Thea Musgrave’s rarely performed Mary, Queen of Scots is set to make its debut in London with the English National Opera (ENO) next month.
The ENO will stage two performances at the London Coliseum on February 15 and February 18, coproduced by San Francisco Opera.
The opera follows the story of Mary I of Scotland, her tragic life and efforts to protect her country and faith. Betrayal is front and centre, as Mary is caught between her drunken husband, plotting half-brother and fickle lover. Faced with malice from every side, she turns to her Protestant cousin, Elizabeth I.
The director and designer is Stewart Laing (La bohème), with Joana Carneiro (The Handmaid’s Tale) conducting.
American soprano Heidi Stober makes her ENO debut in the title role of Queen Mary, with British tenor John Findon as Earl of Bothwell, Mary’s fickle lover, and British baritone Alex Otterburn as Mary’s half-brother, James Stewart.
English tenor Rupert Charlesworth plays Mary’s drunken spouse, Lord Darnley, with British bass Barnaby Rea as David Riccio, Mary’s private secretary and confidante, and English bass-baritone Darren Jeffrey as Scottish statesman Cardinal Beaton.
British bass Alastair Miles is Lord Gordon, Trinidadian tenor Ronald Samm plays the Earl of Ruthven, and British/Irish baritone Jolyon Loy takes the part of Earl of Morton.
The Four Marys (Mary Seaton, Beaton, Livingstone, Fleming), known for being Queen Mary’s ladies-in-waiting, are played by British soprano Jenny Stafford, Scottish soprano Monica McGhee, and British mezzo-sopranos Felicity Buckland and Siân Griffiths, respectively.
DM Wood is the lighting designer and Alex McCabe is the choreographer.