OTTORINO RESPIGHI The Sleeping Beauty Rehearsal Room Victorian presents The Sleeping Beauty La bella dormente nel bosco

FAIRY TALE OPERA IN THREE ACTS

Composer Ottorino Respighi Librettist Gian Bistolfi Based on La belle au bois dormant by Charles Perrault

Creative Team

Conductor Phoebe Briggs Original Choreographer Director Nancy Black Michelle Heaven Set Designer Morwenna Schenck Revival Choreographer Elizabeth Hill-Cooper Original Set Design Bluebottle Original Puppet Design and Construction Costume Designer Mel Serjeant Joe Blanck Lighting Designer Philip Lethlean Cast The Nightingale Rebecca Rashleigh The Queen / The Cat Dimity Shepherd The Cuckoo Shakira Dugan The Old Lady / The Duchess Liane Keegan The Frog / The Spindle Kirilie Blythman The Princess Georgia Wilkinson The Ambassador Michael Lampard The Woodcutter Stephen Marsh The Blue Fairy Kathryn Radcliffe The Prince Carlos E. Bárcenas The Jester / Mister Dollar Cheque A Villager Douglas Kelly Timothy Reynolds Puppeteers Christian Bagin, The Green Fairy Juel Riggall Vincent Crowley, Nadine Dimitrievitch, The King Raphael Wong Kate Fryer, Kaira Hachefa, Stéphane Hisler, Luke Taylor Orchestra Concertmaster Jenny Khafagi

23, 24, 25, 26 February 2021 Palais Theatre

Original premiere 13 April 1922, Teatro Odescalchi, Rome Duration 80 minutes, no interval Sung in Italian with English surtitles Production

Production Team Stage Manager Whitney McNamara Deputy Stage Manager Andrea Corish Performance Assistant Stage Manager / Mechanist Tiernan Maclaren Head Mechanist Adam Brunskill Costume Supervisor Mel Serjeant Assistant to Costume Supervisor / Maintenance Amelia Peace

Music Staff Principal Repetiteur Tom Griffiths Repetiteur Phillipa Safey

Acknowledgements Victorian Opera thanks Arts Centre , Norwest, System Sound and BAAC Light.

Rehearsal Room

P. 4 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Orchestra

Concertmaster Oboe Jenny Khafagi + Section Principal Rachel Bullen + Violin Section Principal Clarinet Ioana Tache + Section Principal Principal 2nd Violin Lloyd Van’t Hoff + Alyssa Conrau* Bassoon Associate Principal Section Principal Karla Hanna + Lyndon Watts + Tutti Edwina Kayser + Horn Lynette Rayner + Section Principal Christine Wang + Roman Ponomariov +

Viola Trumpet Section Principal Section Principal Jason Bunn* Christopher Grace + Associate Principal Isabel Morse + Trombone Section Principal Cello Robert Collins + Section Principal Rosanne Hunt + Percussion Associate Principal Section Principal Zoe Wallace + Scott Weatherson +

Double Bass Piano / Keyboard Tom Griffiths ≠ Section Principal Kylie Davies + * Acting § On Leave Flute + Guest Musician ++ Guest Principal Section Principal +++ Guest Associate Principal Rebecca Johnson + ≠ Courtesy of Victorian Opera

For a full list of ’s musicians, please click here

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 5 Director’s Note

Since our earliest beginnings, hope – that all is not lost, but first they humankind has told stories through must go into lockdown. Years later, a image and language to clarify our new energy, injected by a kiss, releases ever-fracturing world. We hunger for them, and they find themselves in a answers. What has happened? Why? whole new world, to which they begin Who was involved? What should we to adapt. Their joy returns. do? And the future? Religions, too, can One hundred years later, the parallels be viewed as responses to our need to with 2021 are remarkable. understand. Respighi wrote this for the puppet Fairy tales, from every culture, theatre Teatro dei Piccoli in Naples. contribute enormously to this The puppets were marionnettes, and literature, but differ from fables and the singers were in the orchestra pit. religious texts in that they don’t express I decided to keep the singers onstage a moral or explore real events. Instead, as a suffering community who use they present scenarios involving magic, puppets to tell themselves a story that inexplicable events, love, success and unfolds in a parallel universe. It begins failure, and the struggle between good wistfully, then gathers energy from the and evil. It’s a mistake to think of them oppositions he sets up between dark as only children’s stories. Ottorino and light, tenderness and rage, grief Respighi did not. and humour. It’s a remarkable piece, When he composed La bella dormente and I am privileged to work with a nel bosco in 1921, Italy was slowly remarkable team. It’s our first real step recovering from the devastation out of lockdown. We hope you share wrought by World War I and the Spanish our joy! Flu. He and librettist Gian Bistolfi took this ancient tale – whose best-known NANCY BLACK form is by the Brothers Grimm – and Director made an opera about catastrophe, loss, grief, hope, resilience and love. It was a call to a better future. Its simplest outline: as a community rejoices, it is told of an impending catastrophe. They try everything to prevent it, and fail. The grief is terrible. They are urged to

