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Bordoli/Fagan

The Narcissistic Fish

A Scottish Opera Short

A phone call during a busy shift in the restaurant kitchen of The Narcissistic Fish sparks a war between the owner Angus and his brother Kai. As they argue over their dead father, talented and underpaid chef Belle has a revelation of her own.

Join Scottish Opera’s 2019/20 Emerging Artists (Charlie Drummond, Mark Nathan and Arthur Bruce) for a visceral exploration of the clash between class, gender and workplace pressure in 21st century Scotland, in this brand new digital opera with music by Samuel Bordoli, libretto by acclaimed Scottish writer Jenni Fagan and directed by in-house film-maker Antonia Bain.

Kindly supported by Scottish Opera Emerging Artists Benefactors, Scottish Opera's New Commissions Circle and Idlewild Trust 

Watch now on marquee tv

The Narcissistic Fish: Behind the Scenes

Trailer: A Scottish Opera Short: The Narcissistic Fish

Cast & Creatives

Angus
Arthur Bruce*
*Scottish Opera Emerging Artist

Belle
Charlie Drummond*
*Scottish Opera Emerging Artist

Kai
Mark Nathan*
*Scottish Opera Emerging Artist

Director
Antonia Bain

Composer
Samuel Bordoli

Librettist
Jenni Fagan

Programme

Get behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish - featuring exclusive articles and interviews with the creators.

 

Read more

Behind the Scenes

Director Antonia Bain and soprano Charlie Drummond looking through the score during filming of The Narcissistic Fish

Director Antonia Bain and soprano Charlie Drummond during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Mark Nathan smiling for the camera behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish

Baritone Mark Nathan during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Soprano Charlie Drummond (Belle) wearing a white chef jacket and colourful bandanna during filming of The Narcissistic Fish

Soprano Charlie Drummond during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot. (3)

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Director Antonia Bain holding a cup of coffee during filming of The Narcissistic Fish

Director Antonia Bain during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Soprano Charlie Drummond and baritone Arthur Bruce looking at the score during filming of The Narcissistic Fish

Soprano Charlie Drummond and baritone Arthur Bruce during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Soprano Charlie Drummond and the camera crew in a kitchen during filming of The Narcissistic Fish

Soprano Charlie Drummond during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot.

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Soprano Charlie Drummond getting her make-up touched up during filming of The Narcissistic Fish

Soprano Charlie Drummond during the filming of The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot. (2)

Behind the scenes of The Narcissistic Fish 2020. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) sharpening a knife in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan as Kai in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) and Angus (Arthur Bruce) having an argument in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan (Kai) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) on an orange telephone in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan (Kai) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Fish searing in a pan

The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. (2)

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) and Angus (Arthur Bruce) having an argument in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan (Kai) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit Julie Broadfoot

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Belle (Charlie Drummond) in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond (Belle) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Angus (Arthur Bruce) and Belle (Charlie Drummond) in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond (Belle) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. (2)

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Angus (Arthur Bruce) arguing with Belle (Charlie Drummond) in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond (Belle) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
A newspaper with a headline that reads "Glorious Fish Handles With Respect"

The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Fish being chopped with a cleaving knife

The Narcissistic Fish restaurant. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Angus (Arthur Bruce) trying to reason with Belle (Charlie Drummond) in The Narcissistic Fish

Arthur Bruce (Angus) and Charlie Drummond (Belle) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Angus (Arthur Bruce) pointing a sharp chef's knife at Belle (Charlie Drummond) in The Narcissistic Fish

Arthur Bruce (Angus) and Charlie Drummond (Belle) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. (2)

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Belle (Charlie Drummond) looking directly at the camera with a warm light on her face in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond (Belle) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. (2)

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Belle (Charlie Drummond) looking concerned and Angus (Arthur Bruce) in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond (Belle) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Belle (Charlie Drummond) holding a silver plate up to Angus's (Arthur Bruce's) face in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond (Belle) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Belle (Charlie Drummond) holding a silver plate up to Angus's (Arthur Bruce's) face in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummond in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) and Angus (Arthur Bruce) having an argument in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan (Kai) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. (2)

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Belle (Charlie Drummond) in The Narcissistic Fish

Charlie Drummons (Belle) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) looking concerned in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan (Kai) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) and Angus (Arthur Bruce) having an argument in The Narcissistic Fish

Mark Nathan (Kai) and Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Angus (Arthur Bruce) shouting at Kai (Mark Nathan) in The Narcissistic Fish

Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020. (2)

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Kai (Mark Nathan) and Angus (Arthur Bruce) having an argument in The Narcissistic Fish

Arthur Bruce (Angus) and Mark Nathan (Kai) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot
Angus (Arthur Bruce) looking at his reflection in The Narcissistic Fish

Arthur Bruce (Angus) in The Narcissistic Fish. Scottish Opera 2020.

Production images from The Narcissistic Fish. Photo credit Julie Broadfoot

What the press said

'Many lockdown online offerings have been beautiful and moving as they have been sombre and reflective. We can't get near the excitement of live performance through the barrier of our screens but The Narcissistic Fish is a welcome antidote, a 12-minute dark tale bursting out, gleaming as brightly as the scales of the fish on the kitchen slab. ' Bachtrack

'The soundscape works really well, and Antonia Bain’s direction is impeccably neat. The young singers are excellent, too... It is impressive for a first stab and is a pertinent piece
for our times.' The Times

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