Alistair Digges conducted members of the Scottish Opera orchestra, infusing the production with the grandeur and emotional depth that Verdi’s score demands.
Paisley Photographs – October 2023
The reduced orchestral score is expertly played by the tiny Opera Bohemia Ensemble, directed by Alistair Digges.
Edinburgh Music Review – August 2023
The choir has a wonderful role in ‘Fidelio’. The prisoners’ choir ‘O welche Lust, in freier Luft’ was sung with intense excitement by the choir Consensus Vocalis (rehearsed by Alistair Digges), while the exuberant ‘Heil sei den Tag’ contributed to the substantial sound mass of a grandiose finale.
Place de l’Opera – April 2023
If that aim was undoubtedly achieved, it was in no small measure down to Digges himself. This long-established charity event has found an exceptionally able successor to Ian McCrorie in the charismatic conductor, not only in his direction of the wide range of music in the programme but also in his warm and funny presentation skills.
The Herald – December 2022
The instrumental ensemble led by conductor Alistair Digges is astounding in terms of sound. The lyricism comes into its own excellently.
8Weekly.NL – December 2022
The reduced orchestral score is expertly played by the tiny Opera Bohemia Ensemble with just 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn, directed by Alistair Digges.
Edinburgh Music Review – August 2022
Under the baton of Bohemia’s music director Alistair Digges, this revival’s great asset is that 11-piece ensemble, led by Feargus Hetherington, whose own solo contributions are a particular highlight.
Vox Carnyx – May 2022
Alistair Digges was in confident command of the orchestra, with tempi always well-judged.
Opera Scotland – November 2019
The choir Consensus Vocalis, which rehearsed under the direction of Alistair Digges, nevertheless stole the show with the glowing serenade ‘My Darlin Eileen’
NRC – October 2019
Conductor Alistair Digges did a great job meshing the music with the action on stage.
Ear Relevant – August 2019
Under the musical direction of Alistair Digges, the chamber orchestra is well-balanced in support of the small cast and brings lashings of colour to Lehar’s waltzing and highly lyrical music.
Small City Big Personality – August 2019
Digges is in complete command of the chorus and the soloists
Hugh Kerr – The Wee Review – July 2019
There are lustrous moments from the cut-down orchestra under Alistair Digges’ precise motivation
Ken Walton – The Scotsman – February 2019
Conductor Alistair Digges moved the music along briskly; the orchestra squeezed into the small pit in Stirling, bringing vivid colour and excitement to the work… Digges was easy for players and singers to follow and held the busy patter choruses of the principals together well.
David Smythe – Bachtrack – August 2018
OB’s excellent & atmospheric 11-piece orchestra played the opening strains to the expert wand-weaving of Alistair Digges.
Damo – Mumble Opera – August 2018
Giuseppe Verdi’s fine score is played with energy and precision by an orchestra conducted by Alistair Digges.
Sophie McAlpine – Youth Opera Review – August 2018
The Edinburgh Singers are around 60-strong tonight and backed by a 30-strong Sinfonia under the expert baton of Alistair Digges. They both sound superb in the acoustics of the splendid setting of Greyfriars Kirk.
Hugh Kerr – The Wee Review – June 2018
The music is very well provided by a small chamber orchestra of ten musicians, very well conducted by Alistair Digges.
Hugh Kerr – The Wee Review – March 2018
As we now expect from the Edinburgh Singers, this is fantastic programming: great and supremely secure choral singing, and charismatic and musical direction from conductor Digges. Bravo to the orchestra (some of whom are SCO players) for a wonderful job.
Jeremy Cull – The Wee Review – June 2017
Alistair Digges has trained them very well: they have fantastic diction, and there is not a drop in pitch throughout. This speaks volumes for Digges’ brilliant charisma and musicianship. A thoroughly wonderful evening.
Jeremy Cull – The Wee Review – March 2017
Conductor Alistair Digges paced the whole evening engagingly, and much of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful instrumentation came over with an enjoyable subtlety.