P. 6 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Conductor’s Note

Respighi described his score of La bella body as they respond to the music, the dormente nel bosco as an ‘innocent singers’ voices and the meaning of the mockery of contemporary melodrama’. text has been fascinating to witness. From the opening lush and sultry The sheer joy, humour and pathos that landscape of the Nightingale and these extraordinary puppets bring to the Cuckoo the beautiful score leaps joyfully production heighten each moment of and humorously to life with a rich variety the music and add to the depth of the of orchestral colours and musical styles. emotional journey of the characters. Respighi clearly defines his characters How wonderful to be able to revisit musically, shifting effortlessly from the this joyful work after the collective sublime to the silly for the Frog scene experience that was 2020. (complete with raganella or cog whistle to represent the frogs) and then into the lyrical landscape of the fairytale PHOEBE BRIGGS kingdom. Conductor The neoclassical score is full of inspiration from other composers, such as Wagner (the King’s march), Schubert (Gretchen am Spinnrade’s mesmeric semiquaver passage for the Old Lady’s spinning wheel), Debussy (Mister Dollar Cheque’s Cake Walk) and Puccini (Mimì’s death chords are used as the Princess falls asleep after pricking her finger on the spindle). These musical nods to other composers, rather than being direct quotes, are used to extend dramatic thought and to perhaps trigger recall of specific moments from other works. The process from the first days of improvisation and workshopping of ideas by the puppeteers to the fine tuning of each movement of a puppet’s face or

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 7 Synopsis

Act 1 The Blue Fairy casts a spell of sleep over the Castle, predicting that the The year is 1620. The Nightingale’s song Princess will one day be woken by competes with the Cuckoo’s, disturbed the kiss of April. A group of humming by a group of dancing Frogs. The Royal Spiders wrap the castle in their silvery Ambassador and a Herald arrive to web. announce the birth of the Princess, inviting the Fairies to be godmothers Act 3 of the child. The Court Jester tries It is the 21st Century. In the woods to entertain the baby Princess. The near the castle, a Woodcutter sings. King and Queen arrive, accompanied Prince April enters accompanied by a by the Fairies and Royal guests. The Duchess and a rich American, Mister ceremony is interrupted by the arrival Dollar Cheque. The Prince is fascinated of the Green Fairy. In a fit of rage at by the tale of the Sleeping Beauty as being excluded from the festivities, she told by the Woodcutter. Jealous, the declares that at age 20 the Princess Duchess is consoled by Mister Dollar will prick her finger on a spindle and fall Cheque who offers to buy the Sleeping asleep forever. After the Green Fairy Beauty. The Prince leaves his horse and leaves, the King orders all spindles be journeys to the castle. In the hall where destroyed. the Princess lies, the Prince greets the Act 2 motionless courtiers. A large spider attempts to trap him in its web, but the Twenty years later, an old woman Prince defeats it. He sees the Sleeping spins with the last remaining spindle. Beauty and his kiss awakens her. They When she leaves the room the Princess sing a love duet. The Blue Fairy appears comes in and greets a suspicious Cat and blesses the happy couple. who introduces her to the spindle. The old woman returns and when urged by the Princess, teaches her how to spin. The Green Fairy’s prophecy comes true when the spindle pricks the Princess’ finger and she falls asleep. The Doctors tell the King that they don’t know the cause of the Princess’ illness. Shortly after, a procession of mourners enters.

P. 8 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Rehearsal Room Nadine Dimitrievitch Creative Team

BMus (). Opera music staff 2002 – 2012, Head of Music at Victorian Opera since October 2012. For Victorian Opera, Phoebe has conducted Sunday in the Park with George, Play of Herod, Sweeney Todd, Cendrillon, Four Saints in Three Acts (Green Room nomination), The Sleeping Beauty (Green Room nomination), Lorelei, Black Rider (Helpmann nomination, VO/Malthouse), A Little Night Music. Other companies: Opera in the Paddock (Opera Northwest), assistant/cover conductor Don Pasquale (IFAC/OA, Tokyo), , Merry Widow, Fledermaus, The Pearlfishers, Così fan tutte, A Little Night Music, The Mikado (OA), Guys and Dolls Phoebe Briggs (Ambassador Group). Conductor

Nancy Black, the Artistic Director of Black Hole Theatre, has created and directed award winning shows, produced festivals, outdoor performances, , and ten Puppet Slams. Choosing to work across disciplines, she has collaborated with Australian and international artists, and toured widely. Her work includes: Caravan, Coop, Hutch, Into the Black Hole, 10 Puppet Slams around Victoria and NSW, Les Méduses, Blind, The Book of Revelations, Spin A Yarn, The Last Lighthouse Keeper. For Victorian Opera: What Next? (2012), Master Peter’s Puppet Show, Four Saints in Three Acts (2016), The Sleeping Beauty (2017). For BIFEM 2016: ###Nude Girls Live!!! Nancy Black Director

