 |
| Sir Alexander Gibson |
Wednesday 11 February 2026 marked 100 years since the birth of Sir Alexander Gibson (1926-1995).
Gibson became the first Scot and longest-serving principal conductor and music director of the Scottish National Orchestra (now the Royal Scottish National Orchestra) in 1959 (a post he held until 1984). A few years into this role, in 1962, he co-founded Scottish Opera.
A former student of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (then the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama), the Alexander Gibson Opera School in Glasgow was established in his memory, along with a fellowship for choral conductors.
After the War interrupted his studies in Glasgow he served with the Royal Signals Band until 1948 when he took up a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London, going on to studied at the Mozarteum, Salzburg under Igor Markevitch, and under Paul Van Kempen at the Accademia Chigiana, Siena.
After a spell as Assistant Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra he became music director of Sadler’s Wells Opera, at 31, the company’s youngest. He conducted a total of 26 operas at Sadler’s Wells and made his Covent Garden debut in 1957 with Tosca. In 1959 he returned to Glasgow to take up the post with the Scottish National Orchestra (SNO).
The new Scottish Opera gave its first season in 1962 at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow, with productions of Madama Butterfly and Pelléas and Mélisande with the SNO performing in the pit. During Gibson’s tenure he conducted four world premieres mounted by Scottish Opera as well as the first production of Les Troyens to perform both halves of the opera in a single night. His final production with the company was Tosca in 1993
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Opera and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are coming together on 25 February 2026 to celebrate Sir Alexander Gibson at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh with an event showcasing his achievements and highlighting the work of the companies in continuing to bring world-class opera and music to a diverse range of audiences in communities the length and breadth of Scotland.
The world premiere of Scottish Opera’s new production of Dai Fujikura’s and Harry Ross’ The Great Wave on Thursday 12 February, at Theatre Royal Glasgow was dedicated to Gibson to mark his birthday.
Further information from the Scottish Opera website.
