This February, The Makropulos Affair returns to Scottish Opera for the first time since 1993 in an acclaimed Welsh National Opera co-production. Here's why Janáček’s penultimate opera makes the perfect night out.
An award-winning creative team
Olivia Fuchs’ ‘emotionally driven direction’ (The Telegraph) is supported by Nicola Turner’s multi-layered, poetic designs. A co-production with Welsh National Opera, this five-star Makropulos Affair was hailed as an ‘unmissable triumph’ (The Telegraph) and nominated for a 2022 Southbank Sky Arts Award.
The first Scottish Opera staging since 1993
The story follows the enigmatic Emilia Marty in her quest to become an opera singer. For over three centuries, she has lived many lives and identities. Also known as Elina Makropulos, or simply E.M., she captivates minds and hearts along her journey through time and across Europe. Our production is the first full staging of The Makropulos Affair - sometimes known as The Makropulos Case - by Scottish Opera since 1993. An English translation by David Pountney makes the psychologically rich story and complex characters more accessible.
Brilliant UK and international singers
The cast includes Orla Boylan as Emilia Marty, most recently seen on stage with the Company as Jenny Marx in Marx in London!, and Ryan Capozzo making his Scottish Opera debut as Albert Gregor. Joining them are Henry Waddington (Greek 2018) as Doctor Kolenatý, and Mark Le Brocq (Nixon in China 2020) as Vitek, along with Roland Wood (Marx in London! 2024), Catriona Hewitson (Daphne 2023) and Scottish Opera Emerging Artist Edward Jowle, most recently seen in Britten’s Albert Herring 2024.
An opera for today
Director Olivia Fuchs says: ‘Emilia Marty, originally Elina Makropulos or E.M., is one of the most enigmatic and compelling characters written for the stage. The epitome of stylishness and sophistication, she has developed the exceptional power and charisma of a femme fatale who drives most of the male characters [in the opera] insane with passion. Her ability to shine a light on the lives of others acts like a magnifying glass or a distorting mirror illuminating flaws and potential alike.’
Janáček’s cinematic score
Martyn Brabbins conducts The Orchestra of Scottish Opera through Janáček’s dramatic score. Until recently the Music Director of English National Opera and beloved by Scottish audiences for his performances with the BBC SSO, Martyn’s career has seen him conduct internationally, and we welcome him to Scottish Opera for the first time. The music is complex and fast-paced, and Janáček is a master of contrast. You can listen to a taster of the music from the opera here.
A dive into Janáček's music
The Makropulos Affair is a short opera – in many recordings, it comes to about an hour and a half of music – but not a second is wasted. Janáček’s score is cinematic, working alongside the singers’ voices to reveal the twists and turns of the plot as well as the characters’ inner motivations.
Similar to many operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss, The Makropulos Affair favours this musical storytelling over easily segmented arias and ensembles. There are several fantastic recordings, including two conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras (a Czech language rendition from 1978 on Decca, and a recording in an English translation from 2006 on Chandos), if you want to introduce yourself to the full score. If you’re looking for a taster, however, the splendid Overture sets the scene for the drama and intrigue to follow, introducing motifs and melodies that will be heard throughout the opera.
In our upcoming performances, a segment from the third movement of Janáček’s unfinished symphony The Danube is played on a recording made by the Company specifically for this production. This music is based on material cut from The Makropulos Affair and features the viola d’amore – a variation on the more common four-stringed instrument that has seven strings and six sympathetic strings. It creates a unique, almost otherworldly sound that is not often heard in opera.
You can listen to these two extracts here.
The Makropulos Affair tours to Theatre Royal Glasgow and Festival Theatre Edinburgh from Saturday 15 February to Saturday 1 March. Tickets start at £22.75 and £15 for U26s.
You can find out more and book tickets here.