Morwenna is a designer for performance and experimental arts. She has a Bachelor of Production Design from the Victorian College of the Arts. She designs for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s special events program. She has also designed two temporary structures for Punctum Inc, Public Cooling House (2017) and Kultur-All Makaan (2020). She recently designed the installation The Way-The Water-The Walk, exhibited at the Castlemaine Art Museum in 2020. Current design projects in development include Duty of Care (City of Melbourne Test Sites program) and Punctum Inc’s Growing Deep Quiet in collaboration with Royal Botanical Gardens Morwenna Schenck Victoria. Set Designer

P. 10 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Mel is a multi-disciplinary practitioner with an arts career spanning 35 years. Mel’s first arts practice was in dance, working in the Australian commercial dance industry in the 1980s-90s. Expanding her creative practice, she studied Fashion Design at The National Arts School, Institute of Technology; majoring in fashion history, costume adaptation and textile design. Mel has developed a formidable reputation for bridging the gap between fashion, costume and art that has seen her land diverse and challenging roles within film, live performance and the education sectors. Mel also holds her Masters in Cross- Disciplinary Art & Design from the University of New South Mel Serjeant Wales. Exhibited and published internationally and throughout Costume Designer Australia, Mel has received numerous highly acclaimed awards for her work.

Philip Lethlean designs lighting for projects across Australia, Asia, Europe and America including theatre, opera, dance, circus, puppetry, large cultural events and architecture. Commissions include: Melbourne International Comedy Festival opening and 30th Birthday Celebrations; opening ceremony of the Pacific Games in PNG (2015); Clusters of Light in Sharjah UAE (2014); How to Train Your Dragon for Dreamworks/Global Creatures (2012); White Night Melbourne (2013/2014); the Australian Pavilion at Expo Shanghai and the opening of Hamer Hall (2012). Theatre works include the English National Ballet, The Australian Opera, MTC, Circus Oz Philip Lethlean and Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd and The Sleeping Beauty for Lighting Designer Victorian Opera.

Joe is a recognised creature designer, director, producer and founder of the Melbourne-based studio, A Blanck Canvas. Passionate about design, construction and fabrication, sculpting and painting, performance, as well as creative integrations with technology, Joe leads the team to deliver end to end large productions, from concept through build to performance. ‘The craft of creature building is evolving rapidly with traditional puppetry techniques being combined with cutting edge technology. It’s a really exciting time to be in the Joe Blanck industry to witness its evolution.’ Original Puppet Design and Construction

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 11 Cast

Rebecca is one of Australia’s up and coming sopranos. She has performed with , Victorian Opera and in roles such as Marzelline (Fidelio), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Yvonne (Jonny spielt auf), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Liu (Turandot), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Sofia (Il Signore Bruschino) and Poppea (L’incoronazione di Poppea). Rebecca has received several awards such as The More Than Opera Development Grant from The German Australian Opera Grant, The Boroondara Eisteddfod Aria and during her time with Opera Scholars Australia, Rebecca was awarded Opera Scholar of the Year. In 2018 Rebecca was the winner of the Rebecca Rashleigh prestigious Herald Sun Aria. The Nightingale

Shakira made her operatic debut with Victorian Opera singing Hansel (Hansel and Gretel) in 2017. In 2019, her roles included Flower Maiden and Squire (Parsifal), soloist (Alice Through The Looking Glass) and Heroic Bel Canto concert for Victorian Opera. She debuted internationally singing Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro) for the Australian International Opera Company’s tour of China. Other career highlights include Watkin Wombat (The Magic Pudding – The Opera), Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), The Little Sweep, Little Joe (Brundibar), Theresa II (Four Saints in Three Acts), Smeton (Anna Bolea). In 2021 Shakira will perform The Cuckoo (The Sleeping Beauty) and the Shakira Dugan title role in Cassandra. The Cuckoo

Kirilie holds a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Master of Music (Opera Performance) from the University of Melbourne. Her roles for Victorian Opera include Cinderella (Cinderella, Massenet), Annina (La Traviata, Verdi), Mother (Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck), Princess (Puss in Boots, Montsalvatge), Narrator (The Magic Pudding – The Opera, Bowman), Mrs Segstrom (A Little Night Music, Sondheim), The Frog / The Spindle (The Sleeping Beauty, Respighi). Kirilie received a Green Room award for her work on The Magic Pudding. Kirilie has also performed the Australian National Anthem at the MCG and Oval as part of the Cricket Australia Commonwealth Kirilie Blythman Test Series. The Frog / The Spindle

