Sopranaria
Sopranaria, comprised of Moira Docherty (soprano), Barbara Scott (mezzo soprano) and Robert Duncan (piano), are delighted to return to the Festival and look forward to sharing some of their musical favourites.
Moira is in demand throughout Scotland as a soloist with Choral Societies and for her solo recital work or with her trio ‘Sopranaria’. She has sung many principal roles with Tayside Opera including Tosca, Mimi (La Boheme), Violetta (La Traviata), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus), Adina (The Elixir of Love) and Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor). Moira was appointed by His Majesty the King to the Order of St John, Scotland, for her services to music and charity. Details of her CD recorded with Robert Duncan as well as future engagements can be found at www.moiradocherty.com.
Robert grew up in Methlick, Aberdeenshire, and studied piano with Yonty Solomon at the Royal College of Music. In 1982 he won the RCM accompanist’s prize. He had private accompaniment lessons with Geoffrey Parsons and accompanied singing coaching at his home. Robert has been Tayside Opera’s accompanist since 2012. He is also the accompanist for the NYCOS Perth Boys Choir and teaches piano at Strathallan School. Robert has recorded two solo piano CDs: ‘Keys of Shalom’ is an album of peaceful classical pieces; ‘Old Vienna New York’ includes ‘The Gershwin Songbook’, the composer’s own piano arrangements of his 1920s hits and waltzes by Godowsky and Korngold. Both CDs are available for donations in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Support Centres.
Barbara has had a busy year since last at the festival, with performances including Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, recitals at Inverness Cathedral, Mozart’s Requiem, St John’s Passion (attr. Handel), Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Wagner’s Parsifal - the first complete performances of Parsifal in Scotland since 2003. Career highlights include performing as Kundry alongside Sir John Tomlinson in Act 3 of Parsifal; conducted by Anthony Negus. Barbara has performed as alto soloist in Mahler’s 3rd Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and the UK premiere of the cantata Rain in Summer by John Glenesk Mortimer. Previously, she has performed a variety of principal opera roles including Fenena (Nabucco), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Ulrika (Un ballo in Maschera) and the title role in Carmen.
The programme for this event will include duets and songs by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Grieg etc.