The Gift has been presented with the award for best Production for Children and Young People at the 20th annual Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland. The awards ceremony which took place on Sunday 11th June at Traverse Theatre, saw Capital Theatres take home their first ever CATs award for the production.
Specially designed for children aged between 2 and 5 years old, The Gift isa story about how often, the wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and bubble wrap reveal playfulness, creativity and imagination – the true gift! The Festive show isbursting with energy, acrobatic dance, textures, sounds and colour to create a multi-sensory wonderland from the left-over boxes, ribbons and wrapping.
The Gift is a commission by Capital Theatres, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Eden Court, and a co-production between Barrowland Ballet and Capital Theatres for its 2022 presentation,
Natasha Gilmore, Artistic Director of Barrowland Ballet and creator of The Gift said:“It was such a privilege to sit in The studio at Capital theatre watching the Gift over Christmas with all these families enjoying going to the theatre together.
“A reminder of the joy of theatre and what a unique and memorable experience it is.”
Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatressaid: “It was an absolute privilege to witness the impact and joy The Gift brought to young audiences and their families in The Studio last Christmas and we are thrilled Barrowland Ballet and Natasha Gilmore’s wonderful work has won a CATs award this year.
“Collaborating with Eden Court and Aberdeen Performing Arts for this commission has been a real pleasure and sits at the heart of our vision to support and develop Scottish talent.
“This is of particular significance for Capital Theatres as The Gift marks the first time we’ve commissioned new work for young children in our studio as well as our first CATs award as a producer.”
Ben Torrie, Director of Programming and Creative Arts of Aberdeen Performing Arts said: “It has been a real joy working with our friends at Capital Theatres and Eden Court on the joint commission, which has resulted in the creation of three fantastic productions.
“The innovative model makes the most of our collective resources, provides stability for venues and artists, as well as ensuring that more young audiences across Scotland get to experience top quality theatre.
“Everyone at Aberdeen Performing Arts is thrilled for Barrowland Ballet in receiving this much-deserved accolade, and we can’t wait to welcome the awarding-winning production of The Gift to the Lemon Tree this Christmas.”
Susannah Armitage, Eden Court Senior Producer said:“The Gift is a beautiful piece of festive dance theatre for children that had our young audiences transfixed.
“It was a joy to collaborate with the ever brilliant Natasha and Barrowland Ballet as part of our co-commissioning and co-producing partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres.”
Kevin Clifton hits the dance floor at top Edinburgh performance school
LUCKY musical theatre and dance students were treated to an unforgettable experience as performers from Strictly Ballroom the Musical took a break from touring to host a samba masterclass.
Students from The MGA Academy of Performing Arts welcomed Kevin Clifton, BBC Strictly Come Dancing star, along with the talented Poppy Blackledge and MGA graduate Kieran Cooper who all shared their expertise and insights during an exclusive and energetic session.
This special visit provided a fantastic opportunity for students to engage and learn from renowned professionals helping inspire the next generation of talents through sharing techniques, knowledge, and valuable insights into the audition process.
Kevin Clifton, who featured in seven series of the hit BBC show, finally winning in 2018 with his now long-term partner, Stacey Dooley, said: “I loved being at MGA because we weren’t just trying to teach a bit of dancing and the technique behind it but also show the students the audition process.
“For our show, it takes a lot of letting go in terms of everyone’s inhibitions and really going for it in the room. I feel everyone really committed to it which was really lovely to see.
“To be honest at that age I probably wouldn’t have committed to letting go like that, so it was really great to see and it’s been great to spend time with such a talented bunch.”
It’s an exciting time for the academy, as it is set to move its headquarters to Livingston in the coming months, to enable it to triple its student intake and broaden its educational offering to 11 BA degrees, two postgraduate Masters degrees and strengthen foundational courses that offer opportunities for aspiring performers.
Poppy Blackledge, a talented performer and integral part of the ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical’ cast, also graced the MGA Academy with her presence. Students had the privilege of learning from her expertise and witnessing first hand the incredible skills that have earned her a place on the international stage.
The visit from MGA BA Hons Musical Theatre graduate Kieran Cooper created a sense of pride and inspiration within the student community.
Kieran’s journey from MGA Academy to performing in a prestigious production like ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical‘ showcased the exceptional training and opportunities provided by MGA Academy.
Kieran said: “I started MGA in 2013 to study the Musical theatre course, graduating in 2016. I really enjoyed my time there, mainly because everyone is so friendly and welcoming.
“I had never sung or danced before but everyone was just so encouraging, looking back I can honestly say they were some of the best years of my life.
“It was great to bring Kevin and Poppy from Strictly Ballroom along and we did a little samba routine from the beginning of the show, and everyone was amazing.
“I knew the talent level at MGA is high, but we were shocked at just how good the students were today. Everyone was amazing and it’s been great fun.”
The students were able to witness the magic of ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical’ as they enjoyed the unforgettable performance based on Baz Luhrmann’s acclaimed film. Directed by the famous Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, this production brought the glitz and glamour of ballroom dancing to life, leaving an indelible impression on the aspiring performers.
Reece Hannah, a current musical theatre student at MGA Academy, shared her excitement about the visit, saying, “It was a truly incredible experience to have Kevin Clifton, Poppy Blackledge, and Kieran Cooper here at MGA Academy.
“Learning from industry professionals and seeing Kieran’s journey from MGA to performing in a West End production was truly inspiring. It has motivated me to pursue my dreams with even greater passion and determination.”
The visit from esteemed stars of ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical’ further reinforces MGA Academy’s reputation as a leading institution for performing arts education that provides a platform for aspiring performers to remain in Scotland while studying at a level equivalent to prestigious London colleges.
Founded in 2015 in Balgreen, West Edinburgh it will move its headquarters to a dedicated 30,000 square foot campus in Livingston, allowing it to triple its student intake and expand its educational programme.
To find out more about MGA Academy of Performing Arts, visit:
Dunedin Consort, Hera and Mahogany Opera come together to breathe life into 300 year-old ‘operas’ that have never been staged in Britain before
23 June – 12 July 2023
Findhorn, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, London
Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre Cantates Bibliques: ‘Judith’, ‘Rachel’ & ‘Susanne’
Carolyn Sampson, Anna Dennis, Alys Mererid Roberts – Sopranos
Modern English translations by Toria Banks
Directed by Mathilde Lopez
Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s biblical cantatas are extraordinary historical jewels. Written by a woman, about women, for women, they tell bold, unflinching tales about love, marriage, tragedy and adultery, each one a tiny opera in all by name.
These breath-taking miniatures – in new English translations by Toria Banks and directed by Mathilde Lopez– will receive their UK premieres more than 300 years after they were composed.
Out Of Her Mouth will be performed in atmospheric, accessible settings that champion the ability of women to tell their own stories and narrate their own experiences from the Highlands of Scotland to central London.
Translator, Producer & Joint Artistic Director, Hera Toria Banks said: “I’ve been thinking about this project since I first read and heard the Cantates Bibliques, particularly those that tell knotty stories about Biblical women, because while there are exceptions, complex narratives about female experience are pretty rare in the operatic canon.”