P. 12 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty At only twenty-one years of age, Michael was a finalist in Placido Domingo’s international Operalia competition. His past performances for Victorian Opera include Dr. Kanzler in The Princess and The Pea and The King in the previous 2017 season of The Sleeping Beauty. He made his debut for Opera Australia as Schaunard in the 2019 Sydney season of La bohème. Other roles have included Guglielmo in Cosi Fan Tutte for the Rome Opera Festival and Biterolf in Tannhauser, Morales in Carmen, Zurga in The Pearlfishers, Killian in Der Freischütz and Kurwenal in Tristan and Isolde all for Melbourne Opera. Michael Lampard The Ambassador

Winner of the 2014 Herald-Sun Aria, Melbourne-based soprano Kathryn Radcliffe has recently made several important débuts - Delia in Il viaggio a Reims for Opera Australia, The Queen in The Princess and the Pea for Victorian Opera and as Frasquita in Carmen for the Tasmanian Symphony. In 2021, she sings Leila in Victorian Opera’s production of The Pearl Fishers. For Victorian Opera, she also performs The Blue Fairy in Respighi’s The Sleeping Beauty and Echo in Kevin March’s new opera Echo and Narcissus. She made her Vienna debut in a small role in The Cunning Little Vixen. Kathryn Radcliffe The Blue Fairy

A versatile performer, Timothy appears as an opera and concert artist, regularly appearing with some of Australia’s finest ensembles. In Europe he understudied roles at Oper Stuttgart, performed with Opera Holland Park, Hampstead Garden Opera, The Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam, The Bach Akademie Stuttgart, Philharmonischer Chor Esslingen, and at the Edinburgh Fringe. In Australia, he has performed with Victorian Opera, Pinchgut Opera, Opera Australia, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Ludovico’s Band, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic, the Omega Ensemble, La Timothy Reynolds Compania, and the Melbourne Bach Choir. This year, Timothy The Jester / joins the Adelaide Baroque Orchestra, and Victorian Opera for Mister Dollar Cheque The Sleeping Beauty and Voss.

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 13 Cast

Juel’s past appearances for Victorian Opera include the role of Mrs Anderssen in A Little Night Music, the Flower Maiden in Parsifal, Annina in La Traviata, Turnspit in Rusalka, Eriphyle in Daphnis & Chloe, the Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel and previous performances as The Green Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty in 2017. She also performed the role of Madame de la Haltière in Victorian Opera’s livestreamed education production of Cendrillon during 2020. Other roles include Flora in La Traviata for Melbourne Opera and appearances as soloist in the company’s gala opera concert tours of China and Singapore. Juel Riggall The Green Fairy

Raphael is ecstatic to return to the role of Il Re in Victorian Opera’s The Sleeping Beauty in 2021. Like many in the arts industry, Raphael was affected by the theatre closures and workplace lockdowns of 2020. Raphael is so grateful for the support of his wife, and Victorian Opera through this terribly difficult time, and would also like to thank you, the audience, for booking tickets and doing your bit to keep the arts industry alive in 2021. Raphael is a proud member of the MEAA.

Raphael Wong The King

Dimity’s appearances for Victorian Opera include Green Room Award winning performances in Lorelei, Cherubino in Marriage of Figaro, Orphee in Orphee et Eurydice, Alice in Through the Looking Glass, Arsamene in Xerxes, Nireno in Julius Caesar, Flora in Traviata, Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, Helpmann and Green Room Award nominated Lucy in Threepenny Opera, Clara in Midnight Son, roles in Banquet of Secrets, The Riders, Nixon in China and Sunday in the Park with George. Other roles have included Cherubino, Carmen and Rosina in The Barber of Seville for Opera Australia, roles for Opera Queensland and Chamber Made Opera, Kätchen in The Black Rider for Victorian Dimity Shepherd Opera/The Malthouse and the title role in The Ghost Wife at the The Queen / The Cat Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and London’s BITE02 festivals.

P. 14 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Born in Australia, Liane is a specialist in the works of Mahler and is a regular soloist with MSO in concert and oratorio repertoire. Her extensive career has been divided between leading roles in Australia and Europe. She has performed for Victorian Opera (Pelleas and Melisande, William Tell, The Flying Dutchman); SOSA (Erda, First Norn and Waltraute: , Azucena: Il Trovatore); OA (Erda: Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Ulrica: Un ballo in Maschera); ENO (First Norn: The Twilight of the Gods); Theater Hagen (Klytämnestra: Elektra, Mistress Quickly: Falstaff) and Deutsche Oper Berlin (Anna: Les Troyens, Emilia: Otello, Marcellina: Le Nozze Di Figaro, Liane Keegan Siegrune: Die Walküre). The Old Lady / The Duchess

Winner of the 2019 Herald Sun Aria Competition, Georgia Wilkinson is making her mark on the operatic stage. Georgia has studied in Italy, , the UK and the US. Georgia made her professional debut as Sophie (MasterClass), receiving rave reviews. Her international debut was at the Weimar Lyric Opera, Germany singing Pamina (Die Zauberflöte). Career highlights include the title role in Alice Through the Opera Glass (Victorian Opera), Gertrude Opera’s 2019 Young Artist and performances of Jekyll and Hyde. In 2021 Georgia is singing the title role in Victorian Opera’s award winning production of The Sleeping Beauty and the role Georgia Wilkinson of Lisette (La Rondine, Australian National Opera). The Princess

