The Scottish Opera Podcast

Presenter Jamie MacDougall is joined by Emma Jenkins (librettist) and Toby Hession (composer) to discuss their brand new operetta, A Matter of Misconduct! As well as discussing the exciting challenges of producing a new operetta, Emma and Toby explore the first experiences of operetta and opera, and their working partnership so far. A Matter of Misconduct! When a scandal threatens to break about the front runner in a bloody leadership campaign, a lawyer is needed to preven...

This podcast features audio from an exclusive live broadcast originally shared with our patrons and donors and produced by Broadcast students at City of Glasgow College. Join acclaimed broadcaster Nicola Meighan (BBC Radio Scotland's Friday Afternoons and podcast, A Kick Up The Arts) in conversation with General Director Alexander Reedijk OBE FRC and Music Director Stuart Stratford as they unveil Scottish Opera's exciting 2025/26 Season. What's Coming This Season Our upcoming season prom...

Filmmaker Antonia Bain and composer Samuel Bordoli discuss the creative partnership behind "Josefine," Scottish Opera's groundbreaking animated opera short. Drawing inspiration from Kafka's final story 'Josefine The Singer', the pair reveal how they developed their 14-minute award-winning film exploring the performer-audience relationship. They share insights on co-authoring the libretto, directing for animation, and composing music that brings Josefine's desert world to life. Together ...

Director Olivia Fuchs joins Jamie MacDougall in the studio to discuss her production of Leoš Janáček's opera, The Makropulos Affair. This co-production with Welsh National Opera is Scottish Opera's first full staging of the opera since 1993. Hailed as ‘unmissable triumph’ (The Telegraph), this production focuses on the immortal Emilia Marty, or Elina Makropulos, a woman who has managed to live for over 300 years thanks to an Elixir created by her father. Captivating everyone she meet, i...

Produced by Kayleigh and Grace from the City of Glasgow College. Presenter Jamie MacDougall chats to director Rebecca Meltzer and Baritone Emerging Artist, Ross Cumming, and about the Opera Highlights tour. This season’s snappy, playful show by director Rebecca Meltzer and designer Kenneth MacLeod explores and celebrates Scotland’s rich landscape. The operatic snapshots, curated for the first time by Fiona MacSherry, Scottish Opera’s Head of Music, form vignettes taking place at t...

This episode was produced in partnership with City of Glasgow College, and supported by broadcast students, Kayleigh, Grace, and Ophelia.Join our presenter Jamie MacDougall as he chats to Karen MacIver, composer for Special Delivery. Entirely led by music, Special Delivery is a new children’s production for ages 3-7 produced in-house at Lanternhouse, a state-of-the-art performing arts centre based at Cumbernauld Community Campus, in a co-production with Cumbernauld Theatre Company, Visible Fi...

Our presenter Jamie MacDougall sat down to discuss The Small Magician with Lea Shaw, Scottish Opera's Education Artist in Residence. Supported by Scottish Opera, The Small Magician is a new, trauma-aware, inclusive, accessible series of vocal education resources in the form of workbooks, and audio and video guides. Designed to be a safe way for you to explore and foster curiosity - using your voice as a form of play - these resources are open to all and free of charge.

Presenter Jamie MacDougall welcomes our listeners into the whimsical world of Donizetti's Don Pasquale, as he hosts internationally acclaimed director-designer duo Barbe & Doucet, alongside star baritone David Stout to discuss Scottish Opera's production. This beloved production has charmed audiences from Miami to Toronto since its 2014 debut with Scottish Opera.Barbe & Doucet share their vision for setting this classic opera in the 1960s, where Don Pasquale owns a cat-themed crumblin...