Writing partners unveiled for Scottish Opera's latest 15-minute shows

Published on Tuesday 16 September 2008 22:11

FROM the leading Scottish novelist Louise Welsh, to the Glasgow doctor and blogger Margaret McCartney, the next ten names to write five new operas were unveiled yesterday.

Scottish Opera announced the line-up for its second production of five brand-new 15-minute operas.

Last year's sell-out Five:15 show featured leading authors Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith and film composer Craig Armstrong.

It generated a surge of media coverage for the opera company.

This year's five teams of librettist and composer are not as well known, but include the opera and theatre director Nicholas Bone working with composer David Fennessy; the playwright Zinnie Harris and Edinburgh-based composer of film and theatre music, John Harris; and Dr McCartney, a Glasgow writer and GP, with returning composer Gareth Williams.

Amy Parker, a Glasgow newspaper writer, and the composer and lecturer Dr Martin Dixon; and Ms Welsh, author of The Cutting Room, and the Scottish composer Stuart MacRae complete the line-up.