Stephen Marsh is a 29-year-old baritone from Geelong, Victoria currently under the tutelage of renowned baritone Roger Howell. Stephen was a member of the Melba Opera Trust for both 2018 and 2019. As well as working professionally with Victorian Opera since 2017, Stephen is the inaugural recipient of Victorian Opera’s Michael Stubbs and Malcom Roberts Opera Prize for 2021. He is also an Associate of Melbourne Opera’s Emerging Artist Programme. This year, as well as reprising the role of The Woodcutter in Respighi’s The Sleeping Beauty, Stephen will be making his role debut of Zurga in Victorian Opera’s production of Bizet’s The Stephen Marsh Pearl Fishers and Marcello in La bohème in Switzerland. The Woodcutter

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 15 Cast

Colombian-born tenor with a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Master of Music (Opera Performance) from the University of Melbourne. His roles have included Alexander (Il Re Pastore, Mozart) Michael (, Cheetham), Tony (Masterclass, McNally), Arnoldo (Guillaume Tell, Rossini), Elvino (La Sonnambula, Donizetti), Tebaldo (I Capuleti e I Montecchi, Bellini), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti), Steuermann (The Flying Dutchman, Wagner) and Maese Pedro (Master Peter’s Puppet Show, de Falla). Carlos will be reprising the role Prince April in this production of The Sleeping Beauty. Carlos received a Green Room award for Steuermann (The Carlos E. Bárcenas Flying Dutchman). The Prince

Douglas Kelly is a tenor who has extensive experience in opera, oratorio and as a recitalist. Douglas has been a young artist at Victorian Opera as well as being awarded winner at the National Liederfest in 2019. As an opera performer Douglas has performed roles including; Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze Di Figaro, Sellem in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Anfinomo and Eurimaco in Pinchgut Opera’s production of Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno D’Ulisse In Patria. As an art song recitalist he has performed at the Melbourne Recital Centre and in Baden Bei Wien , as a part of the Schubert Institute. Douglas Kelly A Villager

Christian is a physical theatre performer, clown, and puppeteer. He has co-devised many of the productions in which he has performed, and has worked with several independent theatre companies including Polyglot, Make A Scene, Company13, Spindly Figures, Lemony S, Black Hole Theatre, Bunk Puppets and Victorian Opera.

Christian Bagin Puppeteer

P. 16 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Having trained as an actor Vincent has spent much of his performance career working in Dance Theatre and Physical Theatre. He has worked in Australia, the US and Europe with companies and artists such as Meryl Tankard’s , TanzTheater Basel, Salzburger Festwochen, Schauspiel Köln, Chunky Move, Force Majeur and the Warner Brothers movie Where the Wild Things Are. He is a founding member of both Splinter Group and Torque Show and has co-created a number of theatre works with these companies including Lawn, the recipient of multiple Green Room Awards, and Intimacy, winner of the Australian Dance award for Vincent Crowley Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance. Puppeteer

Nadine Dimitrievitch is a multidisciplinary performer, director and teacher based in Melbourne. Nadine graduated from Swinburne University with a Diploma of Theatre Arts (2007) and completed the professional course at the prestigious L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris (2012). She also completed her Masters of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts (2017) investigating choreographic process and storytelling. Nadine founded the physical theatre company Bone Marrow Theatre, producing several physical theatre pieces including Exodus (2013 Melbourne Fringe), La Peste (2014) and Tales from Ovid (2015). Nadine facilitates physical Nadine Dimitrievitch theatre and movement workshops and has taught at various Puppeteer institutions such as the Victorian College of the Arts, the National Institute of Circus Arts and BoilOver Inclusive Theatre.

Kate has been a performer, director, teacher and writer of circus and physical theatre for 20 years. Combining storytelling and physical mayhem she has travelled the globe performing at street festivals, major events and in some of the world’s most prestigious theatres. She is a founding member and Artistic Director of Dislocate’s Theatre Program and has worked with Circus Oz, Victorian Opera, MSO, QTC, Legs on The Wall, Strut & Fret, Rock n Roll Circus, Circa, Olympic and Commonwealth Games Cultural Programs and Festivals worldwide. She has created circus acts, ensemble productions and curated parades in Australia, Europe and Asia. Kate Fryer Puppeteer

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 17 Cast

French born Kaira Hachefa is a singer, butoh dancer, puppeteer and theatre maker. She is the founder of Compagnie Articulate, a bi-lingual puppet theatre company created in 2009. She’s performed nationally and internationally in Europe, America and Asia. Her last solo show Variations sur le même thème was an experimental work combining puppetry and butoh which has since been an area of experimentation for her work. Kaira has also performed with the Environmental Performance Authority (Melbourne) and companies such as IHOs Opera laboratory (Australia), Black Hole Theatre and Barking spider theatre company. Kaira is currently working on the development of The Kaira Hachefa Amazing Adventure of Konstantin written by Alison Richards and is Puppeteer directing Behind the seams her latest piece to be shown in 2022.

