u3a

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Paisley and District

Opera Appreciation

Status:Active, open to new members
Contact:
Contact:
When: Monthly
Venue: As Arranged

We are an enthusiastic group who enjoy attending Scottish Opera's productions at the Theatre Royal and regularly attend student performances at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. We also enjoy live cinema screenings of productions from both Covent Garden and the Metropolitan in New York.

We are looking forward to viewing some 2026 productions at the Theatre Royal being performed by the Scottish Opera.

If these events sound like something you might be interested in or would like to know more, please get in touch with Kathy or Jane, the group facilitators, using the contact links above.

Opera Appreciation Members

Future Events

Recent Events

May 2026Five of our members participated in the Paisley Community Opera's production of Carmen. This production was performed in the Tannahill centre in Ferguslie Park.The production had a real Paisley theme to it. It was set in
the 1960s and the setting was the Paisley mills rather than the cigarette factory. The hero of the show was a St Mirren top scoring footballer. It was lovely to see so many u3a members supporting this event.		"Carmen" by Paisley Opera

Previous Events

May 2026The Marriage of Figaro (In English) by Mozart with Scottish Opera was on at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow.
April 2026Glasgow University Operatic Society put on The Fairy Queen by Purcell at the Cottiers Theatre in the West End of Glasgow. The Fairy Queen was inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
April 2026Several members went to watch the live screening from Covent Gardens of Mozart's Magic Flute in Silverburn Cinema.
February 2026A fund raiser for Paisley Opera's production of Carmen. This concert at the Salvation Army Hall was lovely night where we were entertained by The Kirkintilloch  Brass Band and singers Carole Irvine and Bobby Irvine.
February 2026The Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow hosted a concert for Valentine's day in their new Auditorium where the Amicus Orchestra performed a Valentine's Day High Romantics concert.
January 2026Vocalists from the MMus Performance course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland returned by popular demand. This recital featured a diverse programme that demonstrates the high level of singing talent from one of the world’s leading conservatoires. (from RCS website)
October 2025
Opera Appreciation Outing		This visit to the Theatre Royal was to watch the return of Puccini’s La Boheme. This Barbe and Doucet's colourful production is set in 1920's Paris. It was a sumptuous piece with brilliant stage craft
and sublime singing, which we all loved. There’s great affection for this show and people enjoyedthe magic of this production.
October 2025
L’heure espagnole and The Bear image		The second visit to the Theatre Royal this month was for a double bill production of Ravel’s L’heure espagnole and The Bear. L’heure espagnole is about a lustful clockmaker's wife who must put her creativity to the test, to hide her lovers from her husband. This performance marks 150 years since Ravel's birth. The Bear tells of a faithful widow, confronted with her late husband's prominent love affairs, and who comes to blows with creditors.
April 2025A number of our u3a members went to see the production of the The Merry Widow at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow.
April 2025This outing for the Opera Appreciation Group was to see a very colourful screening of Turandot at the Showcase Cinema in Linwood, It was live streamed from Royal Opera and Ballet in London and sung in Italian with English subtitles.
Puccini’s captivating opera of a cold-hearted princess and her mysterious suitor. Featuring the ever-popular ‘Nessun dorma’, this opera of love and revenge is brought to life in a dazzling production. (Extracted from ShowCase Cinema)
Those who attended appreciated knowing more of the story. There were brief chats from the theatre about the storytellers, the staging and how the chorus acts the responsive audience for the opera. The music, singing and orchestra were superb. The cast were immersed in their roles and portrayed the emotions of their characters.
March 2025
Opera and Appreciation Group		Several members went to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for a production of Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute. An all-time favourite opera,, the music that evening was beautiful and the performers were excellent. The production was a modern take on a classic opera but nevertheless enjoyable.
Mozart‘s The Magic Flute is a work filled with love, adventure and enlightenment. Its broad pantomime-like appeal is wedded to music of heart stopping beauty. Follow Prince Tamino as he sets out to rescue Princess Pamina, guided by the mystical flute and accompanied by the comedic bird catcher Papageno. (RCS website)
January 2025In Haydn's L'infedeltà delusa, when Vespina discovers her beloved Nencio is to be married off to someone else, she takes matters into her own hands. After all, what’s wrong with a little light deception if you’re a master of disguise and everything turns out well in the end!
Performances of Haydn’s operas are incredibly rare so don’t miss this opportunity to fall in love with an overlooked gem that’s full of comic deception and bubbles with musical wit. Staged by twice Olivier Award-nominated director Jamie Manton with outlandishly brilliant designs by Peiyao Wang, and musical direction from Leverhulme Conducting Fellow, Riley Court-Wood. (credit RCS website)
November 2024The group had a real treat attending The Puccini Collection at the Royal Concert Hall.
October 2024Members enjoyed a matinee performance at 3pm of Don Pasquale by Donizetti in the Theatre Royal, Glasgow.
October 2024Faust: The Devil went down to Paisley performed by Paisley Community Opera in Paisley Methodist Halls. An fantatstic performance that kept the audience watching as the story unfolded.
July 2024Scottish Opera put on their community production of Pagliacci by Leoncavallo at "Paisley Opera House". This was a promenade style of Opera in that most of the audience is not seated and almost part of the action.
June 2024Our enthusiastic group attended Tosca, performed by Opera Bohemia, Scotland’s professional touring company. We were not disappointed!

Paisley and District u3a Groups