The Forum, 3rd & 5th August 2001

Last year, a group of singers from five different countries came together for two weeks in Aberdeen. They had never met before and were expected to learn to trust each other in every way in that short time, and to produce magic! Amazingly, this they duly did by working harder than they ever had before and by going beyond even their own personal goals. For me, as the person who had chosen them and expected so much from them, it was a terrifying and thrilling rollercoaster ride. What we all learned in this fortnight was that almost anything is possible when the task at hand is seized with talent, energy, imagination, determination and sheer bloody mindedness! The response from the audience was tremendous, and the sight of the exhilarated faces after our first public performance was a vindication of all the hard work both on and off stage. It was an opportunity to bring together the Festival and the community, and such was its success that I return to Aberdeen this year with the anticipation of creating more profoundly joyous operatic experiences for both those onstage and in the audience.

Gidon Saks

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Artistic Director
Gidon Saks

Musical Director
Rosemary Thomson

Assistant to the
Artistic Director
Nicola Unwin

Vocal Coach / Repetiteur
Hendrik Derolez

Tatiana
Rayanne Dupuis

Olga
Frédérique Sizaret

Filipievna
Louise Macdonald

Lenski
Sean Ruane

Eugene Onegin
James Bobby

Prince Gremin
Joao Fernandes

Monsieur Triquet
Mark McConnell

Madame Larina
Wendy Dawn Thompson