The richly drawn and complex female characters from three of Tchaikovsky’s greatest works take centre stage as Scottish Opera (SO) brings them to a one night only performance of Heroines & Heroes.
Featuring highlights from Eugene Onegin, Iolanta and the SO premiere of The Maid of Orleans, this concert offers audiences the chance to explore the composer’s distinctive blend of French and German influences with Russian traditions.
With Conductor Stuart Stratford, the cast includes Soprano Lauren Fagan, Baritone Josef Jeongmeen Ahn, along with Mezzo-soprano Natalia Kutateladze and Tenor Robert Lewis in their SO debuts.
Stuart Stratford, who studied conducting at the Saint Petersburg State Conservatoire, Symphonic and Operatic Conducting Faculty with the legendary teacher, Ilya Aleksandrovich Musin and is celebrating his 10th Year as Music Director with SO said “Having trained in St Petersburg, the music of Tchaikovsky has always held a special place for me.
Eugene Onegin is rightly viewed as his lyric masterpiece, while his last opera, Iolanta, showcases Tchaikovsky’s wonderful gift of melodic line. The Maid of Orleans demonstrates his sublime vocal writing, culminating in an exquisite duet for baritone and mezzo-soprano.”
The three operas span Tchaikovsky’s entire creative arc with Eugene Onegin being adapted from Pushkin’s classic verse novel; Iolanta a dreamlike fairy tale that was the last opera Tchaikovsky composed and The Maid of Orleans that is based on the play of the same name by Friedrich Schiller and is a romantic retelling of the story of Joan of Arc. This lesser-known work receives its SO premiere with the last staging occurring in Scotland when the Bolshoi Opera toured in 1990.
The Opera in Concert series continues in March with Wagner’s epic story of love, lust and death, Tristan und Isolde, with two performances only at Theatre Royal Glasgow and Usher Hall Edinburgh when Stuart Stratford conducts The Orchestra of SO. Under the direction of Justin Way the cast includes Gwyn Hughes Jones as Tristan and Annemarie Kremer makes her anticipated SO debut as Isolde.
Tickets start from just £18 and with 40% of seats priced under £40, £15 are tickets available for under-26s and students at every performance and are available from www.scottishopera.org.uk
Free tickets are also available for schools, colleges, and community groups.
Venue: Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Date and time:10th December 2025 @ 7.30pm
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 