Scottish Opera has revealed its plans to bring live music back to audiences, with more than 200 outdoor performances across being staged across Scotland as lockdown continues to ease.

The company has plans to visit around 40 venues from June to September with 'pop-up opera' for audiences seated in socially-distanced bubbles.

The programme, which spans four months, will feature shows such as The Pirates of Penzance, The Gondoliers, The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, and Lolanthe.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Opera headquarters in Glasgow will deploy its car park, which was used for a major outdoor production of Puccini’s La Bohème last year, for a new outdoor adaptation of Verdi’s Falstaff.

The Herald: Roxana Haines directing La boheme (2020).Roxana Haines directing La boheme (2020).

Scottish Opera's general director Alex Reedjik said: “I’m delighted that we are preparing to bring live music back to audiences following almost a year without live opera.

“Falstaff will be a love letter to our glorious art form, with over 120 people working together on the production.

"Sir David McVicar offers an amazing vision for our car park as he directs and designs an ingenious show with exquisite 17th century period costumes, promising an evening of comedy, pathos, and pure entertainment."

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Before the programme of live performances gets under way, the company is also adding to its "Scottish Opera: On Screen" collection - with a filmed performance of Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore, directed by Roxana Haines.

They also have plans to release "Live in South Lanarkshire", an operatic film from Rutherglen Town Hall, reminding communities of their amazing local venues - which are all ready to fling open their doors as soon as restrictions are eased.

The Herald: Sir David McVicar directing Pelléas and Mélisande (2017). Credit James Glossop.Sir David McVicar directing Pelléas and Mélisande (2017). Credit James Glossop.

Stuart Stratford, Scottish Opera’s music director, said: ‘I’m so excited that we’re able to offer outdoor, live opera to audiences across Scotland once again, even more so that we have the opportunity to work with Sir David McVicar on Falstaff for what is sure to be a visual and musical feast.

"Sir David’s creativity and passion are immersed in every aspect of the production and his spectacular vision for our car park location will make the audience experience even more visceral and immediate, especially in this outdoor setting.

"As Verdi’s last great work the piece contains all the fabulous searing melodies, raw emotion, and comedy which brings together our incredible world-class cast and orchestra.”