ANNUAL REPORT 2019 WELCOME

Based in , Victorian Opera is a national leader in presenting unforgettable opera and musical theatre experiences. As the state opera company of , we are committed to making creative and accessible opera for everyone, and evolving the art form in adventurous ways. From opera diehards to first-timers, over 30,000 people experience our work annually through live performances, streamed events and activities in Victoria and Tasmania. We premiere at least one new Australian work each year and have staged 22 new works since the company formed in 2005. We employ hundreds of people across the creative industries, recruit some of the finest singers from and around the world, and collaborate with Australia’s leading companies, venues and learning institutions. The next generation of talent is developed from the ground up through the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble (VOYCE) and our innovative Access All Areas: Livestream Program. As part of our commitment to developing the art form, we also stage opera in Tasmania. Recognised for our unique voice and contribution to the country’s operatic landscape, Victorian Opera was awarded Major Performing Arts company status in 2019.

2 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 3 REIMAGINING THE POTENTIAL OF OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE, FOR EVERYONE

Following the formation of Victorian The Selfish Giant; a new opera deftly realised Opera in October 2005, the state opera by former Developing Artists Simon Bruckard company has taken many important steps and Emma Muir-Smith. It sold out a five- in each year of its existence. Across this performance season at Gasworks Theatre time, our dedicated staff and artists have and was met with both audience and critical worked tirelessly for each performance acclaim. staged and helped develop our reputation Victorian Opera continued to extend its for reimagining the potential of opera and reach interstate in 2019. In addition to our musical theatre, for everyone. concert staging of The Barber of Seville in These many years of hard work and Tasmania, Victorian Opera’s productions artistic excellence resulted in a significant Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet achievement for Victorian Opera in 2019, Street and Cunning Little Vixen were staged as we became a Major Performing Arts by West Australian Opera and State Opera company. We thank the many individuals of South Australia, respectively. Our Victorian Opera entered a new age in Our base Horti Hall’s Hemstritch Studio was beautifully reimagined by two of behind this success and celebrate our relationship with Sydney Chamber Opera 2019 as our young company marked became a social hub in 2019; extending Victorian Opera’s promising former increased capacity for even further growth. yielded another rewarding collaboration with one of its most significant years to date. beyond our primary rehearsal room as Developing Artists: composer and the world premiere of Elliott Gyger’s Oscar a site for so much more. We welcomed conductor Simon Bruckard and librettist In May 2019, following a rigorous executive In addition to presenting a broadly and Lucinda. audiences for a variety of events Emma Muir-Smith. search, we unveiled Victorian Opera’s new diverse season, we joined the ranks CEO Elizabeth Hill-Cooper. Drawing upon Victorian Opera acknowledges our many key including a talk series and intimate It was another moment of immense alongside many of Australia’s most her nationwide career across the arts and supporters for enabling us to realise another recitals across Five Fridays in August. pride for our company as the pair esteemed organisations as a Major extensive career in management at both highly successful season. Primary students, teachers and displayed the depths of their talents Performing Arts company; a proud Opera Australia and Victorian Opera, families were greatly entertained with this new creation. As our annual It is always a great privilege to recognise reflection and celebration of the Elizabeth was a natural selection for this by the company’s latest operatic Youth Opera, it was performed by a the commitment we receive from these contribution that our company has role. Under the stewardship of Elizabeth and invention for kids, Alice Through the cast of emerging artists, featuring individuals and organisations. In February made to the Australian cultural Richard