Tenor Jamie MacDougall learned to love the music of Vienna listening to his grandfather
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Tenor and Radio Scotland Classics Unwrapped presenter Jamie MacDougall returns as the soloist for the Viennese Gala at Eden Court on Thursday (Jan 12).
What would he highlight about this year’s gala programme?
“At the time, in the mid 1800s, this music hit the right spot with audiences and it’s continued to do so for almost 200 years…
“The music of the Strauss family remains fresh and endearing and continues to thrill audiences.
“We know so much of this music, thanks to TV and movie soundtracks.”
And for people who fancy coming to hear the music, but don’t know too much about the Viennese style, what would Jamie say?
“Hearing this music live raises the experience 10-fold.
“For me it’s a chance to share my love of operetta. At one time the music of Lehar would sell out theatres and I grew up hearing my grandpa sing You Are My Heart’s Delight and other popular arias.
“He loved the Austrian tenor Richard Tauber and constantly played his recording. That stuck with me and I’ve loved this genre ever since.”
For musicians and music-lovers, getting back to ‘normal’ after Covid and lockdowns made 2022 an important time. How has Jamie found it?
“Last year it felt like things were slowly getting back to pre-pandemic times, although when I started with Scottish Opera at the beginning of 2022 masks were still worn at rehearsals.
“I was fortunate to be involved in two new productions, Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Bernstein’s Candide which was an incredible experience performing with a large community chorus outside under an enormous tent!
“After three years of disappointment it was a return to the Royal Albert Hall to sing The Messiah with the Royal Choral Society. A full house – 7,000 people on Good Friday to hear Handel, that’s amazing and always so exciting to stand on that stage and sing to the people.
“I also launched a brand new collection of 22 new settings of Scots and Gaelic songs from 22 different composers including Sir James MacMillan. Plans are in place to record them.”
And talking of this year..?
Jamie said: “Christmas was a bit of a blur. As well as my Christmas and New Year concert commitments I had to busily learn two new opera roles for Scottish Opera’s forthcoming production of Il Trittico. Fortunately the middle of the three operas is all about nuns and since they didn’t need me to do a Robbie Coltrane cameo of Nuns On The Run, I only needed to concentrate on Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi!
“But after 22 years Radio Scotland has decided to pull the plug on Classics Unwrapped.
"I’ll miss it enormously. It’s given me such joy and opportunity over two decades to share my love of music.
"With every door that closes, I’m sure windows will open somewhere along the way. Watch this space!
"For now, off to Vienna to raise a glass to 2023 with the good people of Inverness!”
Jamie MacDougall is the soloist and presenter of the RSNO Viennese Gala concert at Eden Court on Thursday, January 12. Details and tickets: eden-court.co.uk
