Scottish Opera brings its pop-up tour to Linlithgow Burgh Halls

All ages can experience opera on a miniature scale with performances including A Little Bit of… Die Fledermaus and A Little Bit of… Eugene Onegin.

The operas will be brought to life by a storyteller, two singers, instrumentalists, and a sumptuous set of specially created illustrations.

School children can also look forward to the tour popping up in schools with free performances of Puffy MacPuffer and the Crabbit Canals.

Jane Davidson, Scottish Opera’s outreach and education director, said: “This year, the Pop-up Opera company are coming off their trailer and back inside schools and community halls across the country, with a blend of weekday visits to primary schools and week-end performances in public venues.

"Travel is still very much at the heart of our programme, introducing primary pupils to the adventures of a very small boat with a very big heart as Puffy MacPuffer sets sail on the Scottish canal network from Inverness to Crinan and Grangemouth to Glasgow.

“For older audiences, it’s time travel, as we journey back to the last decades of the nineteenth century with two contrasting love stories.

"Will it be the doomed love affair of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin or perhaps a glass of champagne with the original Batman – better known as Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II. The magic of time travel makes it possible to catch both in one afternoon!’

Cleverly re-scored by Scottish Opera’s head of music, Derek Clark, the stories are brought to life by storyteller Allan Dunn, along with singers Jessica Leary and Andrew McTaggart, and cellist Andrew Drummond Huggan, guitarists Sasha Savaloni and Ian Watt.

Alex Reedijk, Scottish Opera’s general director, said: “Pop-up Opera is at the heart of what we do as a company, bringing opera to as many people as possible no matter their geographical location, ensuring everyone can enjoy a live musical experience.

“During the pandemic, Pop-up Opera highlighted the importance of our national touring profile as it allowed local venues, while unable to open their doors, to facilitate our live performances in their car parks and open spaces.

"Between 2020 and 2021 we presented 246 sold out Pop-up performances to communities across Scotland, which attracted an audience of over 13,000.

"For many, it was the first time they had come to a live show since 2019, many braving wind and rain to attend.

“Therefore, it is with great joy that we are back on the road as we continue our commitment to tour to communities across Scotland, with these bite-sized productions offering an excellent introduction to opera, this time in schools and local venues.”

Strauss’s Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is a rip-roaring comedy filled with deceit, betrayal, and Viennese waltzes.

Also on offer is Tchaikovsky’s sweeping music which perfectly captures the desperation and raw emotion of Pushkin’s much-loved masterpiece, Eugene Onegin.

Created specifically for five to eight year olds, with music and songs by Marion Christie, Puffy MacPuffer and the Crabbit Canals is a tale of the five waterways that link Scotland from the North Sea to the Atlantic.

Like most families, each one is different: Caledonian – the longest; Crinan – the most beautiful; Monklands – hard working; Union – the fastest; and, of course, the wise old Forth and Clyde.

Each one thinks they’re the best. Can a little puffer boat make them think again?

Tickets are now available for all shows at www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/pop-up-opera-2023.