What’s On? – ardentinny.org

July 25, 2019February 28, 2026

A Night at the Opera

On Saturday night Ardentinny was the fortunate host to a preview of Aria Alba’s latest production. Following their opera residential at Ardentinny Centre, we were invited to an ‘open rehearsal’ of Bellini’s La Sonnambula

This was no picturesque pastoral village in Switzerland, the original setting of the opera. Instead, Dr. Nell Drew, Director of Voice & Musical Director and co-founder of Aria Alba, saw parallels with the small community customs, intrigue and general shenanigans of a Scottish highland village (she hails originally from Loch Tummel). Therefore, she decided to use just such a setting placed in the 1950s, making it eminently relatable. It is also difficult to imagine a more appropriate venue for last Saturday’s performance than the village of Ardentinny!

Aria Alba’s mission is to widen opera participation and to develop and provide opportunities for both amateur and professional singers from all backgrounds. There are usually two and sometimes three casts to ensure that everyone has a chance to perform.

We were asked to be forgiving of their state of preparedness – there are still 5 weeks of rehearsals to go. There was nothing to forgive!

As Dr. Drew explained, Aria Alba never performs opera in translation as the score depends so much on the music of the language in which it is written. Also ‘La Sonnambula’ is demanding in its range and length of arias for soloists and long renditions by the chorus. In it Bellini was “hailed not only for the beauty of his melodies but for his restless harmonic shifts into remote keys”*

Written in the Bel Canto style, it is renowned for its difficulty. The lead role of Amina, performed by Fiona Breingan, “requires a complete command of trills and florid technique…” There are equally difficult vocal challenges for the lead tenor Elvino, a part shared by Neil MacTavish and Joanna Bleau.

The company also showcased its acting ability, most notably in the part of Lisa. While the narrator, Isobel McGregor kept us up to speed with the plot as it unfolded. In short – a wholly enjoyable performance!

The Cast

Amina Fiona Breingan

Elivino Joanna Bleau, Neil McTavish

Lisa Jolanda Grijpstra, Judy Miller

Count Robert Hardiment, Jamie Whitfield

Teresa Hilarie Howarth

Alessio Les Moffat

Notary Jody Dalzel-Job

Narrator Isobel McGregor

Chorus Adam Feith, Kata Feith, Cath McNaught, Ann Dawson, Gill Quille

The performance was co-directed by Dr. Nell Drew and Robert Hardiment and expertly and indefatigably accompanied by pianist, Michal Gajzler

Aria Alba will premiere its operatic re-imagining of La Sonnambula at the Edinburgh Fringe 7 p.m. Thurs. 22 to Sun 25 August 2019, Stockbridge Parish Church, 7b Saxe Coburg Street, Edinburgh EH13 5BN.

April 22, 2019February 28, 2026

O’er the Hill – A special night

Oh what a night. Late April twenty nineteen. What a very special evening. As I remember, what a night!

Think of great music; dedicated, accomplished performances; warmth and camaraderie both sides of the stage mixed in with a touch of cafe theatre with family and friends and you have last Saturday night in Ardentinny Hall. But what made it so good? The programme was as eclectic as each component part was individual and the standard of the performances was testimony not only to the talent of the performers but to their outstanding dedication to their craft.

Talented fiddler Iain Davidson opened the programme with a couple of Scottish marches, then a slow air from Shetland and finally a foot-tapping two-step.

Next up with a change in style and tempo, Ambrose Harper, Allan Guerrish, and Bill Tierney gave us Lindisfarne’s ‘Meet me on the Corner’ followed by Richard Thompson’s ‘Waltzing for Dreamers’ and finished with Buddy Mundock’s ‘Comin Down in the Rain’ with the trio’s instrumental skills and harmonies charming us in equal measure.

Las Jubiladas (Linda Petty, Jane Mitchell and Julie Forrester) followed with a master class in recorders, the likes of which many of us had never seen, if heard, before. Their set, incorporating different musical styles – jazz, folk, boogie – and types of recorder, was as instructional as it was enjoyable.

Step change as Ceol Breagha (Ian Darroch, Aileen Morrison and Jim King) offered up a feast of Celtic music with a selection of Irish, Scottish and Breton marches, Strathspeys, Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes.

After a buzzing interval of chat, food, drink and raffle draw Ukes not Nukes (Mike Loochin and Susie Robertson) gave their first and most impressive ukulele performance supported by Clair Tierney and Derek Nelson. First with Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ followed by George Ezra’s ‘Budapest’.

The final set of the night was Ardentinny’s own singer songwriter, Clair Tierney supported by her Dad, Bill Tierney, Derek Nelson, Allan Guerrish and Ambrose Harper. It was a wonderful mix of country numbers interspersed with Clair’s own compositions from her Cowal Song Cycle and showcased the depth of her talent along with that of her accompanying musicians.

The whole event was ably strung together by our equally entertaining compere Alison Duncan who also performed her self-penned ballad Baron MacInturner and an Ian Ingram song dedicated to former Ardentinny outdoor centre instructor, the late Hilary Smith. For local and visitor alike, the evening held an enduring sense of place and culminated in a finale with audience and performers singing Harry Lauder’s O’er The Hill to Ardentinny.

