Scottish Opera productions have been shortlisted in two categories at this year’s Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards.
Pelléas and Mélisande, directed by Sir David McVicar in the 2016/17 Season, is in the shortlist in the Opera and Music Theatre category. BambinO, an opera for babies aged 6 to 18 months, and Memory Spinners, a group for people living with dementia, are shortlisted in the Learning and Participation category.
Sir David made a welcome return to Scottish Opera last year to direct Claude Debussy’s Pelléas and Mélisande for the first time in his career, with Scottish Opera Music Director Stuart Stratford conducting a cast that included Carolyn Sampson as Mélisande and Andrei Bondarenko as Pelléas.
Pelléas and Mélisande is shortlisted alongside Brett Dean’s Hamlet (Glyndebourne Opera and Tour) and Monteverdi 450 Trilogy by Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras.
A co-production with Manchester International Festival and Improbable, BambinO was composed by former Scottish Opera Composer in Residence Lliam Paterson and directed by Improbable’s Phelim McDermott. It returns to Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer after a sell-out run last year and tours Scotland following dates in Paris and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Memory Spinners, established in 2012, uses music, storytelling, movement and the visual arts to help people with dementia and their carers relax, get creative and form new support networks, with groups meeting weekly in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Airdrie. Throughout each term, they share memories that are then incorporated into a relaxed performance for friends and family.
Also shortlisted in the Learning and Participation Category are Calderland – A People’s Opera by 509 Arts and Opera Sonic’s Newport Legends.
The RPS Awards were set up in 1989 to celebrate the achievement of both young and established, British and International musicians and take place on 9 May at The Brewery in London. Composer Judith Weir will present the awards which have 13 categories in total, including for performers, composers, learning, participation and engagement.
Scotland is very well represented this year, also shortlisted are the Dunedin Consort, Scottish Ensemble and guitarist Sean Shibe.