Stéphane is a multi-disciplinary French/ Australian performing artist based in Melbourne. For the last 10 years, Stéphane has been an integral part of Snuff Puppets - working closely with the anarchic giant puppet company that has reached millions of people worldwide. He has been working as a puppeteer for A Blank Canvas, Caroline Packham, Sanctum Theatre, Memetica and Nick Wilson. Beside choreographing his own work, Stéphane has danced for numerous dance companies and choreographers in Europe including Sasha Waltz & Guests, Fearghus O Conchuir, Daghdha Dance Company, Rex Levitates, Tomi Paasonen, Les Gens D’ Uterpan, Serge Ricci, Stéphane Hisler David Hernandez, Joanne Leighton and Michele Noiret. Puppeteer

Luke Taylor is an acrobat, juggler and clown who joined the Flying Fruit Fly Circus when he was 12 and hasn’t left the circus since. Luke continued his circus training at NICA and then joined Circus Oz where he travelled the world for the next 7 years. He co-founded his own show called Caravan, which appeared at many festivals. He has worked with Dislocate for 6 years and also performed with the Chipolatas, Circa, Victorian Opera, and many small companies. He owes his sense of humor to his parents and he enjoys a vegemite and cheese sandwich from time to time. Thanks to anyone who read this to the end xx Luke Taylor Puppeteer

P. 18 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Rehearsal Room About Us

Reimagining the potential of opera and musical theatre, for everyone

Victorian Opera is the state opera Australian Major Performing Arts company of Victoria. We make creative, company in 2019. In 2021 we will accessible and affordable work for transition to the newly formed National everyone while adventurously evolving Performing Arts Partnership Program. our art form. As the world went into lockdown, we Since the company was founded in got to work; sharing our passion far and October 2005, Victorian Opera has wide with a range of web series and entertained hundreds of thousands online performances. Returning home of people with our imaginative to the stage, we embrace the new approach to opera and musical theatre. normal and will continue to perform in Each year, we premiere at least Victoria’s finest theatres and concert one new Australian opera and have halls to give our audiences the best commissioned 32 new works since our possible and safest experience. formation. Be it live or online, Victorian Opera is We employ hundreds of people across here to inspire you. the creative industries, recruit some of the finest local singers, and collaborate with Australia’s leading companies, venues and learning institutions.

The next generation of talent is developed from the ground up through @VictorianOpera #VictorianOpera the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble (VOYCE) and our innovative Access All Areas: Livestream Program. We also stage opera in Tasmania biennially to share the joy of our art form even further. Recognised for our unique contribution Photography: Charlie Kinross to the country’s operatic landscape, pp. 2, 4, 9, 19 Victorian Opera proudly became an Cover illustration: Hipworth

P. 20 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Our Team

Founding Music Director Finance & Corporate Services The late AO CRM and Ticketing Manager Nichole O’Duffy Victorian Opera Board Finance Assistant Claire Voumard Chairman Genevieve Overell IT and Operations Coordinator Roger Box, Vivienne Corcoran, Peter Darby Richard Kurth, Siobhan Lenihan, Selina Lightfoot, Stephen McIntyre, Marketing Grant Powell, Patricia Stebbens, Marketing Content Producer Oshadee Siyaguna (Board Observer), Beata Bowes Anna Pitt (Board Observer) Media and Communications Executive Executive Scott Whinfield Artistic Director Dr AM Graphic Designer Sharni Morter Chief Executive Officer Development Elizabeth Hill-Cooper Head of Development Head of Finance and Corporate Louise O’Loughlin Services Stephen Sweeney Philanthropy Executive Peter Garnick Artistic, Engagement & Production Development Coordinator Head of Production Damion Holling Rhylla Mitchell Education Manager Ioanna Salmanidis Office AdministratorSilvana Vaxelaire Head of Music Phoebe Briggs Season Staff Repetiteur Phillipa Safey Surtitle Operator Timothy Mallis Company Manager Luke Hales Mechanists Emily Campbell, Assistant Company Manager William Campbell, Dean Krober, Hannah Bullen Nick Williams, Georgina Wolfe Production Manager Eduard Inglés Wardrobe Amelia Peace, Deputy Production Manager Nicole Serjeant Peter Darby Costume Maker Merideth Clements Production and Music Coordinator Dresser Carla Noto Carlos E. Bárcenas Wardrobe Work Placement Emma Tutko VOYCE Director Angus Grant Lighting Evan Anderson, Jon Bargen, Harrison Cope, Nathan Gummow, Julia Knibbs, Darcy Smith

