Creative Futures in conversation with Scottish Opera
Our guest panel shared their insider insights on what it takes to run Scotland’s national opera.
Wednesday, 26 March. 5:30 - 7pm
We were delighted to be in conversation with with Publications Editor, Carmen Paddock, Librarian, Gordon Grant, Deputy Production Manager, Jessica Ward and Head of Outreach, Marissa Bradshaw. Our Scottish Opera guests sharfe their insights and explored the rich range of roles and the skills, knowledge, interests and experience required to run Scotland's national opera.
Professor of Musicology, Eva Moreda Rodriguez, and Professor of Theatre Studies, Anselm Heinrich facilitated the conversation.
Scottish Opera is Scotland’s national opera company and the country’s largest performing arts organisation, founded in 1962 by Sir Alexander Gibson. The Company is committed to presenting opera at the highest possible standards in theatres and outdoors across Scotland, as well as online to worldwide digital audiences. The repertoire ranges from the earliest operas to newly commissioned world premieres. The Orchestra of Scottish Opera was formed in January 1980.
Scottish Opera tours extensively to ensure performances are within reach of as many of Scotland’s dispersed population as possible, including fully staged opera, opera in concert, specially adapted 30-minute Pop-up Opera, and Opera Highlights showcasing favourites of the repertoire. This is one of the most extensive touring programmes of any European opera company and a much-valued contribution to Scotland’s cultural and artistic life. The Company’s Outreach & Education programme, the longest running in Europe, includes in-person and digital Primary Schools Tours, bringing children the opportunity to perform their own specially commissioned piece alongside professional singers. Around 120 schools and 12,000 pupils take part in the live tour each year. Scottish Opera aims to be inclusive and affordable through availability of free and subsidised tickets, audio-described performances, and specially devised Access performances with Dementia Friendly values at their core. Scottish Opera is core funded by The Scottish Government.
"The array of careers and opportunities discussed was impressive and eye-opening for students."
"I found it to be such a rewarding experience, and I truly appreciated being a part of it."
- Contributor
Carmen Paddock
Carmen has been Scottish Opera’s Publications Editor for over three years. A lifelong opera fan, she previously worked as a freelance writer and editor in film/television/theatre, as well as a technology consultant at a global firm. She obtained her BA Hons Drama and MA International Film Business from the University of Exeter.
Gordon Grant
As Scottish Opera’s music librarian, Gordon is responsible for the preparation of all musical materials used within the Company, tailoring it to the specific requirements of each opera, concert, or education project, as well as the operation of live surtitles for Scottish Opera’s mainstage productions. His other work as music librarian and surtitle operator includes English National Opera, Royal Ballet & Opera, Opera Holland Park, Vanishing Point, BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Cumnock Tryst, and the Netflix film Falling for Figaro. Gordon graduated with a BA in Music from the University of Leeds in 2009, and plays violin and clarinet.
Jessica Ward
Jessie Ward is the Deputy Production Manager at Scottish Opera and a participant in the Theatre Artists Fund's Creative Workforce Pilot Programme. She has extensive experience in stage management, having worked as a freelancer across Scotland before transitioning to production management.
Marissa Bradshaw
Marissa joined Scottish Opera in 2012 and works in the Education & Outreach team as Head of Outreach, helping to run an exciting programme of work which includes arts and wellbeing projects, accessible performances which tour all across Scotland, and a schools programme which reaches more than 9,000 children a year. Before joining Scottish Opera, Marissa worked for an arts charity in North East Glasgow and before that as a venue manager. Marissa has an MA in Theatre Studies from the University of Glasgow and is delighted to be back at Gilmorehill for Creative Futures.