Mills, Victorian Opera is poised for a Opera Glass. An amusing and musically singers aged 13–25 and members of 2019, we were proud to name our primary landscape. bright artistic future. rich hour of opera’s great arias, duets the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus rehearsal studio after our former Chairman We opened our season with a return and ensembles woven together in a Ensemble (VOYCE). Our Season 2019 demonstrated bold artistic Jane Hemstritch. This was an important to the Palais Theatre, St Kilda to stage whimsical adventure guided by Alice diversity: Wagner, Sondheim, Rossini, both a acknowledgement of Jane’s commitment to Wagner’s final masterwork, Parsifal. An Ending a season with Rossini’s The and the White Rabbit. concert and family opera, as well as a world our company and many years of generous opera of serene and ethereal beauty, Barber of Seville is a delicious treat for premiere and a myriad of intimate recitals. patronage. it was a monumental undertaking Following Victorian Opera’s much- artists and audiences alike. It was a Our diversity was matched with artistic for our company and represented a loved Sondheim Trilogy from 2013– special joy to collaborate as conductor Our thanks to the Australia Council for the excellence of the highest standard and great accomplishment. The Australian 2015, we presented another of his and director on a semi-staged concert Arts, The State Government of Victoria masterworks: A Little Night Music. version of this opera buffa. Jose Carbo extraordinary audience enthusiasm. Youth Orchestra (AYO), director through Creative Victoria, our long-standing Director Stuart Maunder and Music reprised one of his signature roles as Roger Hodgman and Victorian Opera At the heart of Victorian Opera is a Foundation partner the Robert Salzer Director Phoebe Briggs lead an enviable Figaro alongside Italy’s most celebrated reunited once again, following our dedication to the next generation of operatic Foundation, our Trusts and Foundations, cast of Australia’s most loved music Rosina, Chiara Amarù, in her local 2015 collaboration: Wagner’s The Flying talent. Our greatly valued association with Patrons, Corporate Partners, and audiences. theatre performers, including Nancye debut. We welcomed the return of Dutchman. It was a privilege to work the continued Hayes, Simon Gleeson, Verity Hunt- Paolo Pecchioli in the role of Don with these fine young musicians and an with student singers, undertaking either Ballard and Alinta Chidzey. Basilio and rising star Brenton Spiteri as exceptional international cast, featuring a Bachelor of Music or Master of Opera Count Almaviva. many of the world’s greatest Wagnerian Ali McGregor returned to Victorian Performance, cutting their teeth on the Genevieve Overell singers: Burkhard Fritz, Katarina Opera to head the cast as Desirée This production toured to Launceston professional stage in our productions of Chairman, Victorian Opera Dalayman and Peter Rose. Armfeldt, delivering a captivating and was performed with our colleagues Wagner’s Parsifal and family opera Alice performance and rendition of ‘Send in at the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Through the Opera Glass. It is always a special honour for our the Clowns’. before performances in Melbourne company to welcome local artists together with Orchestra Victoria. Similarly, we introduced over 2,500 primary back home from their distinguished The glories of Italian opera were students statewide to the magic of our international careers to make their performed in the concert Heroic Bel Diverse and enriching; a year to art form with the second instalment of Canto featuring the sublime Jessica celebrate. Australian debuts. In this instance, we our popular Access All Areas: Livestream Pratt, the Australian debut of Italian celebrated the homecoming of both Program. mezzo Daniela Barcellona, and baritone James Roser and bass-baritone Orchestra Victoria. Dr Richard Mills AM The result of such an attitude toward Derek Welton - in his signature role Artistic Director, Victorian Opera nurturing emerging talent was especially as Klingsor, a role supported by the In October, we premiered our latest evident with the world premiere of Richard Wagner Society of Victoria. commission, The Selfish Giant. The Elizabeth Hill-Cooper adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s parable Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Opera