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 21 Thank You

Patron-In-Chief Richard Laslett & Colin Gunther The Hon. Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria RJ-AM Charitable Trust Ms Linley Martin Founding Benefactors Ian Merrylees The Late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC Dr Paul Nisselle AM & Mrs Sue Nisselle Lady Potter AC Tom & Ruth O’Dea Dr Richard Reed & Vivienne Reed OAM Leadership Syndicate ($40,000+) Tomasz & Elzbeita Romanowski Jane Hemstritch Prof Cheryl Saunders & Ian Baker Hans & Petra Henkell Marian & Ken Scarlett OAM Dr Michael Stubbs & Malcolm Roberts Craig D’Alton & Peter Sherlock Artistic Director’s Circle ($10,000+) Lynne Sherwood Rosemary & Dr Alan Tait Carolyn & Stephen Coffey Secret Admirers (2) John & Diana Frew Greig Gailey & the late Geraldine Lazarus Silver Patrons ($1,000+) Elizabeth Hill-Cooper Dr Zita Ballok Suzanne Kirkham Laurie Bebbington & Elizabeth O’Keeffe Peter & Anne Laver Philip Benjamin & Sandy Benjamin OAM Mercer Family Foundation Nancy Bomford Richard Mills AM Box Family Joy Selby Smith Stuart Brown Nigel Simpson & Madeleine Coulombe in Memory Susan Brownrigg of Joseph H. Coulombe The Hon David Byrne Prof Barbara van Ernst AM Elise Callender Dr John & Mrs Elizabeth Wright-Smith Jennifer Cook Platinum Patrons ($5,000+) Beatrice & Richard Donkin Dr M Elizabeth Douglas Beth Brown The Late Dr Helen M Ferguson Michael Rigg & Gerard Condon AM Bill Fleming Mary-Jane Gething Brian Goddard Peter & Jenny Hordern Murray Gordon & Lisa Norton Peter Lovell & Michael Jan Nance Grant AM MBE & Ian Harris Kaye E Marion Luke Hales Grant Powell & Sally McCutchan John L Harrison & David J Wright Greg Shalit & Miriam Faine Hartmut & Ruth Hofmann Gold Patrons ($2,500+) Damion Holling Joanna Baevski Anne Houlihan Mr Anthony Buzzard & Dr Pamela Craig Simon L Jackson & Brian Warburton Pam Caldwell David Joseph Alan Chuck & Wendy Hughes Chuck Angela Kayser Jim Cousins AO & Libby Cousins The Hon Rod Kemp & Mrs Daniele Kemp Earl of Wilton Pat & Alun Kenwood Freda Freiberg Angela & Richard Kirsner Bob Garlick John Landy AC & Lynne Landy Peter Garnick Dr Anne Lierse John & Gaye Gaylard Selina Lightfoot Peter J. Griffin AM & Terry Swann Ian & Judi Marshman Linda Herd Graham McCallum & Mary Kehoe Ian Kennedy AM & Dr Sandra Hacker AO Gillian Montgomery Dr Garry Joslin & Prof. Dimity Reed AM Isobel Morgan OAM Greg Noonan

P. 22 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Elspeth & Brian Noxon Dr Shirley Lanning Jillian Pappas & George Pappas AO Dr Kathy Laster Helen Paton Joan Lefroy AM & George Lefroy AM Jane Patrick & Robert Evans Paul & Glenys Lejins Campbell & Christine Penfold Siobhan Lenihan Prof Michael Quinn AM & Prof Susan Carr Dr Justus Lewis John Rickard Dr Carlson Loke Kay Rodda Dr Kristina & Bruce Macrae Aubrey Schrader Ian Manning & Alice De Jonge Phillip & Sue Schudmak Monita Mascitti-Meuter & Paul Mascitti John & Thea Scott Christopher McCabe Bernadette Slater & Charles Edmonds Jocelyn & Andrew McLeish John E Smith Douglas & Rosemary Meagher Michael Smith & Sonia Fuenteseca Beverley Middleton Sparky Foundation Susan Mountford Patricia Stebbens Anne T Myers James Syme Jill Page OAM & Roy Page Andrea Tappe Lyn Payne Caroline & Richard Travers OAM Greg J Reinhardt AM Chris & Helen Trueman Harold & Elspeth Riggall Neil Twist Michael Riordan & Geoff Bush Prof. Belinda Tynan Libby Smith & John Middleton Russell Waters & Marissa Barter-Waters Douglas Savige & Diane Mosley Ian Watts OAM Bruce Sims & Peter Ronge Rev Noel Whale Dr Rosalynd Smith Diana & Robert Wilson Lady Southey AC Secret Admirers (5) Julia Stoppa & Daniel Bogemann Christine Stott Bronze Patrons ($500+) Teresa Tjia Seonaid Alexander Catherine Walter AM Prof Dennis Altman AM In memory of Helen Robertson Jenny Anderson The late Ken & Merle Morris Lesley Bawden Secret Admirers (9) Ines & Dr Donald Behrend Kirsty A Bennett Bequestors Cheryl R Benson Jenny Anderson David Bernshaw & Caroline Isakow Graeme Bawden & Len de Kievit Stephen & Maura Best Lesley Bawden Ms Shirley Breese Frank & Danielle Chamberlin Dr Sylvia Cardale Dr Garry Joslin & Prof. Dimity Reed AM Mal Carter Jane Kunstler Vivienne Corcoran Richard Laslett & Colin Gunther Ian Dallas & Judith Hall Gregory J Reinhardt AM Susan Donath Tony Wildman & Robert Gibbs Margaret Flatman Secret Admirers (6) Dennis Freeman Alan Gunther If you are interested in becoming a John Haasz Victorian Opera Patron, or having a confidential Dr Janet Hiller discussion about leaving a gift to Victorian Opera Eduard Ingles & Kate Fryer in your Will, please contact Louise O’Loughlin, Dr Irene Irvine & Prof. Iain Wallace Development Manager on (03) 9001 6405 or Joan Janka email [email protected] Jack & Marie Kirszenblat Evelyn Kolar Current at time of printing.