But as much as the stories themselves, it’s also about the way they’re told, with a single female singer holding the stage in an authoritative way, and presenting the different characters including the men.
Toria Banks added: “I think you can feel Jacquet de la Guerre’s confidence and ease as a mature composer in these pieces. Within each one there’s a lot of musical variety and a fascinating relationship between teller and tale, characterised by nuance and irony and all sorts of subtle shifts of tone. They’re very fleet of foot, which feels very contemporary.”
Out Of Her Mouth is directed by Mathilde Lopez, a freelance director and the artistic director of August 012 theatre company.
Mathilde Lopez said: “These are three stories about sex and power and ultimately the perpetuation of patriarchy. We are narrating the heroic moments in the lives of three women from the bible: Susanne, Rachel and Judith who endure and overcome different but equally perilous situations.
“Surprising and complex, these baroque vignettes display varied dilemmas and moral contortions but all have in common the very recognisable fear, solitude and violence generated by constant unwanted sexual attention, harassment and objectification. Our women are all kneaded by male violence and the thousand years of abuse that comes with having a female body.
“In Out Of Her Mouth we are presenting these three pieces together as variations on female oppression. Performed by 3 different singers, 4 musicians, 5 watermelons and 7 large blue rolls, we are staging the one long story of accumulated frustrations, anger, wounds and violences of Susanne, Rachel and Judith and lay it bare for the audience to see.
“There will be knives, watermelons and destruction – with regular cleaning and resetting.”
In writing an English version Banks set out to preserve the sinuous quality in the dynamic relationship between singer and story and audience.
“I think I’m always trying to translate ‘faithfully’, but you do have to be faithful to a number of different things at once.
“There are the original words (by Antoine Houdar de la Motte), but also I think you owe something to the central characters and their plausibility and wholeness as women, and to the emotional shape of the music which is aiming at effects on an audience that is very different to the one originally imagined (we can’t all be Louis XIV). And everyone deserves a clear, singable, idiomatic text.”
It’s definitely a feminist project. But it’s not just about performing music by women. That’s important, but ‘Yay for women!’ isn’t enough. It’s a show about three women characters who are all trying to exercise agency and live fully in really constrained circumstances.
The actions they take, and the things that they bear, living under patriarchy come at a cost to themselves. There’s real power and beauty in hearing that expressed.
The three characters and stories are told by three fabulous sopranos: Carolyn Sampson immerses us in the story of Judith, Anna Dennis in that of Rachel and Alys Mererid Roberts brings us the story of the young Susanne.
Throughout Out Of Her Mouth the three partners have sought to create opportunities for professional development, offering support and mentoring to an artist appointed by open call to each area of the production.
Dunedin Consort has appointed Katarzyna Kowalik as harpsichordist, Hera has engaged Welsh soprano Alys Mererid Roberts, and Mahogany Opera has appointed Mathilde Lopez to the directorial team.
Working with Mahogany Opera on Dido’s Ghost in 2021 marked the beginning of a wonderful new partnership for Dunedin Consort.
Dunedin Consort’s Chief Executive, Jo Buckley commented:“It was a real meeting of minds, where we discovered a shared passion for exploring new ideas, pushing our boundaries, and opening up the world of opera in brilliant and creative ways.
“So, we are thrilled to be partnering with Mahogany Opera again for Out Of Her Mouth, and to be working with Hera for the very first time, particularly given their specialism in representing stories told by and about women.”
This project marks the culmination of Dunedin Consort’s 22/23 season and is the perfect way to bring it to a close. Bringing early music to life and in fresh and insightful ways is at the heart of Dunedin Consort’s mission.
Jo Buckley added: We want to spark curiosity in our listeners, and what could be more thrilling than Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s biblical cantatas, now 300 years old and never before staged in the UK?
“Composed by a woman, about women, for women, these powerful miniature operas deserve to be far better known – and we can’t wait to give them the prominence they deserve across Scotland, in York and in London this summer.”
Making their work as accessible as possible to both audiences and performers drives all three ensembles. The potential to enjoy Out Of Her Mouth will be widened with the use of creative captions, audio description introductions and the film of it will be released later this year as part of National Centre for Early Music’s online Christmas festival.
Out Of Her Mouth is a partnership between Dunedin Consort, Hera, Mahogany Opera and the National Centre for Early Music.
Scottish Opera, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and more of Scotland’s premier musical institutions offering a fantastic array of career-enhancing prizes to be won at the National Final of Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year 2023
Incredible support received from the big names in the Scottish musical community who are offering prizes to the next generation of Scotland’s musicians performing at Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year on Sunday 21 May 2023, including all three of Scotland’s national music companies.
Young people from 30 of Scotland’s Local Authorities, covering 99% of the school-aged population, are competing against each other to be crowned the second ever Solo Performer of the Year.
An expert panel of adjudicators will bring expertise from across a spectrum of musical genres.
The national final will take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and will be hosted by broadcaster and celebrated singer Jamie MacDougall, with Nicola Benedetti providing special welcome video.
Scottish Young Musicians, Scotland’s festival of music competitions, gives young musicians from around the country the chance to compete to win career-enhancing prizes, perform live on a national stage in front of internationally renowned judges, and push their skills like never before.
In 2023, 30 local authorities covering 99% of Scotland’s population are taking part inScottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year, giving opportunities to more young people who would like to compete in Scotland’s only music competition where funding and expertise is offered to every school and Local Authority.
The competition was open to all young musicians who go to school in Scotland, whatever age or standard. Each area has selected their best local soloist to compete at the National Final at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Sunday 21 May 2023. In addition, 20 of Scotland’s independent schools have competed to select a finalist. (A link to a live document containing the full list of all 31 young musicians participating in the final can be found in Notes to Editors.)
After much anticipation, the full list of prizes for the competition can now also be announced, with some of the UK’s leading musical institutions and orchestras taking part. New for this year, Scottish Opera are offering the best vocalist and runner up vocalist a day with Scotland’s national opera company, including a special tour of the rehearsal and production facilities and the chance to meet some of the artists, artisans and support staff who make, stage, promote and present Scottish Opera’s productions.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra has offered the prize of a bespoke experience which would include time to meet with its CEO, Alastair Mackie, and a meeting with a player of the prize-winner’s choice. This prize also includes attending a rehearsal and a pair of concert tickets.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra is offering a bespoke experience including time to meet with their CEO, Gavin Reid, a meeting with a player of choice, the opportunity to attend a rehearsal, and a pair of concert tickets.
Other orchestras and ensembles offering prizes include The Dunedin Consort, one of the world’s leading Baroque ensembles, who are offering concert tickets, an invitation to attend a rehearsal, and some one-to-one time with a player.
Scottish Ensemble, Glasgow’s pioneering string orchestra has offered a competitor the opportunity to attend a rehearsal, 2 tickets for a performance and the chance to meet Scottish Ensemble staff and/or performers to get an insight into music careers and opportunities.
