A music student who has written an opera based on a north-east legend has moved a step closer to unveiling his work to the public.
Joe Stollery, who is autistic, is working on a production based on Bennachie’s legendary Maiden Stone, which he plans to show on the hill, with the audience moving around as the story unfolds.
Legend has it that a maiden bet a stranger her hand in marriage that she could bake a bannock faster than he could build a road to the top of Bennachie. But the stranger was the Devil and she lost her bet. When she tried to run away, she wished to be turned into stone – which she was.
Joe, 20, needs at least £10,000 to stage the production and while he hopes to be granted awards to cover the majority of the costs, he launched a Crowdfunding campaign to raise £4,000.
The third-year Aberdeen University student, who is combining his passion for music with his love of the outdoors, has now reached the target – with 81 people making pledges, taking him to £4,388.
Last night Joe, of Whitehills, Monymusk, said he was thrilled and was now focusing on revising the first draft of the opera.
He said: “I’m really amazed we got to the target. I’ve completed the first draft so am now revising it, and we’ve got all the musicians.”
Huntly librettist Catriona Yule is writing the words for the production, which will be in Doric, while Aberdeen-born soprano Jillian Bain Christie will play the maiden and Ellon-born tenor Colin Brockie the Devil.
A string quartet from Aberdeen University will play on the hill, while youngsters from Chapel of Garioch, Oyne, Keig, Monymusk and Inverurie’s Market Place schools will provide some of the accompanying sounds.
Joe’s father, Pete, a professor of composition at Aberdeen University, is producing the opera, to be shown on Bennachie on September 5 and 6.
Today, he will take some of the school youngsters to make recordings of the sounds from the hillside which will be played throughout the performances. He said: “Joe has composed 95% of it, but it’s great that we’ve got the schools taking part and creating some music and sounds to add to it.”