4 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 5 The Barber of Seville Heroic Bel Canto “A deliciously crafted program of lesser “Victorian Opera has not only presented an performed arias, duets and ensembles in praise of PRODUCTIONS exceptionally good Barber, it has provided the art of bel canto spun its dazzling charms from Melbourne a truly world-class, technically flawless go to whoa.” IN 2019 celebration of the art of singing.” ½ - The Age – Opera Chaser

Parsifal “This was one of most compelling Parsifal’s I have experienced. The quality was excellent, the Australian Youth Orchestra full of poise and maturity, all the singing impressive. Victorian Opera should be proud.”

 – Bachtrack

A Little Night Music

“The production positively Alice Through drips with wit and charm, the Opera Glass with a sumptuous visual palette to accompany the “A thoroughly show’s myriad musical and engaging show that dramatic pleasures. And some lucky Victorian best of all, it has a cast children will be without a single weak link; singing about for a it’s the most consistent long time.” Little Night Music the city has ever seen.” - Opera Chaser  - Time Out Melbourne

The Selfish Giant “A highlight of Victorian Opera’s season.”

– Classic Melbourne

6 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 7 INSPIRING AUDIENCES

Victorian Opera reached a national audience of 23,760

across

253

performances and activities.

REIMAGINING THE POTENTIAL OF 8,138 OPERA THROUGH EDUCATION The wonders of opera were Artists, Simon Bruckard and Emma Playhouse Theatre, or streamed to their encountered by many students Muir-Smith, called The Selfish Giant. classroom, depending on the location audience members statewide in 2019 through Victorian Directed by Cameron Menzies and of their school. Opera’s Education Programs. featuring a cast of young, aspiring for Parsifal Overall, the program received very singers, the production highlighted the and A Little Night Music. The Victorian Opera Youth Chorus positive feedback; with one school promising future of opera, showcasing Ensemble (VOYCE) saw one of its reporting that the knowledge they the next generation of singers and biggest cohorts yet with 45 young gained from the workshops helped opera makers. singers aged 13-20 participating in them stage their own production later the ensemble. Eighteen members More than 2,500 primary school in the year. began the year by performing in the students from across Victoria tuned in Victorian Opera continued its close chorus of Victorian Opera’s production to learn about opera and the creative association with the University of of Parsifal. This experience allowed process in Victorian Opera’s Access Melbourne, providing a range of them to gain an understanding of the All Areas: Livestream Program. The performance opportunities for singers 11,639 inner workings of staging opera at a program was presented in conjunction undertaking either a Bachelor of Music professional level and had them working with the company’s 2019 schools’ or Master of Opera Performance. closely with high calibre international production, Alice Through the Opera audience members engaged Students featured in the chorus and local opera singers and creatives. Glass. with our livestream of Victorian Opera’s productions activities. Led by Music Director Angus Grant Over four 45-minute workshops of Parsifal and Alice Through the and Victorian Opera music staff, livestreamed into classrooms on a Opera Glass, while some successfully VOYCE performed a wide range of weekly basis, students met members of auditioned for principal roles in The repertoire in concerts throughout the the cast, creative team and orchestra; Selfish Giant. year, including sections of Mozart’s La learnt about the different voice In 2019, Victorian Opera hosted five Clemenza di Tito, Ravel’s L’enfant et les types; and took part in a variety of Year 10 students as part of its Work Sortilieges and Cole Porter’s Anything live activities which included learning Experience Program. Eager to learn Goes. The year concluded with a series Carmen’s ‘Toreador’ chorus in French about the inner workings of an opera SOLD OUT of workshops given by guest singers and following the director as he company, students spent time with Photography Credits: Timothy Reynolds, Merlyn Quaife and directed a scene. members of each department, assisted Beata Bowes (pp. 9) Paolo Pecchioli. 5 performances of Jeff Busby (cover, pp. 6, 10, 12-13) The program concluded with a in wardrobe, and observed orchestral The Selfish Giant Nick Hanson (pp. 8, 14) Victorian Opera’s annual Youth Opera performance of Alice Through the readings as the company prepared for Charlie Kinross (pp. 2-3, 4, 6, 7) featured a new work written by two Opera Glass which students watched its production of A Little Night Music. of the company’s former Developing either live at Arts Centre Melbourne,

8 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 9 OUR PEOPLE OUR PARTNERS Putting on a Victorian Opera mainstage WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK OUR PARTNERS performance takes a large and talented group of people months of preparation WHO MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE – planning, building, painting, tailoring, coaching and rehearsing – to create an GOVERNMENT PARTNERS unforgettable night at the opera. In 2019, Victorian Opera engaged hundreds of people in the creative industry. Victorian Opera is assisted by the Australian Victorian Opera is supported Government through the Australia Council, by the Victorian Government its arts funding and advisory body. through Creative Victoria.

FOUNDATION PARTNER UNIVERSITY PARTNER AWARDS

TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS MAJOR PARTNERS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS MEDIA PARTNERS

SUPPLY PARTNERS

PERFORMANCE PARTNERS

277 76 244 2,043 performers, creative design casual audience musicians and technical workforce development Victorian Opera creates tailored partnerships to enable businesses to meet their strategic priorities. For a discussion about and creatives how your business can benefit from a partnership with Victorian Opera, please contact Louise O'Loughlin, Development Manager, employees activities on (03) 9001 6405 or [email protected]

10 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 11 VICTORIAN OPERA PATRONS

For the year 2019

If you would like to get more involved in the work of Victorian Opera by becoming a Patron, please contact Louise O’Loughlin, Development Manager via phone on (03) 9001 6405 or via email [email protected]

