Scottish Opera's evocative, intense new production of Ainadamar
With £10 tickets for Under 26s and a UK premiere of Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar opening this month, there's never been a better time to give Scottish Opera a go
If you're a millennial or Gen Z theatre-lover looking for something new, there's never been a better time to check out Scottish Opera. Through their Under 26 Ticket Scheme, young opera-goers can access £10 tickets to all of Scottish Opera's mainstage shows, and, for some touring shows, tickets go for as low as £5. These discounted tickets are for some of the best seats in the house, and they make a night at the opera an attractive opportunity to see a breathtaking performance – and maybe to dress up a bit for the occasion. This month, Scottish Opera is staging the UK debut of Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar at Glasgow's Theatre Royal (29 Oct - 5 Nov) and Edinburgh's Festival Theatre (8-12 Nov).
Ainadamar is the first opera directed by Olivier Award-winning choreographer Deborah Colker, with music by Grammy Award-winner Osvaldo Golijov. The production sports an impressive host of collaborators and co-producers: Opera Ventures, Detroit Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, and Welsh Opera are all on board. Originally staged in 2003, with a libretto by David Henry Hwang, Ainadamar promises to be an impressive fusion of opera and flamenco.
It tells the story of Spanish Civil War-era poet Federico García Lorca, who was executed during the war for (rumoured) homosexuality. Told through the eyes of Lorca's friend and muse Margarita Xirgu, Ainadamar draws inspiration from flamenco and other Andalusian sounds, from folk to electronic music. In addition to his Grammy for Best Classical Contemporary Composition, Golijov has won the praise of several of our great living musical minds, including Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, Paul Simon, and David Byrne. David Bowie once called Golijov the "greatest living composer," and Björk has called his music "simply thrilling."
Golijov spoke of his affinity to Lorca when creating Ainadamar, saying: "He’s so alive. He doesn’t get old, he doesn’t age. There is something that transcends his time – not only in his art but in his persona. Everything he did was from love and with absolute freedom... Lorca is a call to be alive, even if death is around the corner. He is all life with extraordinary sensitivity, always wide awake."
Deborah Colker. Photo: Leo Aversa
Director Deborah Colker is known for her work choreographing Cirque du Soleil's Ovo and the 2016 Olympics Opening Ceremony. Her signature grit and passion promise to make Ainadamar an unforgettable work of creative fusion. When asked what led her to make her opera directing debut this year, Colker says: "I think it was a good moment. Because we are never ready. I'm not 'ready' to do this, but I want to do this. This is a risk that I want to take." Colker is eager to bring movement into the opera. While dance and opera have a long-standing relationship, flamenco (and any dance form that isn't ballet) is less common on the opera stage. Colker says that the process of creating Ainadamar has been unusual – not just for her, but for the opera artists themselves.
"Where is the memory?" Colker says, "How can I represent memory on the stage? How can I represent imagination, delirium? How can I represent death, or fight, or resistance?" In a medium that often receives a bad rap for being static and formal, Colker's commitment to dynamic, visual storytelling is bound to set Ainadamar apart from other works of the same genre.
At just 80 minutes long (with no interval), Ainadamar is a unique opera with plenty to offer for newcomers and veterans alike. Scottish Opera's Under 26 Ticket Scheme is a rare and exciting opportunity for university students to experience the UK premiere of a show that is guaranteed to be evocative, intense, and heartfelt. Music, dance, poetry, and love come together in Ainadamar to tell a heartbreakingly relevant and important story.
Other upcoming productions include Puccini's delightful Il trittico and Bizet's beloved classic, Carmen. If you are new to Scotland, make a night of it – the opera is transformative, unique, and rare. With its 2022 season, Scottish Opera shows us that opera is a vibrant art form with plenty to offer audiences of all demographics.
Ainadamar, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 29 Oct - 5 Nov and Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, 8-12 Nov; tickets from £10 for under-26s
scottishopera.org/shows/ainadamar