| Teary-eyed opera critics throughout
Scotland were united this week in applauding Scottish Opera's bravura performance in
managing to persuade the Arts Minister to hand over an extra £1m to meet (ahem)
"running costs." "A production full of emotion, tragic
posturing and the throwing of toddler-style tantrums," gushed The Scotsman. The
Herald described the closing aria, "Give me the money or I'll scream until I'm
sick", as "a masterpiece in special pleading."
Senior staff at the company, which produces opportunities for showoffs to stamp
about singing in Foreign, have been criticised in the past for being out of touch, out of
money and out of Scotland at the first opportunity to visit the family back in Surrey. |
Reacting to critical comment, the
company has promised to deepen its commitment to broaden the art's appeal to the great
unwashed. An outreach programme, "Opera for Oiks" is in the pipeline. We
did contact a senior company source for comment but, sadly, the operation to remove the
bools from his mouth was unsuccessful.
Elsewhere, funding body, The Scottish Arts Council reiterated its comittment to
local musical culture by funding 50% of the purchase of a penny whistle for the
Burntisland FootTappers Ceildh Band subject to submission of a 30-page application form. |