The Cumnock Tryst, founded by Sir James MacMillan, is offering a finalist the opportunity to perform a solo recital in its year-round programme in 2024-25.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, host of the national final, is offering the winner of the solo competition a coaching session with the relevant head of department, participation in a masterclass, and a studio recording session with an accompanist provided, giving the winner a quality recording that could be used for auditions. The Conservatoire is also providing two runners up a coaching session with the relevant heads of department and participation in a masterclass.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, recognised as an innovative world leading institution, is offering a winner an immersive bespoke day reflective of their musical interests and aspirations.
This will include a private lesson, a professional studio recording, along with a variety of opportunities such as observing masterclasses, attending performances, and other special events.
Trinity has a leading reputation for musical theatre and jazz which could present a unique opportunity for a winner in these genres. All travel and accommodation costs will be included along with an overnight stay for both the winner and their chaperone.
Haydock Music, a specialist music store in Milngavie, Glasgow, Band Supplies, one of the leading Brass & Woodwind Suppliers in the UK, and The Wind Section, who are also one of the UK’s leading musical instrument retailers, are all offering voucher prizes for some of the finalists. Stringers of Edinburgh, the UK’s leading online retailer for violinists, violists and cellists is offering the prize of a BAM Case for the most promising in the competition.
The Corner Shop PR, leading Arts PR agency based in Edinburgh, is offering half a day of media and social media training which will cover everything from interview training to how to best utilise your social media accounts for a professional career in music.
As previously announced, the overall winner of the national competition will also receive a stunning sculpture by Alexander Stoddart, the King’s Sculptor in Ordinary, of the Maid of Morven playing the Clarsach.
Scottish Young Musicians will also gift the winner of Solo Performer of the Year £1,000 to be spent on activities or items to further their musical career. Two runners up will receive a prize of £250 each also to be used for musical activities.
Ursula Jones OBE, in memory of the virtuoso trumpeter Philip Jones CBE who founded one of the world’s most celebrated brass ensembles, has donated £250 to the most promising solo brass player, to be spent on music related activities.
Ursula will also be at the final to present the Brass Ensemble of the Year trophy and cash prize to Stranraer Brass. East Lothian Council Instrumental Music Service Senior String Ensemble, who won the overall Scottish Young Musicians Ensemble of the Year, will also be presented with their cash prize and trophy, and both ensembles will perform at the final in an all-expenses paid trip.
Deciding the winners of all of these outstanding prizes will be an adjudication panel of musical experts.
Scottish Young Muscians, Glasgow, 2022
John Logan, Head of Brass at RCS, will be chairing the panel of adjudicators. He will be joined by Sarah Ayoub of the multi-instrumental composing and performing duo the Ayoub Sisters, who were discovered by Mark Ronson and are recognised internationally for their chemistry on stage and ability to unite different musical genres and cultures together through their unique compositional style.
Internationally renowned soprano Judith Howarth will also sit on the panel as the vocal specialist judge, and Heather Nicol, Head of Woodwind at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, will be the woodwind specialist judge.
Ross Leighton of Fatherson fame completes the judging line-up, bringing expertise from his career in the alternative rock scene, having toured with bands such as Biffy Clyro, Panic! at the Disco and Enter Shikari.
The final will be presented by singer and broadcaster Jamie MacDougall, who will meet with all the young performers backstage beforehand, and feature a special video welcome by international classical violinist Nicola Benedetti.
Alan Kerr, Chair of Scottish Young Musicians, said: “I’m delighted to see Scottish Young Musicians build on the firm foundations achieved in its first year to now cover 99% of the country.
“The support we’ve had from the Scottish music community and from further afield has been incredible. The reach we have made into Scotland’s communities has benefited countless students, enhancing their performance abilities and life-skills, useful whether they want to pursue a career in music or elsewhere. Our goal is to go even further next year.”
Jane Davidson, Director of Outreach and Education at Scottish Opera, said: “Scottish Opera is delighted to be part of this year’s Scottish Young Musicians Competition and we look forward to welcoming the winners in the vocalist category to a special tour of our rehearsal and production facilities to meet some of the artists, artisans and support staff who make, stage, promote and present our productions.
“The competition, as well as the preceding heats at local authority level across Scotland, are a wonderful way to encourage the next generation of performing artists and further proof, if any were needed, that music and the performing arts continue to be celebrated as an crucial element of school life.”
Ross Leighton, frontman of Fatherson and one of this year’s adjudicators, said:“I can’t wait to be a part of this year’s judging panel! I’m always blown away with the amount of talent Scotland has and to witness this stage of these young musicians’ careers is an honour.
“This competition is the perfect opportunity to display their unique abilities and join a community that will encourage a new era of Scottish creativity, which is super inspiring and I’m really looking forward to hearing them do their thing!”
Juliet Robertson, winner of Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year 2022, said:“Winning the Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer of the Year was incredible and led on to so many amazing opportunities including being on Penny Smith’s show on Scala Radio, visiting 10 Downing Street for Burns Night, playing in several concerts and I am attending an international piano summer school soon.
“It has been an absolutely incredible journey and a life-changing experience. The finals day was great and inspiring so I really hope that all of this year’s performers enjoy it too!”
The Royal Opera House has announced its 2023/24 Season, unveiling a bold programme of thrilling new work, UK premieres and much-loved revivals, alongside the biggest national learning programme in our history, exciting new regional partnerships, and a host of daytime events, behind the scenes tours, exhibitions and artistic Insights at our home in the heart of Covent Garden.
The Royal Ballet Season
The Royal Ballet presents a tapestry of works that celebrate the Company’s rich heritage and celebrated house choreographers, and brings creativity into spaces across the Royal Opera House with a Festival of New Choreography. The Season features revivals from Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan alongside contemporary classics by Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon and Cathy Marston.
The Company’s illustrious legacy from Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan is marked in a number of productions. Ashton’s boundless invention is displayed in two mixed programmes, with The Dream and his virtuosic Rhapsody. One of these programmes also features Les Rendezvous while the other includes Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan, Hamlet and Ophelia, and a guest performance by The Sarasota Ballet of The Walk to the Paradise Garden.
The Sarasota Ballet will also demonstrate the genius of Ashton in the Linbury Theatre with a vibrant array of his creative output. The Royal Ballet and The Sarasota Ballet’s Ashton performances during the Season mark the opening of ASHTON WORLDWIDE, the Frederick Ashton Foundation’s five-year international festival conceived to celebrate the work and legacy of Frederick Ashton. Further information on the festival will be announced by the Foundation in due course.
Kenneth MacMillan’s dramatic flair is celebrated with the romantic tragedy Manon, which this Season celebrates its 50th birthday, and a mixed programme – Requiem, Danses Concertantes and Different Drummer – plus performances and a film premiere by Yorke Dance Project, illustrating the choreographer’s exceptional artistic development across the decades.
In other revivals, Carlos Acosta’s vibrant production of Don Quixote opens the Season for The Royal Ballet. This celebrated production, which premiered in 2013, is the perfect showcase for a Company dancing at its peak. The enduringly popular 19th-century classics The Nutcracker and Swan Lake will also feature in the Season.