Opera Scotland 2016
Music Director Alistair Digges has a way of conducting, which is almost like a performance in itself. He gave clear instructions where the ensemble of musicians followed, giving a refined performance and gravitating the music towards a more poetic and highly structured tone. The pace was neither fussy or rushed.
Mary Nguyen – Trend FM – August 2016
Conductor Alistair Digges had an excellent band to play the reduced score, and he paced it beautifully, with plenty of lyrical highlights interspersed among the punchy dramatic elements.
Opera Scotland, November 2015
Even the best singing seems bare in a concert without some human interest, and Alistair Digges knew this… It was his firm enthusiastic, and concise introduction after the opening Tota Pulchra Es, a devotion from Vespers by James MacMillan, that set us up with the confidence that he knew what he was about. Not only had he put together an inspired selection of Scottish choral music in historic Old St Paul’s, but had managed to assemble in the audience six or seven of those Scottish composers.
Edinburgh Guide, June 2015
Alistair Digges (Musical Director) is to be congratulated: he has a great rapport with the choir and an ability to get the very best out of them. His obvious commitment to this programme has certainly paid off.
TV bomb, June 2015
Events were led from the pit by new music director Alistair Digges who drew a vigorous and stylish account of the score from the spirited twenty-seven piece band.
Opera Scotland, November 2014
Best were the opening scenes, from the newlyweds fending off the irritating drunk, to a majestically off key duo, Alistair Digges and Douglas Nairne, drunkenly carousing over the body of a dead friend
Sarah Urwin Jones, The Times, August 2013
A very impressive tenor Alistair Digges
Alan Cooper, Aberdeen Press, October 2012
Alistair’s Edgardo in Lucia was good – but his Rodolfo in Boheme was far better. There is more maturity to the voice and lots more confidence, leading to a first class overall performance.
The Courier, September 2012
Digges (Pinkerton) has an expressive voice, well up to the demands of the part.
The Opera Critic, August 2012
As Edgardo, Alistair Digges had much to contend with, having to come to terms with one of opera’s most demanding tenor roles, but he came through with enormous credit, especially towards the end of the opera where the ultimate tragedy unfolded.
The Courier, March 2012
Douglas Nairne and Alistair Digges in the lead baritone and tenor roles showed mature and powerful voices, both able to display the contrasting emotions required of them.
Northings, March 2012
The most enjoyable performances come from… an eclectic Rodolfo, played by Alistair Digges.
Exeunt Magazine, February 2012
Alistair Digges (Rodolfo) and Emily Ward (Mimi) sounded very strong in the lead roles, Digges’ voice, in particular, having a winning, laddish quality which worked well in this context.
One Stop Arts, February 2012
As Rodolfo, Alistair Digges shows a pleasing light tenor
Time Out, February 2012
All of the singers gave flawless vocal performances with emotion and pathos. The acting was strong, particularly by Mimi (Emily Ward), Rodolfo (Alistair Digges), and Colline (Tim Dickinson)
Frost Magazine, February 2012
Alistair Digges was an ardent, Italianate Rodolfo
Music Web International, July 2011
Alistair Digges captured the vulnerability behind Rodolfo’s amorous bravado
The Arts Desk, July 2011
Acting convincing, singing, fresh, bright, clear, youthful; particularly good were the Petersburg Mimi, Ilona Domnich, and the Glasgow Rodolfo, Alistair Digges.
Musical Opinion, August 2011
Alistair Digges as Alfredo has a lovely voice
Evening Standard, June 2011
Alistair Digges is our Alfredo; attractive and charming with moments of vocal supremacy
Ceasefire Magazine, June 2011
Joanna Weeks and especially tenor Alistair Digges show promise as Violetta and Alfredo
The Guardian, June 2011
He melted the hearts of the Tilford audience with Handel’s ‘Where e’er You Walk’ and Donizetti’s ‘One Furtive Tear’ from L’Elisir d’amore and impressed with his power and range in Federico’s Lament from Cilea’s L’Arlesiana.
