Scottish Opera is coming to a venue near you this February with its annual tour of Opera Highlights (previously Essential Scottish Opera) – a relaxed, informal, concert-style evening of well-known opera tunes and little-known gems.

Programmed by Scottish Opera’s long-time Head of Music Derek Clark, the ever-popular tour is now in it’s sixteenth year.
This year the tour is bigger than ever with six additional dates. The Scotland-wide tour takes in Rutherglen, Strathmiglo, Brechin, Midmar, Carrbridge, Findhorn, Torridon, Ardross, Strathy, Gairloch, Sleat, Benderloch, Killin, Tarbert, Darvel, Peebles, Hawick, Castle Douglas, Livingston and Benbecula and Barra in the Western Isles.

Introduced by our four talented young singers and accompanied by pianist Ruth Wilkinson, the evening showcases a mix of operatic styles including arias, duets and ensembles from operas like Puccini’s La bohème, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Gounod’s Romèo et Juliette, as well as music by Handel, Rossini, Gilbert and Sullivan, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky and Bernstein.

The cast includes two of Scottish Opera’s Emerging Artists, soprano Miranda Sinani and mezzo-soprano Louise Collett. Miranda and Louise come fresh from their roles in the chorus of Scottish Opera’s recent critically acclaimed production of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. Joining them on stage is tenor Adrian Ward, winner of the 2008 Royal Over-Seas League vocal section prize and baritone Robert Tucker, a recent Emerging Performer at the Australian Opera Studio.

Scottish Opera’s General Director Alex Reedijk says, ‘This is a great chance to see some fantastic young singers performing a selection of the world’s most beautiful music right on your doorstep. There’s a perfect blend of tunes people will already know and ones we hope they’ll be delighted to discover.’


Performance Diary

1. Rutherglen Town Hall
Tuesday 2 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Rutherglen Town Hall, 139 Main Street, Rutherglen, G73 2JJ
Tel: 0141 613 5700

2. Strathmiglo Public Hall
Thursday 4 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Strathmiglo Post Office
Tel: 01337 860 201
also: Falkland Post Office
Tel: 01337 858 743
also: Auchtermuchty Post Office
Tel: 01337 827 940
also: Graham Scott
Tel: 01337 860 544

3. Brechin City Hall
Saturday 6 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Brechin Library, 10 St Ninians Square, Brechin, DD9 7AA
Tel: 01356 622687
also: The Meffan, 20 West High Street, Forfar, DD8 1BB
Tel: 01307 464 123

4. Midmar Village
Tuesday 9 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Colin Stokoe, The Sett, Cottage 3, Tillybirloch, Midmar, AB51 7PS
Tel: 01330 833 719

5. Carrbridge Village Hall
Thursday 11 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Carrbridge Community Arts
Tel: 01479 841 211

6. Universal Hall, Findhorn
Saturday 13 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Phoenix Stores, The Park, Findhorn, IV36 3TZ
Tel: 01309 690 110
www.thebooth.co.uk  

7. Torridon Community Hall
Tuesday 16 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Margaret Brown, Torridon Arts and Culture Group
Tel: 01445 791488
also: Dorothy Hall, Torridon Arts and Culture Group
Tel: 01445 791239

8. Ardross Community Hall
Thursday 18 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Ardross Community Hall, Ardross, Alness, Ross-shire, IV17 0XN
Tel: 01349 880 591

9. Strathy Village Hall
Saturday 20 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Janette Mackay
Tel: 01641 541 275

10. Gairloch Community Hall, Achtercairn Brae
Tuesday 23 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Carole Miller
Tel: 01445 731 535

11. Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, nr Armadale, Isle of Skye
Thursday 25 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Seall Arts
Tel: 01471 844 207
Email: info@seall.co.uk  
www.seall.co.uk  

12. Sgoil Lìonacleit, Isle of Benbecula
Saturday 27 February, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Macgillivary’s Shop, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula, Western Isle, HS7 5LA
Tel: 01870 602 525

13. Castlebay Hall, Isle of Barra
Tuesday 2 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: A&C MacLean, General Store & Fuel, The Square, Castlebay, Isle of Barra, HS9 5XD
Tel: 01871 810291

14. Benderloch Victory Hall
Thursday 4 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Terry Donovan
Tel: 01631 720 498

15. McLaren Hall, Killin
Saturday 6 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Newsfirst, Main Street, Killin, FK21 8UJ
Tel: 01567 820 362

16. Tarbert Village Hall
Tuesday 9 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Kintyre Electrical, Campbelltown Road, PA29 6TN
Tel: 01880 820 272

17. Darvel Town Hall
Thursday 11 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: The Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock
Tel: 01563 554 900

18. Eastgate Theatre, Peebles
Saturday 13 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, EH45 8AD
Tel: 01721 725777
www.eastgatearts.com  

19. Heart of Hawick – Tower Mill
Tuesday 16 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: VisitScotland box office in Tower Mill (box office hours)
Tel: 01450 360688
www.thebooth.co.uk  

20. Lochside Theatre, Castle Douglas
Thursday 18 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Lochside Theatre, Lochside Road, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, DG7 1EU
Tel: 01556 504506
www.lochsidetheatre.co.uk  

21. Howden Park Centre, Livingston
Saturday 20 March, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Howden Park Centre
Tel: 01506 777666
www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk  

Booking fees may apply. Please check with individual venues/box offices.

Tickets for performances can also be purchased online at scottishopera.org.uk
Telephone bookings can be made on the 24 hour booking line 0844 847 1645
(Excluding venues 2,18,19,21)

Advance booking is highly recommended. Any remaining unsold tickets will be available for sale at the door. Doors open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

www.scottishopera.org.uk