Royal Ballet Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project returns following its critically-acclaimed world premiere in 2021. Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, the afterlife is brought into blazing life through the poetic vision of McGregor and his creative team, including pioneering composer Thomas Adès and artist Tacita Dean.
Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet Christopher Wheeldon’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s late romance The Winter’s Tale celebrates its 10th anniversary. With striking designs by Bob Crowley and atmospheric music by Joby Talbot, The Winter’s Tale is widely considered a modern ballet classic.
Two award-winning works, Cathy Marston’s The Cellist, which takes its inspiration from the life and music of Jacqueline du Pré, and Valentino Zucchetti’s breezy Anemoi, receive their first revivals in a mixed programme of powerful musical heft.
The Festival of New Choreography champions new and diverse choreographic voices through the many spaces of our iconic Covent Garden home. A collection of new work will be seen on the Main Stage, and also included is an immersive new work for The Royal Ballet by Robert Binet presented in the Linbury Theatre and co-produced by the National Ballet of Canada.
The Royal Ballet presents the world premiere of a new production in the Linbury Theatre adapted from the play Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons by Sam Steiner. The Limit combines spoken word and dance with choreography by Royal Ballet Principal Character Artist Kristen McNally and direction by Ed Madden and features Royal Ballet Principals Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell in one of the casts. The Limit is set to a newly commissioned score by Isobel Waller-Bridge, who composed the score for the BBC series Fleabag as well as film scores for Vita and Virginia (2018) and Emma (2020).
We look to the future with our continued development of emerging creative and performing talent with Draft Works, International Draft Works and the Next Generation Festival. The Royal Ballet continues its long-standing commitment to fostering dance partnerships, with Northern Ballet, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, Ballet Black and Sydney Dance Company in the Linbury Theatre.
Fallen Angels Dance Theatre make their Linbury Theatre debut. Led by Artistic Director Paul Bayes Kitcher, former Birmingham Royal Ballet soloist, the award-winning company supports those recovering from addiction and mental health adversity through dance, performance and creativity. This work marks the first collaboration between Fallen Angels and New Note Orchestra, a Brighton-based collective of 18 musicians in recovery.
Northern Ballet return to the Linbury Theatre with a programme of new contemporary ballet, including the premiere of a new work by Royal Ballet Soloist Benjamin Ella and a work by New York City Ballet Principal Tiler Peck.
INTERNATIONAL DRAFT WORKS_LINBURY THEATRE_ROH,
Canto De Ossanha_choreography; Joshua Junker, The Royal Ballet,
Ballet Black present a double bill featuring Will Tuckett’s Then or Now and Mthuthuzeli November’s Nina: By Whatever Means, a tribute to Nina Simone. Yorke Dance presents a new programme including work by Robert Cohan, Martha Graham and Kenneth MacMillan, and Sydney Dance Company make their Linbury Theatre debut.
On Wednesday 1 November, World Ballet Day, a much-loved global celebration that brings together over 50 of the world’s leading ballet and dance companies, celebrates its tenth anniversary. Over the course of 24 hours, rehearsals, discussions and classes are streamed for free across six continents, offering unique behind-the-scenes glimpses of ballet’s biggest stars and exciting new performers.
Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare, said: “As we approach next Season, we are thrilled to showcase the extraordinary artistry and skill of our brilliant dancers and orchestral performers in a fantastic range of heritage and award-winning contemporary classics.
“We also look forward to the creative energy that the Festival of New Choreography will bring to the whole of the Royal Opera House, and to continuing to spread the love of ballet through our far-reaching global and UK-wide partnerships. We can’t wait to welcome back existing audiences and to connect with those new to the art form.”
The Royal Opera Season
The Royal Opera opens its Season with two landmark works on both of our stages. On the Main Stage, Antonio Pappano partners with Barrie Kosky for the first time to conduct a bold new imagining of Wagner’s first chapter of the Ring cycle, Das Rheingold – a massive undertaking for any opera house with an outstanding cast including Christopher Maltman as Wotan and Christopher Purves as Alberich.
In the Linbury Theatre, George Benjamin and Martin Crimp bring us Picture a day like this – a major new work which receives its UK premiere following the world premiere this summer at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. After the historic success of Lessons in Love and Violence and Written on Skin, Benjamin and Crimp return alongside stage directors Daniel Jeanneteau and Marie-Christine Soma.
Antonio Pappano, whose first new production at the Royal Opera House was Christof Loy’s production of Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos in 2002, conducts his last new production at the Royal Opera House in Loy’s eagerly anticipated adaptation of Strauss’s Elektra – uniting two of today’s leading dramatic sopranos: Nina Stemme in the title role, and Karita Mattila as the haunted queen Klytämnestra.
In May, a Farewell Gala Concert for Antonio Pappano will see a stellar cast of soloists perform alongside the Chorus and Orchestra in celebration of his 23-year tenure. Maestro Pappano will then lead a cast that includes his longtime collaborator Jonas Kaufmann, and Sondra Radvanovsky and Carlos Álvarez in a revival of David McVicar’s lavish production of Giordano’s Andrea Chénier.
In June 2024, The Royal Opera is delighted to be returning to Japan on tour for the first time since 2019 with performances at Bunka Kaikan Theatre and NHK Hall in Tokyo, and Kanagawa Kenmin Hall in Yokohama. Antonio Pappano will be conducting spectacular casts in Oliver Mears’s darkly elegant production of Verdi’s Rigoletto and Andrei Șerban’s classic staging of Puccini’s Turandot.
The Royal Opera’s exploration into Handel’s Covent Garden operas and oratorios continues with his final masterpiece, Jephtha, which premiered on this site in 1752. This epic new production is staged by Director of The Royal Opera Oliver Mears and is conducted by Handel specialist Laurence Cummings. Extraordinary tenor Allan Clayton performs the title role, joined by an outstanding, largely British cast including Jennifer France, Alice Coote and Brindley Sherratt.
Aigul Akhmetshina and Vasilisa Berzhanskaya share the role of Carmen in Damiano Michieletto’s poetic, contemporary new staging of Bizet’s beloved Carmen. Antonello Manacorda and Emmanuel Villaume conduct two accomplished casts in this sultry new production which evokes the passion and heat of Bizet’s score.
Next Season, the Royal Opera collaborate with Fuel for the first time, presenting the world premiere of Woman & Machine – a ground-breaking binaural opera experience from Mercury-nominated songwriter ESKA, directed by Kirsty Housley. Incorporating the sonic worlds of the neonatal unit and the womb, with influences of contemporary, electronic and Zimbabwean Shona Music, this new work connects themes of life, survival and womanhood.
This Christmas, a range of family favourites return to our stages. Little Bulb’s Oliver award-winning Wolf Witch Giant Fairy will excite children and families in the Linbury Theatre with the original troupe of travelling players returning as the energetic ensemble cast, bringing this endearing folk opera to new audiences, young and old.
On the main stage, music lovers of all ages can enjoy Antony McDonald’s mischievous production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, newly translated into English by Kelley Rourke. Mark Wigglesworth conducts two stellar casts including Anna Stéphany, Hanna Hipp, Anna Devin and Lauren Fagan.
