20 Opera Companies Join Forces to Launch UK Opera Association

A new organization representing the UK’s opera sector, the UK Opera Association (UKOA), has officially launched, uniting 20 founding companies to advocate for opera’s future and strengthen its presence across the country. UKOA, which was founded by Birmingham Opera Company, British Youth Opera, Buxton International Festival, English National Opera, English Touring Opera, Garsington Opera, The Grange Festival, Glyndebourne, Longborough Festival {…}

Apr 30, 2025

Mario Chang, Lauren Fagan, Gwyn Hughes Jones, Annemarie Kremer & Lea Shaw Lead Scottish Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Scottish Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with a double bill of Ravel’s “L’heure espagnole” and Walton’s “The Bear.” Alexandra Cravero conducts the production by Jacopo Spirei. Lea Shaw, Jamie MacDougall, Daniel Barrett, Edward Jowle, and Luvo Maranti star in Ravel’s production, and Chloe Harris, Daniel Barrett, and Edward Jowle star in Walton’s opera. Performance Dates: {…}

Mar 28, 2025

Obituary: James Lockhart Passes Away at 94

Conductor James Lockhart passed away on Feb. 26, 2025 at the age of 94. Lockhart was born on Oct. 16, 1930, in Edinburgh. He studied at the Royal College of Music and gave his UK premiere at All Souls Church, Langham Place. He took the position of Music Director at Welsh National Opera in 1968, where he stayed until 1972. {…}

Mar 6, 2025

Scottish Opera 2024-25 Review: The Makropulos Affair

(Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic) It is rare these days for a director and their team to allow an opera to emerge solely from its score and text without the need to impose their own reading, offer a new twist, introduce wonderful stage effects, or succumb to the temptation of placing it in a new setting. In fact, to do otherwise is {…}

Nov 24, 2024

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Announces Dame Shirley Bassey as New President

At the end of its celebratory 75th birthday year, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama announced Dame Shirley Bassey CH DBE FRWCMD as its new President. For the next three years she will hold the title. The President of the College is an honorary role which supports the College’s position as the national conservatoire of Wales and inspires {…}

Nov 15, 2024

Scottish Opera Unveils 2024-25 Emerging Artists

The Scottish Opera has announced the names of its 2024-25 Emerging Artists. The roster includes soprano Kira Kaplan, mezzo Chloe Harris, baritone Ross Cumming, bass-baritone Edward Jowle, repetiteurs José Javier Ucendo Malo and Meghan Rhoades, and costume trainee Beatrix Booth. The artists are supported by the Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Benefactors and Elizabeth Salvesen. Per the official website, the artists {…}

Jul 22, 2024

Guildhall School Professor Dr. Toby Young Awarded Prestigious Future Leaders Fellowship for ‘Immersive Opera’

(Photo credit: Vikram Kushwar) Guildhall School of Music & Drama has announced that Dr. Toby Young has been selected to receive a Future Leaders Fellowship, awarded by UKRI (UK Research & Innovation). The fellowship provides a grant of £1.4 million, the largest research-related funding award Guildhall School has received to date. This funding goes directly towards Dr. Young’s research project {…}

Jun 8, 2024

Susan Bullock, Stacey Alleaume, Helena Dix & Roland Wood Lead Scottish Opera’s 2024-25 Season

The Scottish Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera The season opens with Stravinsky’s “Oedipus Rex” with Stuart Stratford conducting and Roxana Haines directing. The cast will include Shengzhi Ren, Kitty Whately, Roland Wood, Callum Thorpe, Seumas Begg, and Emyr Wyn Jones. Performance Dates: August 12-19, 2024 Britten’s “Albert Herring” will be conducted by William Cole and directed by Daisy {…}

Apr 16, 2024

Scottish Opera Announces Plans for New Development

The Scottish Opera plans to create an “exceptional development” in Glasgow. The new plans will bring three of its premises under one roof. Known as the New Rotterdam Wharf project, the plan involves redeveloping land beside the company’s purpose built Edington Street production studios. The Scottish Opera currently operates out of a rented headquarters in an “aging” Victorian building in {…}

Mar 1, 2024

Scottish Opera 2023-24 Review: Marx in London

(Photo: James Glossop) Any forward-looking opera company surely must play its part in keeping the artform alive. While there must be a place for the staple repertoire, an over-reliance on the likes of Puccini, Verdi, and Mozart not only contains an element of the parasitic but also displays a mentality of unadventurous programming that will ultimately sap the energy from {…}

Nov 7, 2023

Scottish Opera Announces 2023-24 Emerging Artists

The Scottish Opera has announced the six Emerging Artists joining the 2023-24 season. The artists for the season are baritone Ross Cumming, soprano Inna Husieva, tenor Monwabisi Lindi, costume trainee Lovisa Litsgard, returning mezzo-soprano Lea Shaw (as Associate Artist), and repetiteur José Javier Ucendo. The company’s Emerging Artists program was launched in 2009 and offers young talent a period of full-time {…}