Patron-in-Chief Platinum Patrons ($5K +) Ruth & Tom O’Dea Simon L Jackson & Brian Warburton Chris & Helen Trueman Jill Page OAM & Roy Page The Hon. Linda Dessau, AC, Governor of Beth Brown Tomasz & Elzbeita Romanowski David Joseph Prof. Belinda Tynan Campbell & Christine Penfold Victoria Carolyn & Stephen Coffey Ian Baker & Cheryl Saunders Graham McCallum & Mary Kehoe Caroline Vaillant Gregory J Reinhardt AM Mary-Jane Gething Phillip & Sue Schudmak The Hon Rod Kemp AM & Daniele Kemp Ian Watts OAM & Rex Swanson Aubrey Schrader Founding Benefactor Elizabeth Hill-Cooper Craig D’Alton & Peter Sherlock Pat & Alun Kenwood Russell Waters & Marissa Barter-Waters Libby Smith & John Middleton The late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC Peter & Jenny Hordern Lynne Sherwood Angela & Richard Kirsner Rev Noel Whale In memory of Helen Robertson Lady Potter AC Siobhan Lenihan The late David Valentine Pamela Knight and the late Robert Secret Admirers (7) Dr Rosalynd Smith Kaye E Marion Secret Admirers (2) Knight Michael Smith & Sonnia Fuenteseca Leadership Syndicate (40K+) Grant Powell and Sally McCutchan AC & Lynne Landy Bronze Patrons ($500+) Christine Stott Hans and Petra Henkell Marian & Ken Scarlett OAM Paul & Glenys Lejins Seonaid Alexander Neil Twist Jane Hemstritch Greg Shalit & Miriam Faine Silver Patrons (1K +) Dr Anne Lierse Prof Dennis Altman AM Catherine Walter AM Prof. Barbara van Ernst AM Laurie Bebbington & Elizabeth O’Keefe Selina Lightfoot Jenny Anderson Diana and Robert Wilson Artistic Director’s Circle (10K+) Kirsty A Bennett Douglas & Rosemary Meagher Lesley Bawden Secret Admirers (8) John & Diana Frew Nancy Bomford Gillian Montgomery Ines & Dr Donald Behrend Suzanne Kirkham Gold Patrons (2.5K +) Box Family Isobel Morgan OAM Philip Benjamin & Sandy Benjamin OAM Bequests Peter & Anne Laver Joanna Baevski Stuart Brown Jillian Pappas & George Pappas AO Cheryl R Benson Jenny Anderson Greig Gailey and Dr Geraldine Lazarus Alan Chuck & Wendy Hughes Chuck Susan Brownrigg Helen Paton David Bernshaw & Caroline Isakow Lesley Bawden Simone Lourey Jim Cousins AO and Libby Cousins Anthony Buzzard and Dr Pamela Craig Jane Patrick & Robert Evans Marc Besen AC & Eva Besen AO Graeme Bawden & Len de Kievit Mercer Family Foundation Earl of Wilton The Hon David Byrne Dr Garry Joslin & Prof. Dimity Reed AM Stephen & Maura Best Richard Laslett & Colin Gunther Michael Rigg & Gerard Condon AM Freda Freiberg Ms Pam Caldwell Dr Richard Reed & Vivienne Reed OAM Shirley Breese Dr Garry Joslin & Prof. Dimity Reed AM Joy Selby Smith Bob Garlick Elise Callander Prof John Rickard Mal Carter Frank & Danielle Chamberlin Dr John & Elizabeth Wright-Smith John & Gaye Gaylard Rob & Caroline Clemente Angela & Michael Rodd Brenda Every Jane Kunstler The Richard Wagner Society Murray Gordon & Lisa Norton Jennifer Cook John & Thea Scott Dennis Freeman Tony Wildman & Robert Gibbs Maureen Wheeler AO & Tony Wheeler Peter J. Griffin AM & Terry Swann Bea & Richard Donkin Sparky Foundation Dr Irene Irvine and Prof. Iain Wallace Gregory J Reinhardt AM AO Linda Herd Dr M Elizabeth Douglas Dush Shan Joan Janka Helen and Chris Trueman Ian Kennedy AM & Dr Sandra Hacker AO Rosemary Faraone John E. Smith Angela Kayser Secret Admirers (7) Richard Laslett & Colin Gunther Dr Helen M Ferguson Lady Southey AC Jack & Marie Kirszenblat RJ-AM Charitable Trust Bill Fleming Peter Stirling Joan & George Lefroy Estates Peter Lovell & Michael Jan Brian Goddard James Syme Dr Kristina Macrae The late Felicity Teague Linley Martin AO Nance Grant AM MBE & Ian Harris Rosemary and Dr Alan Tait Jocelyn & Andrew McLeish Ian Merrylees John L Harrison & David J Wright Andrea Tappe Greg Noonan Dr Paul Nisselle AM & Sue Nisselle Hartmut & Ruth Hofmann Caroline & Richard Travers OAM Genevieve Overell

12 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 13 FINANCIALS

Personnel (including artists and production staff) 55% Government funding 64% Production 24% Box Office and performance 16% Administrative Total Revenue Total Expenses 11% Sponsorship, philanthropy and donation 18% Marketing and Development 9% Other 2% Company Relocation Project 1%

OUR BOARD

Chairman Genevieve Overell

Roger Box Grant Powell (Chair of People and Culture Committee) Vivienne Corcoran (Chair of Marketing Committee) Penny Stragolinos (retired in May 2019) (former Chair of Audit, Risk and Compliance Siobhan Lenihan Committee) Selina Lightfoot Patricia Stebbens (appointed in Aug 2019) Stephen McIntyre (Chair of Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee) (Chair of Artistic Committee) Anna Pitt (Board Observer)

14 Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report Victorian Opera 2019 Annual Report 15 victorianopera.com.au