The Maiden Stone, an outdoor opera
The Maiden Stone, composed by Joe Stollery and words by Aberdeen poet Catriona Yule, is based on the legend of the Maiden Stone.
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 local schoolchildren 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 a string quartet, flute and percussion.
N. B. The performance involves walking to a number of locations around the discovery trail on the lower slopes of the Bennachie hill so there is wheelchair access.
The audience will stand to watch the various scenes but there will be some camping chairs available if required. Please dress appropriately for a path walk on Bennachie in September! Should the weather be so bad the performance needs to be cancelled then we will post a message on the sound website on the day – sound-scotland.co.uk.
Tickets available from Aberdeen Box Office
T: 01224 641122
W: www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
The Bennachie Centre
T: 01467 681470