Following the Irish National Opera’s (INO) Olivier award-winning Bajazet and Least Like The Other, INO and The Royal Opera present their third collaboration: a brand-new staging of Vivaldi’s 1734 opera, L’Olimpiade. The production is directed by Daisy Evans, with conductor Peter Wheelan leading the Irish Baroque Orchestra.
In April, the Jette Parker Artists present a thrilling double-bill. Eleanor Burke directs Martinů’s surreal one-act opera Larmes de couteau and Harriet Taylor directs John Harbison’s adaptation of text from W.B. Yeats’ Full Moon in March. Both works are conducted by Edward Reeve, who will lead the Britten Sinfonia.
The 2023/24 Season also features a raft of beloved revivals including Christof Loy’s La Forza del Destino, Laurent Pelly’s L’elisir d’amore, Oliver Mears’s Rigoletto, Damiano Michieletto’s heat-soaked double-bill Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci, Richard Jones’ production of La bohème, Jonathan Kent’s Tosca, Tim Albery’s production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, Moshe Leiser’s and Patrice Caurier’s Madama Butterfly, Katie Mitchell’s production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, and Jan Philipp Gloger’s production of Così fan tutte.
Director of The Royal Opera, Oliver Mears, said: “Despite opera in the UK being under pressure as never before, The Royal Opera is determined to mark Antonio Pappano’s final season as Music Director with ambition and style across our diverse output.
“We embark on the mammoth task of a new Ring cycle directed by Barrie Kosky, produce eight thrilling new productions across both our stages, continue our Covent Garden Handel odyssey, and – as we have for three hundred years – present the very finest singers and conductors working in the world today. This will be a season our audiences will love – and a fitting final bow for one of our most treasured ever colleagues.”
Royal Opera House across the UK
The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet present 13 productions in 1500 cinemas across the globe next Season, including such beloved classics as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker and exciting new productions of Carmen, by Damiano Michieletto and Das Rheingold, by Barrie Kosky.
Message In A Bottle, the acclaimed dance theatre production by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, set to the music of Grammy Award-winning artist Sting, has also been filmed for cinema release in May 2024, in partnership with Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music UK. The international refugee crisis is at the centre of this production – an imagined story about one displaced family, and a universal story of loss, fear, survival, hope and love. Songs including ‘Every Breath You Take’, ‘Roxanne’, ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’ and ‘Fields of Gold’ feature in new arrangements.
This is on top of wider digital innovation as we make available 24 more productions on ROH Stream. These will include work from Wayne McGregor, and Joseph Toonga’s See Us, as well as The Royal Ballet’s new production of Cinderella. These will be supported by a raft of new behind-the-scenes films, interviews and performances, including a celebration of Antonio Pappano’s tenure as Music Director of The Royal Opera; a host of choreographic and vocal masterclasses; and exclusive World Ballet Day content, with rehearsals and insights from across its rich ten-year history.
We also announce our biggest, boldest and most impactful national learning programme to date, inspiring creativity of children and young people across the country. Our flagship Create & Learn programmes drive this national output, which sits alongside industry-leading talent development projects, a new partnership in South Yorkshire, with Rotherham, and a raft of daytime events, family activities and free concerts in our Covent Garden home.
In July, we unveil our first ever national Create Day, connecting more than 2,000 children across four locations around the country: Coventry, Doncaster, Thurrock and Covent Garden. Large scale events, connected via live broadcast, take place in each location and see participants perform pieces inspired by Crystal Pite’s Light of Passage, the culmination of months of work in schools around the UK. This will be expanded still further in 2024, with every school in the country being invited to take part, making it the largest shared cultural schools project ever hosted in the UK.
In Rotherham, we work with local partners to deliver a programme of activity with the aim of reaching every primary school in the region. The programme gives pupils aged 5-11 access to curriculum-linked lesson plans, in school workshops, the chance to see live performances at the Royal Opera House, and to participate in large-scale performance opportunities locally.
It features a collaboration with the Rotherham Music Service on a performance at Magna Science Adventure Centre in June 2024, with more than 1,400 primary school children performing alongside artists of the Royal Opera House in a unique celebration of art, learning and participation. The programme intends to support the creative confidence of teachers and young people in the run up to Rotherham being the first Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025.
Following on from the great legacy of ROH Bridge, we also launch ROH East, a dedicated new programme which works in Levelling Up for Culture schools across the East of England, building confidence of teachers and inspiring creativity of young people across Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and North Kent. We also celebrate the tenth anniversary of Thurrock Trailblazer, which has delivered arts initiatives to almost 100,000 children and young people in 57 schools across the region to date.
At home in Covent Garden
Following this Season’s programme of work in support of Ukraine and those displaced by the war, we continue to work with the displaced Ukrainian community inspiring hope through the collective act of singing. This builds on work undertaken across the 2022/23 Season with the Ukrainian community in London. This included the Songs for Ukraine project, as well as dedicated performances from both The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, which helped to raise £450,000 for Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Young ROH goes from strength-to-strength in its third year, with 10,000 tickets made available to 16–25-year-olds for just £30. The scheme has helped attract younger audiences, which now make up the single largest audience group at the Royal Opera House. This programme sits alongside six whole house Schools’ Matinees, offered at a heavily discounted rate to state school children, and the Paul Hamlyn Christmas Treat, offering a specially-invited audience the chance to see The Nutcracker in our first ever relaxed performance on the Main Stage. We will welcome more than 10,000 young people up and down the country as part of this project.
147 events take place in Covent Garden including 16 free Live at Lunch performances and 40 Insights, offering a unique behind-the scenes look at our resident companies. Many of these are broadcast online for free. We also unveil our biggest programme of guided tours to date, offering 11 unique behind-the-curtain experiences which promise to build on the more than 50,000 tour guests we welcomed last Season. This includes high teas, a look at our second home at the High House Production Park in Thurrock, and curated histories of the Royal Opera House through the lens of Pride and International Women’s Day.
We unveil a host of thought-provoking free exhibitions and displays throughout next Season which bring our spaces to life and invite audiences to delve deeper behind the scenes. These include a celebration of the huge talent that was Maria Callas, celebrating the centennial of her birth, and a dedicated exhibition by photographer Mary McCartney who captured exclusive behind the scenes images of Wayne McGregor’s critically acclaimed ballet The Dante Project. There will also be commemorative displays of beautiful historical costumes including a celebration of the centenary of Nicholas Georgiadis who designed sumptuous costumes for Kenneth MacMillan ballets including Manon and Mayerling.
Nurturing Talent
We continue our efforts to offer new projects that develop future talent and drive diversity across both of our art forms and the industry. Following the success of our Pilot Orchestra Mentorship programme in 2022/23, we launch ‘Overture’ in partnership with Black Lives in Music, continuing to work with young musicians aged 18-25 from the global majority or other underrepresented backgrounds to provide essential mentoring tailored to the participants’ individual needs while enhancing skill sets, insight and training in the classical music field.
