2026 marks 100 years since the birth of Sir Alexander Gibson, a defining figure in Scottish classical music. From his early days at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to founding Scottish Opera and leading the Scottish National Orchestra, his influence continues to shape Scotland’s musical life.

In this episode we speak on location with his son, Philip Gibson. Philip reflects on his relationship with his father, Sir Alexander’s impact on Scotland’s music, his love of Sibelius, his knighthood, the cast parties that filled his working life and the fact that Philip was born the day after Scottish Opera was founded.

Presenter Jamie MacDougall catches up backstage at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre with Emerging Artist Edward Jowle. This episode was recorded just as Scottish Opera’s November run of Puccini’s La bohème was about to begin, with Edward preparing to sing the role Schaunard and Jamie himself performing Alcindoro and Benoît.

Edward shares how he first discovered opera, reflects on his early years of study, and describes the thrill of stepping onto the Scottish Opera stage for the first time in October 2025. He also talks about working alongside his fellow bohemians, Mario Chang, Roland Wood, and Callum Thorpe and what life has been like behind the scenes.

Produced outside of the studio and on on location by Melissa Jones.

Presenter Jamie MacDougall is joined by Emma Jenkins (librettist) and Toby Hession (composer) to discuss their brand new operetta, A Matter of Misconduct! As well as discussing the exciting challenges of producing a new operetta, Emma and Toby explore the first experiences of operetta and opera, and their working partnership so far. 

A Matter of Misconduct! 

When a scandal threatens to break about the front runner in a bloody leadership campaign, a lawyer is needed to prevent information from reaching the press. Sylvia Lawless from the firm Lawless, Lawless, Lawless and Crook must find the loopholes in this modern take on unsavoury behaviour. 

This episode was produced in partnership with City of Glasgow College, and supported by broadcast students, Grace, and Ophelie. 

This podcast features audio from an exclusive live broadcast originally shared with our patrons and donors and produced by Broadcast students at City of Glasgow College.

Join acclaimed broadcaster Nicola Meighan (BBC Radio Scotland's Friday Afternoons and podcast, A Kick Up The Arts) in conversation with General Director Alexander Reedijk OBE FRC and Music Director Stuart Stratford as they unveil Scottish Opera's exciting 2025/26 Season.

What's Coming This Season

Our upcoming season promises a season to fall in love with opera with, from the contemporary drama of The Great Wave to beloved classics like La bohème and The Marriage of Figaro. We're also presenting the double bill of The Bear and L'heure espagnole, Wagner's epic Tristan und Isolde, and a special celebration of Tchaikovsky's Heroines & Heroes featuring selections from Eugene Onegin, Iolanta, and The Maid of Orleans. Plus, don't miss our popular Opera Highlights and innovative Pop-up Opera performances.

This season holds special significance as we celebrate 10 years of Stuart Stratford's inspiring leadership as Music Director.

Produced by Broadcast students at City of Glasgow College.

Filmmaker Antonia Bain and composer Samuel Bordoli discuss the creative partnership behind "Josefine," Scottish Opera's groundbreaking animated opera short. 

Drawing inspiration from Kafka's final story 'Josefine The Singer', the pair reveal how they developed their 14-minute award-winning film exploring the performer-audience relationship. They share insights on co-authoring the libretto, directing for animation, and composing music that brings Josefine's desert world to life. Together with host Jamie MacDougall, they explore the technical challenges and philosophical questions that drove their innovative fusion of opera and animation. 

This episode was produced in partnership with City of Glasgow College, and supported by broadcast students, Kayleigh, Grace, and Ophelia. 

Director Olivia Fuchs joins Jamie MacDougall in the studio to discuss her production of Leoš Janáček's opera, The Makropulos Affair. 

This co-production with Welsh National Opera is Scottish Opera's first full staging of the opera since 1993. Hailed as ‘unmissable triumph’ (The Telegraph), this production focuses on the immortal Emilia Marty, or Elina Makropulos, a woman who has managed to live for over 300 years thanks to an Elixir created by her father. Captivating everyone she meet, it seems Emilia has the world in the palm of her hand. But, as the potion begins to fade, her past comes to haunt her as she searches for the formula. Suddenly, she is confronted with her past lives, and lovers as her existence raises questions of science versus nature and life versus death. 

Jamie and Olivia discuss Olivia's journey into directing opera and how Olivia has been working with the cast as the production team takes this opera from the rehearsal room to the stage. 

This episode was produced in partnership with City of Glasgow College and supported by broadcast students, Ophélie and Grace. 

Produced by Kayleigh and Grace from the City of Glasgow College. 

Presenter Jamie MacDougall chats to director Rebecca Meltzer and Baritone Emerging Artist, Ross Cumming, and about the Opera Highlights tour. 

This season’s snappy, playful show by director Rebecca Meltzer and designer Kenneth MacLeod explores and celebrates Scotland’s rich landscape. The operatic snapshots, curated for the first time by Fiona MacSherry, Scottish Opera’s Head of Music, form vignettes taking place at the country’s many varied train stations – places of greetings and goodbyes, reunions and setting off on new adventures, where all walks of life can coexist and interact equally.

Singers Robert Forrest and Scottish Opera’s 2024/25 Emerging Artists Ross Cumming, Chloe Harris, and Kira Kaplan bring classic operatic excerpts by Beethoven, Bizet, Handel, Donizetti, Tchaikovsky, and more to life under the musical direction of Joseph Beesley in this original piano-accompanied production.

Alongside Opera Highlights, Scottish Opera will also run 10 secondary school workshops in Fochabers, Stranraer, Lerwick, Mid Yell, Oban, Castlebay, Tarbert, Ullapool, Thurso and Anstruther, and four community workshops on 'How to stage an opera' in Tain, Lerwick, Tarbert, and Dundee. 

This episode was produced in partnership with City of Glasgow College, and supported by broadcast students, Kayleigh, Grace, and Ophelia.

Join our presenter Jamie MacDougall as he chats to Karen MacIver, composer for Special Delivery. Entirely led by music, Special Delivery is a new children’s production for ages 3-7 produced in-house at Lanternhouse, a state-of-the-art performing arts centre based at Cumbernauld Community Campus, in a co-production with Cumbernauld Theatre Company, Visible Fictions and Scottish Opera. 

Our presenter Jamie MacDougall sat down to discuss The Small Magician with Lea Shaw, Scottish Opera's Education Artist in Residence.

Supported by Scottish Opera, The Small Magician is a new, trauma-aware, inclusive, accessible series of vocal education resources in the form of workbooks, and audio and video guides. Designed to be a safe way for you to explore and foster curiosity - using your voice as a form of play - these resources are open to all and free of charge.

This episode was produced in partnership with City of Glasgow College, and supported by broadcast students, Kayleigh, Grace, and Ophelia. 

Presenter Jamie MacDougall welcomes our listeners into the whimsical world of Donizetti's Don Pasquale, as he hosts internationally acclaimed director-designer duo Barbe & Doucet, alongside star baritone David Stout to discuss Scottish Opera's production. This beloved production has charmed audiences from Miami to Toronto since its 2014 debut with Scottish Opera.

Barbe & Doucet share their vision for setting this classic opera in the 1960s, where Don Pasquale owns a cat-themed crumbling boarding house complete with eccentric staff. Meanwhile, David Stout offers unique insights into bringing the titular role to life, discussing the rehearsal process and the challenges of portraying this complex character. And of course, our canine stars get a mention, too!