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 23 Orchestra Victoria

Management With assistance from staff of Executive Director Sara Pheasant Artistic Director Nicolette Fraillon AM Marketing Coordinator Keshia Contini Head of Operations and Planning Nathan Smith External Relations Account Manager Orchestra Manager Harriette Blanden Fiona Gosschalk Artistic Planning and Engagement Manager Publicist Sophie Rennard Elise Lerpiniere External Relations Grants Manager Kate Horwood Orchestra Technicians Joshua Bridges, Rory Wilson Board Orchestra Coordinator Nathaniel Currie Libby Christie AM Assistant Orchestra Manager Jessica Hort Sally Underwood Orchestra Librarian Glynn Davies David Halberg Orchestra Accountant Isabel Pena Philanthropy at Orchestra Victoria The Hamilton and Western District Fund Tutti Gifts of $5,000 Endowed by the Geoff and Helen Handbury Mr Andrew Fairley AM Foundation Tutti Violin The Fellowship Annual Giving Generously Supported by Lady Potter AC CMRI The Conductor’s Podium General Support Gifts $35,000 and over The Judith & Alasdair McCallum Fund Mr Robert Albert AO RFD RD & Mrs Elizabeth Lesley & Bob Qualtrough Bequest Albert Support from Trusts and Foundations Leader Circle Besen Family Foundation Gifts $10,000-$34,999 The William Buckland Foundation Ms Linda Herd, Don & Angela Mercer, Mrs Hamer Family Foundation Margaret S Ross AM, Lady Southey AC The Robert Salzer Foundation Performer Patrons Estates Gifts $5,000-$9,999 The Estate of Mrs Neilma Baillieu Gantner G C Bawden & L de Kievit in memory of Richard Planned Giving Gill AO, Gaye & John Gaylard, Mr Richard Guy OAM & Ms Claire Guy, Hans & Petra Henkell, Dr G C Bawden & L de Kievit Alastair Jackson AM, Judith & Alasdair McCallum, Lesley M Bawden Jan & Keith Richards Cusack-Muller Bequest Canny Quine Foundation Patrons Gifts $1,000-$4,999 Musical Chairs David & Cindy Abbey, Matthew & Joanne Angus, Principal Gifts of $10,000 Bernadette Beattie & the late George Waters, Eva Besen AO & Marc Besen AC, Caroline & Stephen Mr Robert Albert AO RFD RD & Mrs Elizabeth Brain, Beth Brown & Tom Bruce, G Croft, Jane Albert Edmanson OAM, Ed & Marj Eshuys, Valerie & Ian Section Principal Horn Guthrie, Louis J Hamon OAM, Peter & Carmel Susan and Leith Campbell Johnson, David McAllister AM, Michelle & Ian Section Principal Violin Moore, Marie Morton FRSA, Professor David G Mr Jim Cousins AO & Mrs Libby Cousins with Igor Penington, Kerryn Pratchett, Judith Robinson & Jenny Zambelli Libby Smith, P & J Spark, Bruce & Leona Sterling, Section Principal Timpani Dr Victor Wayne & Dr Karen Wayne OAM, Peter Griffin AM & Terry Swann Anonymous (1) Section Principal Flute Supporters Ms Linda Herd Gifts $100-$999 Principal Cor Anglais (22) Don & Angela Mercer Section Principal Double Bass Lady Southey AC Section Principal Cello Current at the time of printing

P. 24 Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty Our Partners We acknowledge and thank our partners who make our work possible

Government Partners

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 Partner Media Partners

Supply Partners Corporate Member

Performance Partners

Victorian Opera 2021 The Sleeping Beauty P. 25 Subscribe, save, and support the arts

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