Over the Season, we run six more Creative Exchanges with community groups around London, providing a creative space for Royal Opera House artists and external participants to come together, share their experiences and create their own work inspired by ballet and opera stories.
Chance to Dance, our flagship programme aimed at giving primary school children from areas with limited artistic provision their first opportunity to engage creatively with ballet, expands to include five areas, and the Youth Opera Company, our in-house chorus of 50+ state school children, perform in two main stage productions: Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci and Carmen.
The Jette Parker Artists recruit an additional seven international artists to take their first steps on the international stage; and we welcome our biggest ever cohort of apprentices (15) into a range of departments across the organisation- including roles in costume, lighting, technical and production, IT, and marketing.
The Cellist_The Royal Ballet, ROH Covent Garden,
Choreography: Cathy Marston ,
The Cellist; Lauren Cuthbertson,
The Conductor; Matthew Ball,
The Instrument; Marcelino Sambe
Scenario; Cathy Marston and Edward Kemp,
Music;Philip Feeney,
Designer;Hildegard Bechtler,
Costume designer;Bregje van Balen,
Lighting designer; Jon Clark,
Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, said: “I am delighted to introduce our extraordinary 2023/24 Season – a Season packed with bold and exciting new work and much-loved revivals, alongside the biggest and most impactful programme of national learning work in our history.
“We make full use of our iconic Covent Garden home with a full schedule of daytime events, tours, exhibitions and artistic insights, and continue to secure the future of ballet and opera with our ongoing programme of talent development and innovative creative partnerships.”
Join us in person, watch in cinemas, via ROH Stream, or experience our work through programmes country wide. Tickets are from £9 across the Season.
This August, set against the spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will welcome local and international audiences to its new Show, Stories. Staged between 4-26 August, the Show will be a celebration of sagas, myths, and legends, transporting audiences on a journey of ideas – from the earliest campfire stories through to the world stage.
Building on last year’s successful return show, Voices, the 2023 performance, with Presenting Partner, Innis & Gunn, will showcase performers from around the globe, telling tales that connect us through our unique and shared military and cultural heritages.
Bringing together stories through music, dance, poetry, spoken word and imagery, a cast of over 800 UK and international performers will present Stories through a vivid and eclectic range of expression. From the musical prowess of the Massed Pipes & Drums, the physical storytelling of dance and precision drill, and stunning imagery captured through light and projection, audiences will be transported and enthralled.
Pictured: Tattoo Piper Lynsey McNicholl, Tattoo Fidler Margaret Robertson Flight Lieutenant ConnerAdlington (Green Suit) and Air Vice Marshal Ross Paterson (Air Officer Scotland)
Making their Tattoo debut on the Castle Esplanade, The United States Air Force Band will wow the crowds with a freestyle musical performance depicting America’s great songbook, while the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra will bring a vibrant burst of colour and the excitement of their traditional art forms, including the limbo and fire dance.
Precision drill from the King’s Colour Squadronwill feature familiar soundscapes from the world of gaming. Exploring the legends and traditions of Switzerland, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band will also present an exhilarating drum corps talent, which is sure to send sparks flying.
His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway will also be back to stun crowds. Their appearance this August will tell their story as a Regiment, reprising their history and heritage to present day.
After their exuberant debut last year, Electro Pipes will return to the stage, where once again Tattoo Performers will combine the traditional and new through EDM, electric instruments, lighting, and projection.
Pictured: Tattoo Piper Lynsey McNicholl and Air Vice Marshal Ross Paterson (Air Officer Scotland)
Michael Braithwaite, the Creative Director of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said:“Stories builds on our Voices show of 2022 and promises a captivating celebration of connection through stories in all their forms. Most of all, Stories is a shared opportunity for audiences and performers to come together and experience an evening of unique and immersive entertainment.
“Stories is the next chapter in the modern era of the Tattoo, packed with the latest in cutting-edge technology, whilst combining the tradition and precision the Show is known for and loved. It will be a truly memorable event and we are thrilled to be returning to Edinburgh Castle once more.”
“At its heart, Stories celebrates the journey of individuals from many diverse backgrounds, and unity through common experiences.”
2023 marks the second year of the Tattoo’s bold new brand proposition, Performance in a New Light, which embraces military tradition and combines it with exciting new innovations and contemporary touches.
Pictured: Tattoo Piper Lynsey McNicholl, Tattoo Fidler Margaret Robertson Flight Lieutenant ConnerAdlington (Green Suit) and Air Vice Marshal Ross Paterson (Air Officer Scotland)
Buster Howes, the Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said:“The Tattoo is distinctive, iconic, and gleeful. It has mass, momentum and energy, and Stories will have all these qualities as well as being whimsical, exhilarating, and surprising.
“Our lives, loves, triumphs, and disasters are captivated and documented in stories. We grow up with fairy tales and folklore, with Winnie the Pooh and The Gruffalo, and progress to Wuthering Heights and Moby Dick.
“We are, as children, inspired by accounts of resilience, adventure and heroism; universal themes reinterpreted the world over. Edinburgh Castle is surely a perfect backdrop for all such narratives – come and see for yourselves. And nightly, in August, once you are all sitting comfortably, we’ll begin!”
The full line-up for 2023 includes: The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland, The Central Band of the Royal Air Force, The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment, The Royal Air Force Salon Orchestra, Royal Air Force Bands, 1st Battalion The Irish Guards Drums and Pipes, The Pipes and Drums of The Royal Highland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Pipes and Drums of 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Combined Scottish Universities Officers’ Training Corps Pipes and Drums, Royal Air Force Pipes and Drums, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums, The Scots College Sydney Pipes and Drums, The Scots College Sydney Old Boys Pipes and Drums, The Scots School Albury Pipe Band, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Dancers, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Fiddlers, King’s Colour Squadron Royal Air Force, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band, His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway, The United States Air Force Band and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188. The Show will run from 4-26 August 2023, with Innis & Gunn once again offering a bar service at the event. Drinks pre-order is available now from edintattoodrinks.co.uk.
Like last year, tickets for 2024’s Show Journeys will go on sale in August during Stories.
Twenty-four Scotland based Hip Hop artists working in music, visual arts, dance, drama, literature, and screen have received bursaries totalling more than £31,000 thanks to a growing nationwide programme of support designed to strengthen and sustain Scotland’s thriving Hip Hop community.
From Turriff to Dumfries, Angus to Aberdeen, the bursaries are backing DJ workshops, the development of new EPs, singles, albums and music videos; dedicated writing, producing, audio engineering and dance training, the creation of new Hip Hop web series’, provision of DJ equipment and the roll out of new events.
Artist, producer, lyricist Queen of Harps (Anise Pearson – pictured above) is in development on a new EP and music video; Angus’ NoQuestion (Connor Metcalfe) is working on an instrumental beats album offering open-source material for future collaborations; and Tristyn Jay Trustler’s forthcoming album – created in memory of their mother, will form the basis for a new theatre production.
Edinburgh’s Werd (Andrew Devine), who’s using his bursary to develop a new album in collaboration with local producers, said “Sunny Govan’s always been a cornerstone in showcasing and supporting Hip Hop in Scotland.
