For the primary time since 1993, Scottish Opera is presenting a full staging of The Makropulos Affair by Leoš Janáček, in a co-production with Welsh National Opera.
Opening on 15 February at Theatre Royal Glasgow earlier than transferring to Festival Theatre Edinburgh, The Makropulos Affair tells the story of Emilia Marty, Elina Makropulos, E.M.; the fashionable, enigmatic diva who has lived many lives, and for over three centuries has been on a quest to turn into a fantastic opera singer. Captivating minds and hearts alongside her journey by time and throughout Europe, her existence throws up questions of science and nature, actuality and fantasy, and life and loss of life. When the elixir she was given begins to lose its energy, and when secrets and techniques of her lives and loves come to gentle, she will not outrun these important human tensions.
Making his Company debut, Martyn Brabbins conducts The Orchestra of Scottish Opera, with Orla Boylan (Marx in London! 2024) main the forged as Emilia Marty, Ryan Capozzo as Albert Gregor, Henry Waddington (Greek 2018) as Doctor Kolenatý and Mark Le Brocq (Nixon in China 2020) as Vitek.
Joining them are former Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Catriona Hewitson (Hansel & Gretel 2023) as Kristina, Roland Wood (Oedipus Rex 2024) as Baron Jaroslav Prus, Michael Lafferty as Janek Prus (making his Company debut), Alasdair Elliot (Marx in London! 2024) as Count Hauk-Šendorf, and present Emerging Artist Edward Jowle (Albert Herring 2024) as Stage Technician.
This manufacturing, directed by Olivia Fuchs with designs by Nicola Turner, was nominated for a Southbank Sky Arts Award when offered by Welsh National Opera in 2022. An English translation by David Pountney makes this psychologically astute story much more instant.
Olivia Fuchs mentioned: ‘The manufacturing displays the magnificence and texture of the Nineteen Twenties combining parts of detailed realism with a lyrical surrealism. Poetic, visually stunning and multi-layered, it strikes fluidly from scene to scene exploring how we expertise historical past by the layering of our particular person and collective recollections.
‘Emilia Marty is compelling both as a character and as a symbol of our times. She embodies the metaphysical question of how we collectively deal with the reality and fear of aging and death, and the tension between fact and fairy-tale, truth and falsehood, style and essence. It is almost 100 years since The Makropulos Affair was first performed and it still remains as life-affirming and relevant today.’
Those who want to uncover extra about how The Makropulos Affair was created can attend Pre-show Talks in Glasgow and Edinburgh, which delve into the element of the opera. Tickets are free however ought to be booked upfront. Audience members with a visible impairment can benefit from the full opera expertise at Audio-described performances, which have a stay commentary describing the motion on stage with out compromising the music. At these performances, there are additionally free Touch Tours of the set, and a stay audio introduction earlier than the beginning of the efficiency.
The Makropulos Affair is supported by The Alexander Gibson Circle.
Tickets for The Makropulos Affair are on sale now at www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/the-makropulos-affair/
Performance Diary
Theatre Royal Glasgow
15 • 19 • 22 February 2025, 7.15pm (Audio-described efficiency with Touch Tour at 6pm)
Pre-show discuss 19 February, 6pm
Festival Theatre Edinburgh
27 February & 1 March, 7.15pm (Audio-described efficiency with Touch Tour at 6pm)
Pre-show discuss 1 March, 6pm
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