Oedipus Rex | Scottish Opera

Stravinsky

Oedipus Rex

New production co-presented with Edinburgh International Festival

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh:
12, 18 & 19 August 2024, 8pm

Building on a well-honed model of 5-star community opera, Scottish Opera present a promenade performance of Igor Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. The National Museum’s awe-inspiring Grand Gallery is a spectacular setting for a night of classical drama, exceptional vocal performances and moving orchestral music.

In the ancient city of Thebes, Oedipus has been crowned king. But as the Oracle prophesises that misfortune and intrigues throw doubts on the truth, it becomes ever more apparent that the new king cannot outrun his fate. A cathartic exploration of identity, free will, and the human condition, Oedipus Rex celebrates the bravery and resolve with which humans can face their destinies. The pioneering surrealist artist and poet Jean Cocteau wrote the libretto for this moving opera oratorio, inspired by Sophocles’ ancient drama and imbued with the chorus structure of Greek theatre. This is a timeless piece made anew for audiences today.

A 100-strong community chorus from across the Central Belt of Scotland joins Scottish Opera for this unique performance.

Kindly supported by The Scottish Opera Endowment Trust
Part of Scottish Opera's 2024/25 Season
Order a hard copy of the new Season brochure>>

Show Details

Running time:
Approximately 1 hour.

Language:
Sung in Latin.

Contains themes of incest, murder, suicide and self-harm.

Tickets:
From £25.

Access:
Find out about access at the National Museum of Scotland>>

Cast & Creatives

Oedipus, King of Thebes
Shengzhi Ren

Jocasta, his Wife & Mother
Kitty Whately

Creon, Jocasta’s brother
Roland Wood

Tiresias, soothsayer
Callum Thorpe

Shepherd
Seumas Begg

Messenger
Emyr Wyn Jones

Speaker
Wendy Seager

The Orchestra of Scottish Opera

The Chorus of Oedipus Rex - Sopranos
Rachael Brimley, Rachel Hynes, Emily Mitchell, Sarah Power and Monica Toll

The Chorus of Oedipus Rex - Mezzo-sopranos
Heather Ireson, Fiona Joice, Jane Monari, Sarah Shorter and Alexandra Tiffin

The Chorus of Oedipus Rex - Tenors
Eden Devaney, Matthew Kimble, Declan McCusker, Christian Schneeberger, Connor James Smith and Cal Swainson

The Chorus of Oedipus Rex - Basses
Paul Anwyl, Francis Church, Timothy Edmundson, Jonathan Forbes Kennedy, Phil Gault, Douglas Nairne and Jonathan Sedgwick

The Gods
Samuel Alberti, Ines Alberty, Fiona Allen, Sara Baumert Eileen Henry, Joe Kelly, Charlie Walton, and Rachael Wood

Conductor
Stuart Stratford

Director
Roxana Haines

Designer
Anna Orton

Lighting Designer
Robert B Dickson

Choreographer
Alex McCabe

Associate Designer
Ailsa Munro

Assistant Choreographer
Riccardo Olivier

Community Chorus

Norma Aldred
Tom Allan
Robbie Allen
Morven Allison
Roisin Ash
Morag Bain
Lucy Barclay
Laura Bennison
Angela Bentley
Mitchum Bock
Becky Brazil
Neil Campbell
Julie Carmichael
Iain Cartwright
Loni Chambers
Caz Cockburn
Moya Cove
Jan Craigen
Sarah Culbertson
Jessica Davidson
Nelly Desingue
Sheila Dickson
Linda Entwistle
Kathleen Fitzpatrick
Marion Flett
Katy Gray
Joachim Greiling
Anne Higgins
Fiona Jack
Fiona Keay
Isobel Kinghorn
Ronnie Lamont
Steph Land
Susan Langridge

Francesca Latif
Alison Leask
Bob Leslie
Philip Lingard
Andrew Lockyer
Cerys MacGillivray
Anne Mackay
Morag Mackenzie-Fairley
Elly MacLeod
Rosie Magee
Madeleine Martin
Len McCaffer
Kerry-Ann McCormick
Morven  McElroy
Heather McSharry
Joanna Meiklejohn
Debbie O'Connor
James O'Neil
Barbara Orton
Barbara Quigley
Stella Rice
Jac Ross
Lianne Swadel
Eileen Taylor
Ray Thomson
Kate Toft
Paul Towning
Claire Turnbull
Kath Vass
Helena Ward
Mark Watson
Jane Whitaker
Lesley Wilkinson
Breda Wilson

Watch

Oedipus Rex 2024 | The Voices of Thebes | Edinburgh International Festival

On stage

Roland Wood as Creon in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Kitty Whately as Jocasta in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Shengzhi Ren as Oedipus and Roland Wood as Creon in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Rachael Wood as Aphrodite in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Shengzhi Ren as Oedipus in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Callum Thorpe as Tiresias in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Shengzhi Ren as Oedipus in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Wendy Seager (Speaker) in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

The Community Chorus of Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Shengzhi Ren as Oedipus in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Kitty Whately as Jocasta in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Charlie Walton as Poseidon in Oedipus Rex. Scottish Opera 2024. Credit James Glossop.

Online programme

Read the director's note, synopsis, a translation of the libretto and find out more about Oedipus Rex in our online programme:

Read now

Interview with Director Roxana Haines

Mirrors and Myths

Director Roxana Haines talks about ritual art for our time as she reworks Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex ahead of Scottish Opera's promenade performance at National Museum of Scotland, as part of Edinburgh International Festival.