This funding will allow anyone to progress doing what they love while easing financial concerns. I’m proud to be included and given the chance to push myself and others I work with and I encourage all independent acts to learn about these great opportunities on offer.”
Steg G of Sunny Govan Radiosaid: “These bursaries are an important step towards improving access to arts funding and support for new and existing Hip Hop adjacent artists to develop their skills and talents.
“Hip Hop’s energy, artistry and community spirit is alive and thriving in Scotland. It’s a culture, a movement, and a way of life. The ambition, the appetite is palpable and now we’re working together with partners to put the infrastructure and opportunities in place that will help sustain and grow Scotland’s vibrant and diverse scene.”
121 mentoring with legendary Hip Hop Artist Steg G, Talent Manager and Creative Producer Mobo Agoro or DJ and Producer K4CIE also features this year, alongside availability of additional access costs.
Jenny Tipton, Place, Partnerships & Communities Officer at Creative Scotland said: “Now in its second year, we’re excited to be able to provide refreshed opportunities for Scotland’s growing Hip Hop community and pleased to be able to offer increased provision, additional mentoring opportunities and further access support for each bursary.
“In a time of increased uncertainty for the creative sector, small bursary programmes like these are more important than ever to support artists to develop their careers and provide sustained opportunity across the multi art form genre that is Scottish Hip Hop. It’s with thanks to The National Lottery that we’re able to continue to support this programme.”
Artist
Project Summary
Location
Amount £
Karin Bezchlebova
DJ workshops for women in hip hop, supporting guest women DJs to deliver sessions.
Glasgow
£1,500
Gracia Brill
6 track EP for CrayTwinz that also documents the creative process via video so that it can be shared with other artists as a resource.
Dunbar
£1,000
Steven Buckby
Hip Hop writing and producing workshops for women over 21 in Polmont Prison.
Fife
£1,478
AJ Crawford
Two new singles with accompanying music videos.
Glasgow
£1,500
Sean Cosgrove
Web series showcasing young Scottish MCs in a cypher format with artist as DJ.
Glasgow
£1,000
Ibrahim Dikko
Collaborating with local videographer to develop music video for new music release.
Glasgow
£1,035
Andrew Divine
New album for Werd (SOS) working with local producers.
Edinburgh
£1,500
Yas Farzan
Filmed DJ sets showcasing 4 under-represented Hip Hop artists in Scotland.
Glasgow
£1,050
Rowena Gatenby
Equipment to support artists development in DJing, and MCing.
Aberdeen
£1,500
Lewis Linich
Audio engineering workshops for early career audio engineers and producers.
Glasgow
£1,500
Connor Metcalfe
16 track instrumental project by NoQuestion creating an open source beats material for future collaboration.
Angus
£879
John Lee Miller
5 track EP that highlights theme of mental health.
Glasgow
£1,000
Andre Muvuti
7 tracks with 7 Scottish producers focusing on spoken word pieces to be developed into music.
Glasgow
£1,500
Ian Nijdam
Producing a collaborative Hip Hop EP with artists based across Scotland.
Glasgow
£1,250
Anise Pearson
Develop new EP and music video for Queen of Harps.
Edinburgh
£1,000
Harry Raitt
3 track release, with recording, mixing, artwork and visuals collaborating with Scottish based creatives.
Turriff
£1,500
Jordan Robertson
Collection of music videos to support development of work.
Glasgow
£1,000
Alexander Romance
Live music event supporting under-represented artists in Hip Hop.
Dumfries and Galloway
£1,150
Joe Rosenthal
Music video for band AROMA collaborating with rapper Skittles.
Glasgow
£1,500
Nadia Sewnauth
Midgierakers Unite Dance workshops in collaboration with Shelltoe Mel, offering sessions for women and young people to learn different Hip Hop Dance styles.
Dumbarton
£1,500
Sarah-Jayne Simpson
2 tracks exploring contemporary life in the North East of Scotland.
Aberdeen
£1,262
Faris El Sheikh
Working with producer Stu Brown and filmmaker Meray Dinar and contemporary dancer to develop a new song, music video and dance piece.
Glasgow
£1,500
TJ Trusler
Album created in their mother’s memory, that will form the basis for a theatrical production.
Edinburgh
£1,500
David Wark
Collaborating with Big City Brains in Copenhagen, two dance artists from the popping scene in Glasgow will travel to Copenhagen to meet this dance collective and develop a sustainable model of artist development for dancers.
The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group (EGTG) has successfully secured funding to host the second StagEHd Festival this summer.
The local amateur theatre company has been granted £5,000 from The National Lottery Awards for All Scotland fund to present the free-to-attend theatre festival at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June.
Launched in 2022 by members of EGTG, StagEHd Festival is an open access theatre festival programmed to showcase the best of Edinburgh’s amateur and emerging performing artists.
Last year’s event proved popular with over 1,200 attendees across the weekend enjoying performances from puppetry to opera; including a retelling of Polish folklore Wawel Dragon from bilingual theatre company Lustro SCENY (The Mirror of Stage); a performance of the traditional Scottish folktale Galoshins by Scotland’s only all-women mumming group, The Meadows Mummers; and a resounding rendition of songs from the musicals from local youth musical theatre company Momentum Performing Arts.
The programme for StagEHd 2023 is still to be announced, but festival founder, Hannah Bradley Croall shared her excitement upon receiving the support: “We’re incredibly grateful to The National Lottery and its players for their support in making StagEHd 2023 happen.
“And we’re excited to present another weekend of entertainment at the Ross Bandstand; a venue which, if it wasn’t for community efforts like ours, would sit vacant and closed off for the majority of the year.
“This money will pay for the hire of the venue, and cover the cost of bringing in the equipment necessary to produce live performance in the space. The Ross Bandstand is such an asset to have in the centre of our city, and it’s a shame to see it underappreciated and unutilised for most of the year.
“We’re looking forward to unlocking the space and giving a stage to some of Edinburgh’s best performing artists in a two-day celebration of our city’s culture.”
The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “This project, delivered by the Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group, is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“It’s all thanks to National Lottery players that we can help give charities and community groups throughout Scotland greater certainty during challenging times.”
StagEHd Festival is a free-to-attend theatre festival celebrating the best of Edinburgh’s performing arts. StagEHd 2023 will take place at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June.
For more information and to sign up to receive updates visit:
A new annual report explores how the significant disruption of last year is setting the market mood of the construction sector in 2023.
Today, Glenigan, one of the construction industry’s leading insight and intelligence experts, releases its 2022 Construction Performance Review.
Providing a topline overview of UK construction sector activity over the past 12 months, this report evaluates overall output whilst offering insight into how this will influence the market in 2023.
Figures presented are drawn from Glenigan’s own data, combining both major (> £100m) and underlying (<£100m) projects, complemented with information from other official sources, including ONS figures.
