Scottish Opera takes production to Paris and New York

Scottish Opera are taking their production for children to Paris and New York before returning home to tour.

Following sell-out runs in Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2017 and a tour to Paris this month, the five star ‘opera for babies’ BambinO will be presented at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, this spring, before returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and touring to five venues around Scotland.

Written by Scottish Opera’s former composer in residence Lliam Paterson and directed by Improbable’s critically-acclaimed Phelim McDermott, the pioneering and unique piece of music theatre for infants aged six to 18 months, is a co-production with Manchester International Festival and Improbable.

Ten free performances of BambinO will take place at the Met’s List Hall from 30 April to 5 May. The Met is also collaborating with researchers from Teachers College, Columbia University, who will be studying the impact of the performance on the young audience members. Leading academics will focus on the ways individual toddlers respond to the opera.

Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, said: ‘In the Met’s never-ending quest to develop audiences of the future, we’ve decided to start at the very beginning. This should be a formative experience for the infants of NYC.’

Timothy Connor as Pulcino and Charlotte Hoather as Uccellina in BambinO (Photo: James Glossop)

Lliam continued: ‘BambinO is a little opera with a big heart, bringing all the operatic passions to the youngest of opera newcomers and their parents.

‘Together with director Phelim McDermott and designers Giuseppe Belli and Emma Belli, we have created a work that is as freshly experimental as it is in love with the grand traditions of opera.

‘The smallest ears as well as the seasoned connoisseur will find something new and joyous in BambinO. And for adult opera newbies, it’s not every day you get to have a truly new theatrical experience at the same moment as your baby!’

BambinO is commissioned and produced by Scottish Opera, Manchester International Festival and Improbable. It is supported by Scottish Opera’s New Commissions Circle and Scottish Opera’s Education Angels.

On returning to Scotland, the production will be in Robertson Room, Edinburgh Academy (Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe) from 7 to 19 August (excluding Monday 13) at 10am and 11.30am. Tickets from the Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QS, 0131 226 0000 or HERE.

From 6–22 September, it will tour Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth, Motherwell and Lerwick. Tickets go on sale this summer with, more details HERE.