RED references the stories of Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Snow White and Hansel and Gretel and ties them all together using the heroine’s thread of magical red hair.
There is no shortage of charisma
Performed by a cast of 14 young performers from Scottish Opera Young Company, the opera does not hold back in the range of ensemble and solo work, the range of rhythms and harmonies or the emotional complexity of the work.
The choral work is highly satisfying and the complexity of ensemble stage work is pulled off with ease. There is no shortage of charisma. Shout outs have to go to the performers of the major roles. Luke Francis plays the Wolf with charming relish, tempered with justified anger. James Kennedy switches from uptight, responsible Fire Chief to snobby, effete Ice Witch and convinces in each role. El Rose holds the audience as the Mysterious Woman – a role that holds a rather diffuse and confusing role in the story. (To be honest, the Mysterious Woman is still a mystery to me.) And of course, there is the lead character herself. On the performance I saw it was played throughout (some nights used different singers for the different episodes) by Maria Wotherspoon who’s singing never weakens as she leads the show through the demands of her personas as Riding Hood, tragic lover and pregnant woman, business magnate/ Evil Queen, penitent and Good Witch.
The opera (composed by Karen MacIver, conducted by Chris Gray and directed by Flora Emily Thomson) ranges through multiple musical styles and references – and this befits the postmodernist style of the story. The libretto (Jane Davidson) generates some terrific characters. And although the opera’s conclusion is like a particularly involved Dr Who episode, it does provide an emotional hit - which is the element that counts the most.
This is the last of any Scottish Opera Young Company performances as, after 15 years, the Young Company scheme (covering ages 14-23) has ended. Scottish Opera will instead now focus more on primary and secondary education and specialist music schools. Clearly, having an overt anchor such as a Young Company is very different to having a more diffused program of engagement with younger years. In an ideal world we’d have both, of course, but let’s give Scottish Opera (and Scottish music) best wishes for their new focus.
Despite this, the show was far from a wake, but was instead a celebration: of the dedication of the production team, and the talent and potential of the young cast.