Scottish Opera

Young Company

Established in 2010, the Scottish Opera Young Company programme - previously known as CONNECT - has worked with over 400 young people aged 14 – 23 from all over Scotland, commissioning seven new works for young voices including the highly acclaimed Rubble by Gareth Williams and Johnny McKnight, as well as presenting nearly 70 performances of works as diverse as Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, Jonathan Dove’s A Walk From The Garden and the UK premiere of Kurt Weill’s The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken.

Many young Scottish Opera Young Company artists have gone on to make successful careers as singers or other work within the industry. These include baritone Arthur Bruce, who joined the Scottish Opera chorus in 2017 and become one of Scottish Opera's Emerging Artists in 2019/20; mezzo-soprano Lindsay Grace, who trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and completed her Masters in Opera at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, joining the chorus of Scottish Opera in 2023 for Carmen and becoming a member of the chorus at Malmö Opera House in Sweden; and Shuna McCallum and Amy Cutler, who were both CONNECT company orchestra members between 2011 – 2014 and later joined Scottish Opera in administrative roles as Planning Manager and Assistant to the Orchestra & Concerts Director respectively.

Sadly, we are facing challenges with recruitment of new members for the Gateway programme as well as for Scottish Opera Young Company. We recognise that the singing landscape in the Scottish education system has changed since launching the programme, and believe it is our duty as a company to adapt and to bring our expertise and financial resources in at an earlier stage, where we can support the growth and development of younger singers at primary and secondary stages of mainstream education, as well as to those with Additional Support Needs and those already attending one of Scotland’s Specialist Music Schools.

We believe that this is the best way for the company to help support, mentor and, crucially, to increase the number of young singers who want to explore all the wonderful, powerful, diverse, and exhilarating aspects that opera has to offer.

Scottish Opera Young Company's 2023/24 cohort took the stage with their last performance of RED on Sunday 21 July 2024. This marked the final performance by Scottish Opera Young Company, as well as the end of the programme and also the Gateway week, as we know it.

From Young Company to Professional Chorus

Imogen Bews - current Scottish Opera Young Company member - speaks with Lindsay Johnson - former Young Company member, now professional Scottish Opera chorus member in Carmen - about their experiences with the Young Company, discovering some small-world coincidences along the way!

On stage

Maria Wotherspoon and Scottish Opera Young Company perform RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Maria Wotherspoon, Findlay Peters and Luke Francis in Scottish Opera Young Company's production of RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Maria Wotherspoon and Scottish Opera Young Company perform RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

El Rose, Maria Wotherspoon and Scottish Opera Young Company perform RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Maria Wotherspoon and Scottish Opera Young Company perform RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Isla Hallewell and Maria Wotherspoon in Scottish Opera Young Company's production of RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Kirsty Anderson.

Scottish Opera Young Company perform Maud. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Scottish Opera Young Company perform Maud. Scottish Opera 2023. Credit Sally Jubb.

Imogen Bews (Wise Woman) in Maud. Scottish Opera 2023. Credit Sally Jubb.

Imogen Bews (Thomas Bouché) and Luke Francis (Brack Weaver) in Down in the Valley. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Helena Engebretsen (Jennie Parsons) and Luke Francis (Brack Weaver) in Down in the Valley. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Joshua Campbell (Leader) and Luke Francis (Brack Weaver) in Down in the Valley. Credit Sally Jubb.

Martha Brown (Second Woman) in Scottish Opera Young Company's production of Down in the Valley. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Helena Engebretsen (Jenny Parsons) and Luke Francis (Brack Weaver) in Down in the Valley. Scottish Opera 2023. Credit Sally Jubb.

In the community

Scottish Opera Young Company in the Dress Rehearsal of The Magic Box. Scottish Opera 2023. Credit Sally Jubb.

In rehearsal

Composer Karen Maciver With Scottish Opera Young Company Members During Rehearsals For RED. Credit Ruby Pluhar

Scottish Opera Young Company members during rehearsals for RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Ruby Pluhar.

Director Flora Emily Thomson with Scottish Opera Young Company members during rehearsals for RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Ruby Pluhar.

Scottish Opera Young Company members during rehearsals for RED. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit Ruby Pluhar.