From Stornoway to Strathpeffer, Clashmore to Castle Douglas, next year's tour of Essential Scottish Opera will visit 15 venues throughout Scotland, taking in Highlands, Islands and everywhere in between.

Essential Scottish Opera is live opera at its most relaxed, informal and intimate and for this year's tour, Derek Clark (Scottish Opera's Head of Music), has created a diverse and entertaining programme guaranteed to move, amuse, delight and above all, entertain. The programme will include much-loved arias from Carmen, Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro alongside pieces by Handel, Rossini and Gilbert and Sullivan.

This year's cast members are Edel Shannon (Soprano), Julia Riley (Mezzo-Soprano), Alexander Grove (Tenor) and Paul Carey Jones (Baritone).

Paul Carey Jones recently appeared in Scottish Opera's acclaimed concert performance of Andrea Chénier and has previously understudied the role of the Father in Hansel and Gretel for the Company. Edel Shannon, Julia
Riley and Alexander Grove will all be making their company debuts on this tour.

Scottish Opera Staff Producer, Dafydd Burne Jones, will direct next year's Essential Scottish Opera and Company Repetiteur, Ian Shaw, returns as pianist.

Director, Dafydd Burne-Jones said 'These semi-staged concert performances of some of the most famous
operatic highlights have been entertaining people across Scotland for over a decade. I would seriously urge anyone who loves opera or music to get themselves along to one of these shows.'
 
Performance Diary - Essential Scottish Opera 2006:

JANUARY
Tue 17 Brunton Theatre Musselburgh
Thu 19 Arts Guild Theatre Greenock
Sat 21 Corn Exchange Melrose
Tue 24 Village Hall Ballachulish
Thu 26 Talla Shomhairle @ Aros Portree
Sat 28 Liniclate School Benbecula
Tue 31 An Lanntair Stornoway

FEBRUARY
Thu 2 Carnegie Hall Clashmore
Sat 4 Universal Hall Findhorn
Tue 7 Strathpeffer Pavilion Strathpeffer
Thu 9 Deeside Theatre Aboyne
Sat 11 Howden Park Centre Livingston
Tue14 Lochside Theatre Castle
Douglas
Thu16 Motherwell Theatre Motherwell
Sat18 Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy