Wednesday 22 April 2015

Stuart Straftford appointed as Scottish Opera's music director

Stuart Stratford. Scottish Opera 2015. Credit James Glossop.
Stuart Stratford. Scottish Opera 2015
Credit James Glossop.
The British conductor Stuart Stratford has been appointed the new music director of Scottish Opera. He joins the company in June this year and his first performances as music director will be announced as part of the 2015/16 season launch in May. Stuart Stratford recently conducted critically lauded performances of Jancek's Jenufa with Scottish Opera (you can read review by Christopher Lambton over on The Arts Desk). The search ends something of a hiatus for the company after the precipitate departure of Emmanuel Joel-Hornak in April 2013, and will hopefully bring an element of stability to standards in the company at a time when it is much needed. 

Stuart Stratford was born in Preston, but his mother was from Clydebank. This will be his first music director post in an opera company, but he has been gaining plaudits for his thoughtful musical approach. We have seen him in the pit at Buxton with Gluck's Orfeo in 2014 (see my review) and the double bill in 2012 (see my review), at Opera Holland Park with La Fanciulla del West in 2014 (see my review), Cav and Pag in 2013 (see my review) and Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera Holland Park in 2012 (see my review) and he has worked regularly with Opera North.

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