |
20 Feb 18 / The Guardian |
Jonathan Dove’s must-see work, set in an airport departure lounge, shows how modern opera can be thrillingly relevant |
19 Feb 18 / The Times |
Flight is the musical equivalent of a supermarket’s premium range convenience food |
19 Feb 18 / Telegraph |
Twenty years on, Flight looks more modern and relevant than ever |
19 Feb 18 / The Herald |
GreekScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 4 |
Scottish Opera’s Greek: a lively update on Oedipus |
6 Feb 18 / Bachtrack |
This Greek is a classic of our time |
6 Feb 18 / The Herald |
Scottish Opera thrills with aggressive Greek from Turnage |
5 Feb 18 / Seen and Heard |
more reviews [+]
Greek erupts on stage in Glasgow |
5 Feb 18 / The Opera Critic |
The Fiery AngelScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 3 |
Madness, magic and spiritual mayhem |
6 Dec 17 / Bachtrack |
Sex, demons and cannibalism in Glasgow |
5 Dec 17 / Telegraph |
A thrilling performance |
5 Dec 17 / The Opera Critic |
La TraviataScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 9 |
Compelling La traviata from Scottish Opera |
23 Nov 17 / Seen and Heard |
McVicar's Traviata is sumptuously minimalist |
20 Nov 17 / The Opera Critic |
The story was remarkably easy to follow; the singing hard to fault |
18 Nov 17 / Edinburgh Guide |
more reviews [+]
Sombre and sumptuous |
10 Nov 17 / The Northern Times |
Gulnara Shafigullina makes a searing Scottish Opera debut |
29 Oct 17 / The Herald |
Safe and simple pleasures from Scottish Opera's La traviata |
24 Oct 17 / Bachtrack |
There are visual pleasures, but the musical thrills are harder to find |
23 Oct 17 / The Times |
David McVicar’s stylish Traviata is slow to ignite at Scottish Opera |
22 Oct 17 / The Observer |
McVicar's Verdi is a gorgeous but stilted visual treat |
21 Oct 17 / The Guardian |
IolantaScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 2 |
An engaging performance |
1 Nov 17 / The Opera Critic |
For a one-off performance, this was sumptuously cast |
31 Oct 17 / The Herald |
GreekEdinburgh International FestivalNo. of reviews: 9 |
Alex Otterburn as the Oedipal Stuart, trying to escape from Fate and Tuffnell Park, was devastating and terrifying |
14 Aug 17 / The Scotsman |
Cockney opera mixes the baleful and the banal |
8 Aug 17 / Financial Times |
Who would have thought ketchup and beans could feature so garishly in an opera or symbolise so much? |
8 Aug 17 / Classical Source |
more reviews [+]
Bold and tacky |
8 Aug 17 / The Stage |
The real clincher in this production is Hill-Gibbons’ focus on psychology rather than epoch |
8 Aug 17 / The Scotsman |
The evening belongs to Alex Otterburn's Eddy |
7 Aug 17 / The Opera Critic |
Re-unveiling of EIF’s past glory is mesmerising when it works |
7 Aug 17 / Telegraph |
Oedipus opera update as relevant and risque as ever |
7 Aug 17 / The Guardian |
For Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Alex Otterburn the central role of Eddy is a huge achievement |
6 Aug 17 / The Herald |
associated articles [+]
Opera director Joe Hill-Gibbins: How I got an Oepidus complex
The ancient myth speaks to us still, and, through the prism of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s hard-hitting opera Greek, the director of a new production found insights, strange beauty and football chants.
The ancient myth speaks to us still, and, through the prism of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s hard-hitting opera Greek, the director of a new production found insights, strange beauty and football chants.
La bohèmeScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 9 |
Scottish Opera’s romantic reimagining of La bohème |
2 Jun 17 / Seen and Heard |
Love, laughter and death at the heart of Scottish Opera's new Bohème |
2 Jun 17 / The Opera Critic |
For the purists the production was way over-the-top |
2 Jun 17 / Edinburgh Guide |
more reviews [+]
Scottish Opera tearjerker was third time lucky |
27 May 17 / The Press and Journal |
Scottish Opera’s detailed La bohème bursts with joie de vivre |
23 May 17 / Bachtrack |
Much of Scottish Opera’s Bohème is spot-on – but it begins with an act of petty vandalism |
18 May 17 / The Spectator |
Detail-rich and resonant |
16 May 17 / The Stage |
A breathless affair |
13 May 17 / The Scotsman |
Jazz-age colour and vitality animate Scottish Opera's new production |
11 May 17 / The Guardian |
Le villiScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 2 |
A real treat |
27 May 17 / The Scotsman |
A triumph and a treat |
23 May 17 / The Herald |
La scala di setaScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 4 |
Sparkling comedy from Scottish Opera in concert |
11 Apr 17 / Bachtrack |
Fun and lively early Rossini |
4 Apr 17 / The Herald |
Rossini's amiable farce fizzes along gleefully |
4 Apr 17 / The Guardian |
more reviews [+]
Frothy Rossini, served up with aplomb |
3 Apr 17 / The Opera Critic |
Duke Bluebeard's CastleScottish OperaNo. of reviews: 9 |
A bloody good double bill |
10 Apr 17 / The Observer |
An emotional roller coaster |
8 Apr 17 / The Opera Critic |
Sung with such eloquence it makes you wish we heard more operas in Hungarian |
7 Apr 17 / The Spectator |
more reviews [+]
What’s behind Bluebeard’s 8th door? Chilling double bill from Scottish Opera |
4 Apr 17 / Bachtrack |
A tantalising prospect |
2 Apr 17 / The Herald |
Bartók’s opera is partnered with a new work in an intriguing double bill |
1 Apr 17 / Financial Times |
Intense and moving |
1 Apr 17 / The Stage |
Scottish Opera's compelling tour of Bartók's horrors |
31 Mar 17 / The Guardian |
Karen Cargill is simply at the top of her best remarkable form as Judith |
30 Mar 17 / The Herald |
Reviews search
Performance schedule
News & Articles
Scottish Opera announces 60th anniversary season for 2022/23 |
Scottish Opera has unveiled its 2022/23 Season which includes four new main stage productions, with one of the four an outdoor community opera. |
19 May 2022 / Scottish Business News |
Scottish Opera withdraws nomination for Sky Arts Award |
The Scottish Opera has withdrawn its nomination for a Sky Arts Award for its production of Nixon in China after being criticized for its use of 'yellowface' makeup, The Times reports. |
14 Jun 2021 / Broadway World |
Scottish Opera announces Spring/Summer season |
Scottish Opera’s forthcoming season includes two specially made films, along with plans to bring live opera back to audiences with outdoor performances in the summer. |
15 Apr 2021 / Opera Now |
Scottish Opera reveals plans to stage 200 'pop-up' shows |
Scottish Opera has revealed plans to stage more than 200 outdoor performances for around 12,000 people across Scotland as it emerges from lockdown restrictions. |
8 Apr 2021 / The Scotsman |
Singing in the rain |
Scottish Opera is beginning live performances again with a string of pop-up shows across the country - with musicians behind screens and singers staying three metres apart. |
6 Sep 2020 / BBC News |