Opera firm in scaled down season

There will be no mainscale programmes for Scottish Opera this summer

Scottish Opera bosses are due to announce details of their scaled down autumn season.

The firm has been forced to abandon all mainscale productions until next spring as part of a cost cutting exercise.

Acting general manager Richard Jarman said the new programme would allow the company to concentrate on touring the country.

But unions, which want a rethink on the cuts, say the reputation of Scottish Opera will be damaged.

Almost half the members of the company's 34-strong chorus have been made redundant, and a further 54 posts are also being shed.

'Serious damage'

And as part of the restructuring, Scottish Opera decided to perform no mainscale shows for nine months.

In return for trimming down, the company will be given fresh Scottish Executive funding to restructure in time for the 2006 spring season.

With no major productions in their Glasgow or Edinburgh theatre bases, Scottish Opera will concentrate on a smallscale production of Verdi's MacBeth.

It will tour 19 venues and there will be 10 concerts by the orchestra.

Mr Jarman, who saw the Royal Opera House through a similarly scaled down season, believes Scottish Opera will come out fighting.

However, the unions believe embarking on a scaled down season will leave the company seriously damaged as a result.