11 performers and 12 distinct instrument types later, it’s little wonder Clair Tierney said ‘Transatlantic Sessions eat your heart out!’. With that in mind and an increasing appetite for more, have we just experienced the birth of an annual ‘Tinnyfest’? Let’s hope so!

O’er the Hill was live streamed by Ardentinny.org with audiences as far apart as South Uist and New Zealand. Recording is below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3 – The Finale!

https://youtu.be/xXTIok7bSvA

March 3, 2019February 28, 2026

Ardentinny Trout Farm Proposal – Community Council Meeting

An Ardentinny Community Council meeting has been announced to discuss the proposed Dawnfresh Ardentinny Trout Farm which is currently at the Environmental Impact Assessment screening stage (EIA) with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. An outline leaflet produced by Dawnfresh on the proposed trout farm has been posted on the village notice board.

According to the planning documents submitted to the National Park, the fish farm would be located on the outskirts of Ardentinny in Loch Long, south of the village and Ravenrock Lighthouse. The installation would consist of 10 – 38m diameter circular pens in a 5 x 2 configuration, placed in a 80m x 80m mooring matrix. The site would be serviced by a feed barge on the shore side holding at least 200T of feed. The location of the shore base in or around Ardentinny is yet to be decided.

The Ardentinny site is one of four proposed fish farms in the Clyde area. The other locations being Bute, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae.

As part of the Ardentinny project, Dawnfresh proposes to service the site daily by boat from a shore base at Ardentinny and to employ a local workforce of six. The shore base may include office facilities, storage shed and access to the shore. Site boats will be located close to the shore base either at a pontoon or moorings.

Site of proposed fish farm (main Ardentinny road – from south)

The site will operate 7 days a week and fish stock will be delivered to the farm by wellboat. Stock will be grown on in the first year and will be harvested in the second year on an ongoing basis. Harvests will be undertaken by wellboat, initially using mobile harvesting equipment, at a yet to be determined nearby port.

A video survey has been undertaken beneath the proposed site and the results will be analysed and presented in the final planning application. An application has been submitted to Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to confirm that the proposed biomass is within the carrying capacity of the area.

Wildlife
As part of the EIA screening application, Dawnfresh has addressed “Interaction with predators”. The report mentions that “Marine fish farms can experience considerable losses to predators if a predator identifies the farm as a viable food source”. Tensioned square mesh (30mm) top nets will be used to prevent predation by birds. The application also mentions that “Seals are initially attracted to a farm to graze on fallen stock and then move on to attack livestock. As a result, an attack has the potential to impact many thousands of fish and cause enormous stress on the rest of the fish population”.

In order to mitigate this, a daily collection of mortalities along with seal blinds (fine mesh) is envisaged. The application continues.. “If highly tensioned nets and daily removal of mortalities proves to be ineffective in deterring seals and in the event of full enclosure predator nets being inappropriate for use at this site Dawnfresh will consider the use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs)”. “It is accepted that it may not be possible to totally eliminate predation by seals. Should mitigation measures be insufficient to protect fish stocks, Dawnfresh will consider the humane dispatch of a rogue seal”.

Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
The application states that “Dawnfresh will undertake a full Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) in support on the proposed site. Photomontages will be prepared from key viewpoints which will be identified based on advice from our chosen landscape architect and further advised by SNH and the Planning Authority”.

Community engagement
The company also states that it’s an active supporter of community engagement, in particular supporting beach cleans and providing staff and boats to assist in these operations as well as supporting community groups, organisations and events.

Construction of the proposed trout farm is estimated to take between two to three weeks.

Our local MSP and Ward Councillors were invited to comment on the proposal. Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations and MSP for Argyll and Bute, Mike Russell, considered that the key issues would be environmental pollution and escapes and what assurances are in place for these. He said “Given it is in the National Park, the guarantees would require to be cast iron in terms of technology for escapes and monitoring of environmental discharges.” Councillor Yvonne McNeilly said she would listen to the views expressed by all of her constituents, after community consultation.

The Community Council Meeting will take place in Ardentinny Village Hall on Monday 11 March at 7pm. All are welcome.

Useful links:

EIA Screening documents for installation of fish farm (Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park – Planning)
Dawnfresh corporate website
Friends of Loch Etive
Farmed trout escape in Loch Awe
Dawnfresh rush to repair net following breach
Sea Lice Breaching Farm List
Probe over chemicals at Scots fish farm as deaths increase
Jobs boost as new £8m fish farms plan is revealed

February 1, 2019February 28, 2026

Watercolour painting course at Village Hall, Ardentinny.

This new 6-week course with Catriona H Darroch primarily explores the joy of painting with watercolours and is suitable for anyone (beginner or seasoned painter) wishing to find out more about painting with watercolour paints, giving you guidance, encouragement and the freedom to explore.

November 23, 2018February 28, 2026

Dunoon Dazzles 2018 LIVE

Dunoon Dazzles Christmas event streamed LIVE from Dunoon, Argyll. With Soap, Ferdinand Rennie, Spice World – The Tribute, Andrew Grayson performs Olly Murs and more.