RCS Opera

Prior to our two highly successful performances of Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortileges with the RSNO at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, and the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall (see previous post), January saw our Opera Chorus Showcase in the Athenaeum Theatre at the RCS. All the BMus and many of the MMus singers appeared in this memorable production. 70 singers on stage performed classic opera choruses by Verdi, Beethoven, Mozart, Johann Strauss, Purcell and Wagner. We even threw in a duet from Hansel and Gretel, beautifully performed by Shauna Healy and Katy Hardie. Piano accompaniment was provided by our two wonderful repetiteurs: Hannah Baker and Max McWhirter. Of the four performances, two were dedicated to schools, with the young people and their teachers attending free of charge. Thanks to a brilliant contribution from RCS production students, it looked as good as it sounded – amazing! Here’s some photos, taken by Kevin Robertson.

The Opera Department now has a new look in terms of personnel. Jane Irwin is now Head of Opera and Vocal Performance, Duncan Williams is Senior Coach and Co-ordinator of the Repetiteur Course, and Mark Hathaway is now Associate Head of Opera. We look forward to collaborating with some wonderful external professionals on upcoming our productions, and to embracing our new, stronger – and so exciting - relationship with Scottish Opera.
Despite the transition period, opera has certainly remained very much alive at the RCS this year. In April, students from Vocal Performance performed Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortileges with Anna Stéphany (mezzo) and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh and the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall. There were rave reviews. Hats off to the singers for such memorable performances!
The collective endeavour behind the 45-minute opera after the interval was nothing short of magnificent… Mezzo Anna Stephany, as the child, was the sole professional singer, but you’d hardly have known that from the performances of the students. Singling out any individuals would be invidious because this was a terrific collective effort. (Vox Carnyx)
The students from the Conservatoire rose splendidly to the challenge, and clearly thoroughly relished the chance to sing with a full symphony orchestra, and the excellent Thomas Søndergård. (Edinburgh Music Review)
With the exception of Anna Stéphany’s brattish Child, all of the soloists were students at Glasgow’s Royal Scottish Conservatoire, and they each made the most of their moment in the spotlight. (Seen and Heard International)

News from the RCS Opera Department! So sorry that we’ve been silent for a while on Facebook. The opera course has been through a period of transition. We’ve been moving from a two-year MMus Opera Course to a one-year Advanced Artist Diploma in Opera, a showcase for exceptional talent which includes a production in collaboration with Scottish Opera. This exciting new course begins in September 2026. We’re delighted that seven highly talented singers and three repetiteurs will be joining us. Please keep checking our posts as we reveal more detail about the course, the productions and the young singers who will be joining us in September. For now, enjoy the new cover photo from our Russian Double Bill in March 2023, and standby for further updates and photos.

Massive congratulations to Royal Conservatoire of Scotland alumna Beth Taylor: Mezzo-Soprano for going to the final of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2023 !!! We're so proud of her and wish her the best for the end of the competition ✨

You can vote for her towards the audience prize following this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2chCSrvh4vkjd8fP6pWBLXZ/the-audience-prize-gwobr-cynulleidfa

To tune in on Sunday 18th on BBC 2 Wales, BBC 4 if you can't go in person at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff!

I think this pretty much sums up how I’m feeling! 😂

Can you BELIEVE that happened?! Unreal, I still can’t. What an HONOUR to have been selected as the Wildcard contestant for the grand final of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2023.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in, came along and supported, the hundreds of well wishes online and the many hugs of reassurance. It means so much to me that you were all able to share in this journey with me. I’ve yet to sleep from all the excitement 😛

Thank you to the INCREDIBLE Ryan Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales for holding my hand every step of the way and giving me the platform to be myself.

Be sure to tune in on Sunday 18th on BBC 2 Wales, BBC 4 or indeed in person at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff!

If you’d really like, there is still plenty of time to vote for your favourite singer to win the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Audience Prize, by following the link below! You can only vote ONCE!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2chCSrvh4vkjd8fP6pWBLXZ/the-audience-prize-gwobr-cynulleidfa

Thank you all again from the deepest depths of my heart. I’ll never forget it. ❤

B x

Thanks for jumping in so quickly Rebecca Murphy Soprano and doing such an amazing job! We were lucky to have you!

Tonight is the last night of our Russian Double-bill!!!

Still time to get your tickets 🍦

Thrilled for the great audiences we've had so far and hugely honoured that Elena Langer, composer of Four Sisters, came to the show on Wednesday!

