Author and composer team up with Tumbling Lassie charity drive

Bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith and composer Tom Cunningham are collaborating on a work to support a "Tumbling Lassie" charity event to help combat modern slavery and people trafficking.

They are producing a special operetta which will be given its world premiere at a charity ball to be held next April in Edinburgh.

The "Tumbling Lassie" name comes from an otherwise anomymous girl who was the subject of a 17th century case in the Court of Session, and who was protected by the court from a travelling showman who claimed rights over her after "buying" her from her mother.

In the last two years members of the Faculty of Advocates have raised more than £30,000 for two charities, Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance and International Justice Mission, through "Tumbling Lassie" events, and the organising committee is hoping that the contribution by Mr McCall Smith, a non-practising member of Faculty, will make Tumbling Lassie 3 an even greater success.

“The story of the Tumbling Lassie is a very moving one,” said Mr McCall Smith.

“The first time I heard it, I knew that I wanted to write about it and now I have had the opportunity to write the libretto of an operetta on the theme. It is impossible not to be profoundly moved by this extraordinary tale.

“Slavery might have been rejected by Scottish judges in the late 17th century, but unfortunately the modern evils of trafficking still persist. The story of the Tumbling Lassie still has resonance today.”

Alan McLean QC, who rediscovered the 1687 case and began the fundraising initiative, added: “The Tumbling Lassie Committee simply asked Alexander McCall Smith if he would be prepared to donate a couple of his books for an auction at our previous Ball, but with extraordinary generosity he offered to do much, much more than that. We are thrilled that he and Tom Cunningham have written this operetta especially for us and that it will have its premiere at the Tumbling Lassie Ball next spring. We can’t thank them enough."

The Tumbling Lassie Charity Ball will be held in Prestonfield House, Edinburgh, on Saturday 14 April 2018. Full details are at www.tumblinglassie.com