Sign in with Facebook"Opera and Graduation in Edinburgh" Edinburgh by Nemorino
Edinburgh Travel Guide: 4,094 reviews and 6,244 photos
Scottish Opera is actually based in Glasgow, but they also perform regularly at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. When I was here last week they were doing the opera Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1857).
Leonore, the heroine of this opera, suspects that her husband has been locked away without charge in the dungeon of a large Spanish prison. Disguising herself as a young man, she gets a job in the prison, and after several months is finally allowed to go down into the dungeon, just in time to save her husband from being murdered by the evil prison governor Don Pizarro.
This is Beethoven's only opera. It was performed by Scottish Opera in the original German, with English surtitles. I was particularly impressed with the chorus -- there are strong choral scenes as the prisoners are released from their cells and come out into the light, Unfortunately the full-time professional chorus of Scottish Opera is being disbanded for financial reasons, so they may well have trouble putting on this sort of opera in future seasons.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, which is at the bottom end of the Royal Mile, was once the residence of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587), better known to opera-goers as "Maria Stuarda" ever since Donizetti wrote his fabulous opera about her in 1834. I have seen this opera in Wiesbaden and Zürich, but not in Edinburgh, although it was performed here by Scottish Opera in the 1990s, if I remember correctly. (I've also seen the play at the Castle Festival in Bad Vilbel.)
Even though this was my third visit to Edinburgh, I still haven't managed to take a tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is always closed to the public when the Queen or a member of the Royal Family is staying there, and this time it was closed for security reasons, because of planned demonstrations about the upcoming G8 Summit Meeting.
I took this photo of the Palace of Holyroodhouse by sticking my camera between the bars of the locked gate.
Update: Check out this new (well, new to me) website about cycling in Edinburgh.
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Written Jul 20, 2005
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Edinburgh Festival Theatre
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Written Jul 4, 2005
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Comments (79)
My daughter and I paid a brief visit to Edinburgh in 2011. Just a touch of Scotland for her...luckily we knew a local
Thet managed to 'get rid' of the trams in Brisbane...and on Sunshine Coast...what a disaster.
Marg
I have friends with children attending school in Edinburgh and it's nice to see the area they live in. Interesting town and charming school. Thanks for sharing Don!
Seems they really do want to keep the English out, Don. According to the website, admission to the castle is £14 in off season! How times have changed since you wrote this page!
Fantastic page of Edinburgh! I think that of the museums, I like The People's Story best - it sounds fabulous! I would love to have a graduation ceremony like that. At my uni, we don't have one at all :-(
Great page! We hope Edinburgh is our next place to see... As I know, they (THEY) would like to get rid of Toronto's streetcars... I thing it will take out part of identity
Excellent page Don! Edinburgh is on my list of places I want to see some day. The city looks splendid!
It's good that some museums are free - not everyone can afford to pay such high admissions as you mentioned. I was in Edinburgh in the late 70's, but my memories are not very vivid.
Thanks for your visit to my Prague page. We will be in Edinburgh for the tatoo in August so was glad to get your help. Thanks.
The view from Scott Monument is fabulous. Great page about Edinburgh, I wish I will enjoy such nice weather as you did!
Hi Don, One day I'll have to get back up to Scotland and see if I get some sun, like you on a visit there. Plenty of good tips, some unusual with some fine pics also. Thanks for the visit to my Ontario pages. Keep well.
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