Scottish Opera

Scottish Opera is Scotland’s national opera company and largest performing arts organisation. The Company was founded in 1962 by Sir Alexander Gibson ‘to lay the treasures of opera at the feet of the people of Scotland’. Repertoire ranges across five centuries, from the earliest operas to newly commissioned world premieres. For mainstage and concert productions, the Company collaborates with the world’s finest singers and creatives, Orchestra of Scottish Opera, and choruses for each opera. Recent accolades include a South Bank Sky Arts Award, Scottish Award for New Music, Sunday Herald Culture Awards, 2017 UK Theatre Award, 2020 RPS Award, 2023 International Opera Award nomination, and 2023 Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.

The Company produces world-class work at every scale. Scottish Opera has long been a trailblazer in community arts, including ‘community opera’ combining local chorus members of all backgrounds with a professional chorus, soloists, and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. The Company’s extensive touring programme, one of the largest of any European opera company, ensures performances are within reach of as many of Scotland’s dispersed population as possible. Around 120 schools and 12,000 pupils take part in Scottish Opera’s acclaimed Primary Schools Tour each year. Scottish Opera aims to be inclusive through the availability of free and subsidised tickets, audio-described performances, and Access performances with Dementia Friendly values at their core.

Scottish Opera is core funded by The Scottish Government