The key takeaway from the Review is the staggering inflation in construction materials costs, which had been gathering momentum since January 2021 to peak at a massive 26.8% in Q.2 2022. Whilst currently figures have settled at around 15%, ongoing international geopolitical events and domestic socioeconomic disruption indicates market volatility and, possibly, another inflation spike in the first half of 2023.
Looking at specific materials categories, energy intensive products were hit hardest, with the price of aggregates and insulation rising an eye-watering 53% and 32% respectively. More barriers to imports post-Brexit and rocketing power prices can be seen as the key reasons for these dramatic rises, and will put considerable pressure on contractors already working to extremely tight margins.
Labour and Wait
The construction sector also felt the pinch in terms of labour supply, which intensified over the course of 2022. Alongside legacy issues, such as a shallow recruitment pool and a greying workforce, Brexit and the Pandemic has resulted in less ready access to EU workers.
Looking at the figures as they stand at the start of the year, whilst there are currently 2.14 million employed in the sector, this number still languishes almost 7% below pre-Pandemic levels and 2.4% on a year ago. Couple this with 49,000 construction vacancies and there’s a shortfall with the very-real potential to stifle 2023 activity. This might put a serious dent in the current Government’s ambitious infrastructure and levelling-up plans in the short-term.
Projected Performance
Despite material and labour pressures, output actually rose in 2022 by 6% compared to the previous year. Most significant was a 52% leap in industrial new build and 11% registered for private residential new build activity.
However, tempering any optimism for a speedy recovery, a drop in the number of projects starting on site last year points to a weakening in construction output in 2023.
2022 saw a significant slowdown in projects progressing to work on site, as contractors and clients have reappraised the design and cost of build, largely prompted by price inflation and regulatory changes.
For example, many housing developers pushed back start dates in Q.3 2022, following the introduction of Part L of the Building Code. Overall this has led to a 50% increase in the time it takes from planning approval to commencing on site.
Furthermore, the value of underlying project starts also declined by 5% in the second half of 2022, compared with the same period a year ago. This was reflected in a 5% dip in the value of underlying planning consents during the same period and a concerning 14% drop in the number of projects securing planning consent.
Looking Ahead
Commenting on 2022 performance, and how it relates to the year ahead, Glenigan’s Economic Director, Allan Wilen, says: “The construction sector has already been buffeted by strong headwinds in the second half of 2022, and these look to become more forceful in 2023.
“The cautious optimism and tentative performance increase this time last year has been washed away by events out of the sector’s control, and many businesses will be battening down the hatches and hedging their bets for a potential, if modest, uplift in the latter half of the year.
“Whilst supply side pressures may ease, the skills shortage is a persistent problem which the industry will urgently need to tackle if it wants to return to pre-Pandemic output levels. However, there are a few bright spots in the gloom, with major projects including HS2 driving activity, as well as an increased focus on other critical infrastructure in energy, healthcare and data centre developments.
“Whilst next year will remain depressed, with a 2% decrease in the overall value of underlying project starts, Glenigan predicts a 6% increase in 2024, setting construction back on the road to recovery.”
To read the full 2022 Construction Performance Review Report, containing deeper analysis of the above, click here.
2023 sees Glenigan celebrate its 50th anniversary, commemorating half a century of delivering the highest-quality construction market intelligence.
To find out more about its services and expertise click here.
6 new recordings launched between January and April
The Royal Ballet: The Cellist, Romeo and Juliet and Sylvia
The Royal Opera: La traviata, Fidelio and Madama Butterfly
This New Year, the Royal Opera House will add six new performances to Royal Opera House Stream for audiences around the world to enjoy: The Cellist, Romeo and Juliet and Sylvia from The Royal Ballet; and La traviata, Fidelio and Madama Butterfly from The Royal Opera.
The new titles join a library of over 50 beloved productions and over 100 behind-the-scenes videos, giving audiences an opportunity to discover more by the artists they love, and watch world-class art wherever they are.
The year kicks off with a recording of Cathy Marston’s extraordinary one-act ballet The Cellist (2020).
The production – the choreographer’s first work for the Royal Opera House’s Main Stage – is a lyrical memoir of the momentous life of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose brilliant career was cut short by the onset of multiple sclerosis at the age of 28.
Composer Philip Feeney incorporates music by Elgar, Beethoven, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Piatti, Rachmaninoff and Schubert into an exquisite score that is itself an homage to the cello. This multi award-winning production stars Royal Ballet Principals Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé and Matthew Ball.
On Thursday 19 January 2023, our latest revival of Verdi’s ever popular La traviata arrives on Royal Opera House Stream.
Richard Eyre’s production, with sumptuous belle époque-inspired designs by Bob Crowley, has long been a Royal Opera favourite, winning critical acclaim for its exquisite sets, lavish costumes, and unforgettably dramatic staging.
The performance (recorded in 2022) is sung by a truly international cast that includes Pretty Yende as Violetta Valéry, Stephen Costello as Alfredo Germont and Dimitri Platanias as Giorgio Germont.
February begins with the release of Tobias Kratzer’s production of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio (2020), with Music Director of The Royal Opera Antonio Pappano conducting a spectacular cast led by Lise Davidsen and David Butt Philip.
Then, on Valentine’s Day 2023, Romeo and Juliet will be made available. Kenneth MacMillan’s classic adaptation of Shakespeare’s play – set to Prokofiev’s iconic score and featuring evocative designs by Nicholas Georgiadis – has remained a firm favourite of The Royal Ballet’s repertory since its premiere in 1965, which was danced by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.
The production offers dancers in the lead roles a wealth of opportunity for differing interpretations of the star-crossed lovers.
Two further new productions will be available from March: Frederick Ashon’s ballet Sylvia (2005), starring former Royal Ballet Principal Darcey Bussell and Guest Artist Roberto Bolle; and Puccini’s devastating opera Madama Butterfly (2022), conducted by Nicola Luisotti and sung by a stunning cast that includes acclaimed Italian soprano Maria Agresta as Cio-Cio-San, American tenor Joshua Guerrero as Lieutenant B.F Pinkerton, Spanish Baritone Carlos Álvarez as Sharpless, and English mezzo-soprano Christine Rice as Suzuki.
All Royal Opera House Stream productions come complete with extra wraparound material – interviews, masterclasses, rehearsal footage and more – giving audiences a unique behind the scenes insight into one of the world’s leading theatres.
Royal Opera House Stream currently hosts over 50 stunning works from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, with highlights including Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project, Katie Mitchell’s production of Handel’s Theodora, Frederick Ashton’s La fille mal gardée, Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and Puccini’s Tosca.
In addition to the 100+ pieces of behind-the-scenes content already online, further features – ranging from rehearsal footage to interviews and masterclasses – will be made available across 2023 for subscribers to enjoy.
Join today to watch the world’s greatest performers, emerging talent, leading choreographers and trailblazing creative teams from the comfort of your own home. From family favourites and modern masterpieces to heartbreaking arias and passionate pas-de-deux, Royal Opera House Stream offers it all: truly transformative experiences for only £9.99 a month or £99 annually.
Whatever your interest – whether classical or contemporary – there’s a breadth of content for you.
New productions from March 2023 will be announced over the coming months.