Director - Max Hoehn
Conductor - Lada Valešová

Cast:

A Feast in Time of Plague

Walsingham: Ross Cu***ng
Priest: Pawel Piotrowski
Mary: Wiktoria Wizner
Young Man: Sam Marston
Louisa: Marie Cayeux
Plague Doctor: William Searle

Four Sisters

Maid: Marie Cayeux
Olga: Hannah Bennett
Irina: Megan Baker
Masha: Rosalind Dobson *sung by Rebecca Murphy*
Krumpelblatt: Ross Cu***ng

Great pictures from the dress rehearsal of our Russian Double-bill 💃

2 shows to go!!! Book your tickets: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/box-office/event/opera-russian-double-bill-324605/

We finally open our Russian Double-bill tonight!!! 🪆

Featuring two works based on writings by Chekov and Pushkin, preceded by Prokofiev's Overture on Hebrew Themes, this will be a night to remember for opera lovers... So get your tickets!
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/box-office/event/opera-russian-double-bill-324605/

Director Max Hoehn
Conductor Lada Valešová

Cast:

A Feast in Time of Plague 🍽️

Walsingham: Ross Cu***ng
Priest: Pawel Piotrowski
Mary: Wiktoria Wizner
Young Man: William Searle*/Sam Marston**
Louisa: Marie Cayeux*/Rosalind Dobson**
Plague Doctor: Sam Marston**/William. Searle*

Four Sisters 👯👯‍♀️

Maid: Marie Cayeux
Olga: Hannah Bennett
Irina: Megan Baker
Masha: Rosalind Dobson
Krumpelblatt: Ross Cu***ng

*Cast for 18/22
**Cast for 20/24

Following shows:
Wednesday 22
Friday 24

Due to illness, Rosalind Dobson will be walking the role of Masha tonight, while RCS alumna Rebecca Murphy will be singing it from the side. Marie Cayeux will be singing the role of Louisa.

We were so lucky to welcome the wonderful Louise Winter for an inspiring masterclass this afternoon. Louise is currently performing in Scottish Opera’s critically acclaimed production of Puccini’s ‘Il trittico’ - it’s not to be missed! For more opera, catch RCS’s Russian Opera Double Bill next week ⭐️

Starting soon!! 🌟

Come and see six of our students workshop their arias with mezzo-soprano Louise Winter, accompanied by Mark Sandon and Valeri Ayvazyan 🎹

14.30 in the Ledger Recital Room, tickets here 👇

Opera Masterclass: Louise Winter 17 March-17 March 333405 - Box Office Opera Masterclass: Louise Winter Louise Winter was born in Preston, Lancashire, and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. She made her début in 1982 with Glyndebourne Touring Opera as Dorabella Così fan tutte and subsequently sang Tisbe La Cenerentola, Zerlina Don Giovanni, and Rosina Il...

🚨 Masterclass Alert!!

We are delighted to welcome wonderful mezzo-soprano Louise Winter to the Opera School this afternoon! 🌟

Come along to the Ledger Recital Room at 14.30 to see Louise work with our students 💃

Tickets can be purchased here 👇

https://www.rcs.ac.uk/box-office/event/opera-masterclass-louise-winter-333405/

…

Louise Winter was born in Preston, Lancashire, and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. She made her début in 1982 with Glyndebourne Touring Opera as Dorabella Così fan tutte and subsequently sang Tisbe La Cenerentola, Zerlina Don Giovanni, and Rosina Il barbiere di Siviglia for the company.

Recent roles include Marcellina (Royal Opera House/Grange Festival), Governess Queen of Spades (Royal Opera House), Maya in Howard Moody’s Agreed (Glyndebourne), Gertrude in Brett Dean’s Hamlet (Glyndebourne on Tour), Madame Larina Eugene Onegin (Garsington Opera), Anaide in Leconcavallo’s Zazà (Opera Holland Park), Wife in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Greek with Music Theatre Wales at the Linbury Studio Theatre and on tour in the UK and Korea, Kabanicha Katya Kabanova (Longborough Festival), Madame de la Haltière Cendrillon and Ragonde Le Comte Ory (Blackheath Concert Halls).

Previously, she has sung title role Carmen and Marguerite La Damnation de Faust (English National Opera), Olga Eugene Onegin (Royal Opera House/Canadian Opera Company/Glyndebourne Festival Opera), Sesto La clemenza di Tito, Edwige Rodelinda, Varvara Katya Kabanova, Pauline Queen of Spades (Glyndebourne Festival Opera), Brangäne Tristan und Isolde, Venus Tannhäuser and Lady Macbeth in Ernst Bloch’s Macbeth (Frankfurt), Preziosilla La Forza del Destino (Rouen).

Louise Winter has sung with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sir Andrew Davis, the Hallé Orchestra under Mark Elder, the Philharmonia Orchestra under Sir Charles Mackerras, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Carlo Rizzi.