Lucia of Lammermoor by Donizetti, Frá (2016/2016), Hljómsveitarstjóri Richard Johnson, Brechin City Hall, Dundee, United Kingdom

At a time when several of the amateur operatic groups have fallen by the wayside, it is encouraging that Tayside Opera have managed to keep going, albeit in a less ambitious form than before. For several seasons they have taken a popular work to three separate venues round the region albeit in concert or semi-staged format with around a dozen choristers and piano accompaniment. The 2016 offering is Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, a favourite work they have tackled with great success in the past. It is to be hoped that the company will continue to survive, as they have always provided a valuable service in a part of the country that is, more than most, an operatic 'dry area'. Another useful factor, true of all the surviving companies, is they provide a training ground for young singers to try out roles. On this occasion, Tayside had a difficulty they must dread when they are so lightly manned - the spread through the company of a chest infection meant that there were occasional moments of vocal unease. However they coped well in the circumstances - occasionally one or two singers introduced a downward transposition of line, but rarely was there serious damage. The 'concert version' used was still rather more complete than we used to hear when Donizetti was less admired than he is now. The principal cut was the Wolf's Crag scene, where Edgar and Henry have a slanging match well away from the tragic events unfolding back at the Ashtons' castle. This scene is important, but it makes heavy demands on the singers, and when the tenor is very young and the baritone's voice on the light side, the cut was understandable. There was some excellent singing from Moira Docherty as Lucy and Ian McBain as Edgar. The mad scene went sweetly from the start, and the final suicide, which can seem to drag, was also well delivered. They were particularly well supported by Russell Malcolm and Barbara Scott as Raimondo and Alisa. His entry to disturb the festivities and break the dire tidings was quite impressive. The other voices were on the light side, even when they sang well. Only one solo was badly affected by indisposition.