(Credits: Shirley Suarez / English National Ballet official website)

The Scottish Opera has announced a September program of seated outdoor performances, following the Scottish Government’s decision from August 20.

The Scottish Opera will bring live performances back to the stage with physical distancing observed at all times by the performers, backstage staff, and the audience.

“We are delighted we can now begin to bring live singing and playing back to you in what is an exceptionally difficult time for so many, so we are thrilled that, in a small way, we can begin to offer a glimmer of hope that live performances can be possible, even if only in reduced scale and appropriately socially distanced,” stated the Scottish Opera on its official website.

Puccini’s famed opera “La bohème” will be presented using Jonathan Dove’s abridged version with just seven singers and a reduced orchestra.

The cast includes soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn as Mimì, soprano Rhian Lois as Musetta, tenor Samuel Sakker as Rodolfo, baritone Roland Wood in the role of Marcello, and baritone Arthur Bruce as Schaunard. Stuart Stratford conducts the production by Roxana Haines.

Performance dates: September 5 – 13, 2020

Pop-up Opera will include reduced versions of Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers,” Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” as well as R.Y. Bell and Ian Gourley’s “The Song of the Clyde.”

The cast includes sopranos Sarah Power and Stephanie Stanway, and baritones Aidan Edwards and Andrew McTaggart. Ian Watt and Sasha Savaloni will play the guitar. Andrew Drummond Huggan will play the cello.

Performance dates: September 4 – 27, 2020