TBF, June 2011
Alistair Digges as Don Gomez was superb. What a noble voice and beautiful tone he has, and when he appeared suitably attired for the wedding, he looked quite the most charming man on stage.
Markronan Theatre Reviews,, March 2011
The best singers were Alistair Digges’s elegant tenor as Don Gomez
Music Web International, March 2011
The most serviceable and reliable voices belong to Don Pinto’s two impersonators, Robin Bailey’s Don Gaston and Alistair Digges’s
Don Gomez The Times, March 2011
Rodolfo (Alistair Digges) has a very pleasant tenor voice and easily holds his own with the other men. He also looks the part, in his writerly velvet jacket, and his acting is good.
The Opera Critic, August 2010
As the name may suggest, Opera Bohemia’s title was inspired by the aspiring artist characters in Puccini’s La Bohéme. Founded by two former RSAMD students, Alistair Digges and Douglas Nairne, this new opera company is a wealth of extraordinary fresh talent, with each of these young singers having remarkable depth and power to their voices. During passages of ensemble singing, they perform with impeccable blend, acting together seamlessly and maintaining absolutely perfect intonation throughout.
The List, August 2010
Alistair Digges, a lovable Flute
Opera Magazine, September 2009
Alistair Digges made a delightful Flute/Thisbe
The Independent, July 2009
Alistair Digges’s Flute came into his own in the Pyramus and Thisbe episode where his timid character seemed to gain confidence under the glare of the lights.
Classical Source, June 2009
Count Belfiore was sung with polish by the tenor Alistair Digges.
Musical Opinion, March/April 2009
The latter was sung by Alistair Digges whose agile tenor coped manfully with the demands made upon it during his more manic episodes.
Musical Pointers December 2009
The much-awaited recital got off to a rousing start with Scottish tenor Alistair Digges tackling the aria “Where er you walk”, from Handel’s 1744 oratorio Semele. As Jupiter, the 27-year-old defied his rather lean physique to create a perfect intonation that resounded through the DMK auditorium. Digges, especially, who idolizes Pavarotti, displayed tremendous maturity in the varying roles he played.
Sunday Times of India, August 30, 2009
She was joined by the debonair Scottish tenor Alistair Digges….The splendour of the voices came in quick succession in Cimarosa’s ‘Il matrimonio segreto’, as Alistair stretched his vocal chords to justify and make this secret marriage a reality.
Herald (Goah), August 28, 2009
International singing star Patricia Rozario’s dazzling concert thrilled Goan music lovers at the Kala Academy Hall in Panjim, Goa, India, on August 29, 2009. The troupe included her husband Mark Troop on the piano, Dhilan Gnandurai, award-winning Shri Lankan baritone, and superb tenor Alistair Digges.
Tinto (Goah Community Media) 2009
The Forester’s drinking companions, Alistair Digges as the Schoolmaster and Jimmy Holliday as the Priest, were strongly portrayed and sung.
Opera Magazine, September 2008
Alistair Digges was ideally cast as the love-lorn Nemorino, both as shrinking violet carrying the cricket gear and as confident amour after the elixir had taken effect: and there was a pleasingly gentle richness to his vocal timbre.
Surrey Advertiser, March 2007
The aria was beautifully sung by Alistair Digges, who was Nemorino to perfection, a gawky adolescent with a hopeless crush. His open and lyrical tone was ideal for the part, and was well sustained throughout a long evening.
Petersfield Post, March 2007
Nemorino – sung by Alistair Digges – looked incredibly young. He enjoyed himself as a lovelorn yokel with a vulnerable soul. His voice is clear, light and well-focused
The Herald, March 2007
Arnalta the nurse was a brilliant performance from Alistair Digges in imposing drag.
Spectator, December 2006
Alistair Digges’s purse-lipped Arnalta was a consummate comic turn
The Independent December 2006