Scottish Opera on song as superstar makes comeback

Published on Monday 12 January 2009 21:14

ANNA Netrebko, one of the operatic superstars of the 21st century, is to make her return to the stage tomorrow in a production by Scottish Opera.

In her first performance since the birth of her first child in September, the Russian-born singer will take to the stage in St Petersburg as Lucia di Lammermoor. The production, which Scottish Opera staged in 2007, was conceived and directed by John Doyle, from Inverness, winner of a Tony award for his Broadway staging of the musical Sweeney Todd. The Scottish company is celebrating what it called a "fantastic" coup, after its set, costumes, props and staging for the classic opera based on Sir Walter Scott's novel were chosen for the performance at the Mariinsky Theatre.

The opera will be conducted by world-renowned Valery Gergiev, who shopped for the show on his trip to the Edinburgh International Festival last summer.

Alex Reedijk, Scottish Opera's general director, said: "We are extremely flattered that Valery Gergiev – with his fierce and unrivalled reputation – has picked our production of Lucia to present at the Mariinsky and that Anna Netrebko, one of the golden girls of opera, will perform in it.

"It's fantastic for both us and for the international cultural reputation of Scotland."

The Scottish Government has given the company a small grant to help explore and develop cultural partnerships in Russia.