An Opera on Bennachie
August 2014
Friday 5th & Saturday 6th September 2014
THE MAIDEN STONE OPERA
Meet Bennachie Visitor Centre Performances @ 1pm & 3pm
£5, under 26 free
Tickets available Aberdeen Box Office tel: 01224 641122
and Bennachie Centre 01467 681470
Pre-booking advisable
The Maiden Stone composed by Joe Stollery is based on the legend of the Maiden Stone, with words by Huntly poet Catriona Yule. Legend has it that a stranger (the Devil) disguised as a man (Dirk) asks for the hand of a maiden (Marn) in marriage. The maiden challenges the stranger to build a path to the top of Bennachie before she finishes baking a batch of bannocks...but who will win? Bannocks and boulders come alive and are played by schoolchildren from Keig, Oyne, Chapel of Garioch, Market Place and Monymusk Schools, who have been working hard with Margaret Hearne on movement/dance and Pete Stollery, Joe’s father, on the music.
Aberdeen-born soprano Jillian Bain Christie will play Marn, and Colin Brockie from Ellon will play Dirk/the Devil and they will be accompanied by string quartet, flute and percussion on Bennachie.
The performance involves walking to a number of locations on the lower slopes of the hill, around the discovery trail, so there is wheelchair access. The audience will stand to watch the various scenes, but there will be some camping chairs available if needed. Please come dressed appropriately for a path walk on Bennachie in September! If we have to cancel the performance because the weather is so bad, we will post a message on the sound website on the day – www. sound-scotland.co.uk