The Okavango MacbethLibretto by Alexander McCall Smith, music by Tom Cunningham, the vocal score is published by Goodmusic. The opera can be performed with piano accompaniment from the vocal score but there is also a chamber group accompaniment available on hire from Goodmusic.Goodmusic separately publishes a selection of Songs from The Okavango Macbeth, containing seven songs for solo voice (medium range) and piano. A recording is available on Delphian Records: the CD was one of the Top 12 Classical CDs of 2012. This adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is stunning. Beautifully staged and a quite unforgettable experience, this show will have you singing and dancing your way out of the theatre, It’s strong, powerful and utterly enjoyable. ***** Three Weeks Edinburgh, 30th August 2013. New opera doesn’t get any better than Cunningham and McCall Smith’s The Okavango Macbeth, instantly accessible, incredibly melodic, The Public Reviews, 14th August 2013. This fabulous chamber opera, The Scotsman, 22nd April 2011. This is a marvellous piece of dramatic entertainment, The Economist, 14th May 2010.
The idea for this piece came when Alexander McCall Smith was on a wildlife safari holiday with friends in Botswana's Okavango Delta. He says: “I knew that there were two distinguished American primatologists, Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth, in the region who had spent some years researching baboon behaviour. I asked our river guide if he could take our boat across to where they worked. Of the Botswana premiere, Pauline McLean, BBC Arts Correspondent wrote: Of the Edinburgh 2011 performances, Susan Nickalls of The Scotsman wrote: Of the Edinburgh 2013 performances, John Roberts of The Public Reviews wrote: 5-star Review, The Scotsman, 22nd April 2011 www.bachtrack.com Review, 20th April 2011 Caledonian Mercury Review, 20th April 2011 Baboon Macbeth is a No. 1 opera, The Sunday Times, 9th May 2010 Dovecot overrun by baboons as No.1 Ladies' opera heads for capital, The Scotsman, 24th April 2010 Operatic trills rise from Botswana bush, Los Angeles Times, 18th November 2009. Shakespeare's MacBeth meets Africa in Botswana's opera, AFP (Agence France Presse), 8th November 2009. Is this a baboon I see before me?, AFPTV, 20th October 2009 (video). Out of Africa, coming here – Macbeth as you've never seen it before, The Scotsman, 20th October 2009. McCall Smith makes monkey out of Macbeth, The Independent, 19th October 2009. 'Okavango Macbeth' is Botswana's first opera, Variety, 18th October 2009. Monkey business in Macbeth, The National (UAE), 14th October 2009. The Number 1 Ladies' Opera House, BBC Radio 4, 13th October 2009. Premiere for writer's opera, BBC News 9th October 2009 (video). Spellbinding, The Midweek Sun (Botswana), 7th October 2009. Detective Agency creator's first opera, BBC News, 5th October 2009 (video). 'Scots' opera gets Botswana treatment, BBC News, 4th October 2009. McCall-Smith returns to Botswana with surreal version of Macbeth, The Observer, 4th October 2009. African opening for 'Scots' opera, BBC News, 3rd October 2009. Ready to rock 'n' roll, Mmegi (Botswana), 2nd October 2009. Alexander McCall Smith: The opera, The Scotsman, 2nd September 2009. |