Season 2019 Media
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MEDIA RELEASE EMBARGOED: WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER, 8PM VICTORIAN OPERA ENTERS NEW HORIZONS WITH SEASON 2019 From an operatic holy grail to madcap romances and journeys to the fantastical, Victorian Opera’s Season 2019 invites audiences to ever expand their own horizons with an eclectic range of new and much-loved works of opera and music theatre. Artistic Director Richard Mills notes, “Victorian Opera reimagines the potential of opera through a diverse program, ranging from the epic richness of Wagner’s Parsifal to new operas made by and for Victorians.” Season 2019 opens with Wagner’s final opera Parsifal in a new production at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda from 20 – 24 February. The prophesied odyssey of Parsifal from ‘pure fool’ to saviour will be realised by multi award- winning Australian director Roger Hodgman (Nixon in China, The Flying Dutchman) and welcomes a cast of internationally acclaimed Wagnerian singers: Burkhard Fritz, Katarina Dalayman, Peter Rose and revered Melbourne baritone Derek Welton. Richard Mills conducts the masterwork with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) in the pit. From Wagner to Sondheim, Victorian Opera returns to the work of the most beloved composer of American music theatre with A Little Night Music. This bittersweet musical comedy about an entangled group of worldly characters remains one of Sondheim’s most mature works; it speaks of the follies of human nature with heartbreaking accuracy. Contact: Scott Whinfield, Media & Communications Executive E: [email protected] P: 03 9012 6653 M: 0412 534 730 MEDIA RELEASE EMBARGOED: WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER, 8PM Much-loved songbird Ali McGregor is set to enchant as faded actress Desiree Armfeldt and captivate with the work’s iconic ‘Send in the Clowns’. Alongside stars of music theatre and opera, Simon Gleeson (Les Misérables, Oklahoma), Nancye Hayes (Sunday in the Park with George, My Fair Lady) and Samuel Dundas (Cunning Little Vixen, Pelleas and Melisande), this timeless classic will sparkle under the direction of Stuart Maunder (Victorian Opera’s Sondheim Trilogy) and music director Phoebe Briggs (The Sleeping Beauty, Sweeney Todd). Sondheim’s A Little Night Music will be performed from 27 June – 6 July at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse. Soprano superstar Jessica Pratt continues her close association with Victorian Opera, appearing with co-star Italian mezzo-soprano Daniela Barcellona, in an evening of Heroic Bel Canto at Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall on Sunday 14 July. Audiences are guaranteed a night of virtuosic singing with famous mad scenes, great duets, ensembles and thrilling music for the chorus. From vocal fireworks to bel canto belly laughs, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville will have audiences rolling in the aisles with the most hilarious opera ever written. One of Italy’s most renowned Rosinas, Chiara Amarù joins a stellar Australian cast including José Carbó, Warwick Fyfe, and Brenton Spiteri. The Barber of Seville will be performed at the Princess Theatre, Launceston on 21 November before two performances at Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall on 12 and 14 December. Richard Mills conducts the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria respectively, with Elizabeth Hill directing this new production. Younger audiences will be delighted with two productions in Season 2019, including a fantastical journey through opera’s most memorable music with Alice and the White Rabbit in Alice Through the Opera Glass at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse from 14 – 15 June. Victorian Opera celebrates the world premiere of The Selfish Giant, a new opera based on Oscar Wilde’s fairy tale, at Gasworks Theatre, Albert Park from 17 - 19 October. Two former Victorian Opera Young Artists, composer Simon Bruckard and librettist Emma Muir-Smith have realised Wilde’s literary gem with a playful imagination and sense of wonder. The work will be presented as Victorian Opera’s 2019 Youth Opera with a cast of singers aged 13-25, directed by Cameron Menzies (The Magic Pudding – The Opera, The Grumpiest Boy in the World). In addition to Victorian Opera’s main performance season, the company will present a series of special events across 12 dates in 2019 including: talks, music workshops, concerts, and recitals. Subscriptions to Victorian Opera’s Season 2019 go on sale on Wednesday 10 October at 8pm. Single tickets to Wagner’s Parsifal will be available from Friday 12 October at 2pm. Subscribers aged 30 years and under continue to enjoy access to wide-ranging discounts, including an unlimited Season Pass for $125 - Terms and Conditions apply. For more details on all productions and packages, visit victorianopera.com.au or phone 1300 822 849. Contact: Scott Whinfield, Media & Communications Executive E: [email protected] P: 03 9012 6653 M: 0412 534 730 MEDIA RELEASE EMBARGOED: WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER, 8PM Victorian Opera Season 2019 Calendar Parsifal A Little Night Music The Selfish Giant 20, 22 February, 4:30pm 27, 28, 29 June, 2, 3, 4, 5 July 7:30pm 17, 18 October, 7:30pm 24 February, 3pm 6 July, 1pm 19 October, 2pm and 6:30pm Palais Theatre, St Kilda Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse Gasworks Theatre, Albert Park Alice Through the Opera Glass Heroic Bel Canto The Barber of Seville 14 June, 1pm (Relaxed Performance) 14 July, 5pm 21 November, 7:30pm 15 June, 11am, 2pm, 5pm Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall Princess Theatre, Launceston Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse 12 December, 7:30pm 14 December, 1pm Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Contact: Scott Whinfield, Media & Communications Executive E: [email protected] P: 03 9012 6653 M: 0412 534 730 MEDIA RELEASE EMBARGOED: WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER, 8PM PARSIFAL Composer & Librettist Richard Wagner Victorian Opera returns to the work of Richard Wagner with his final masterpiece Parsifal in a new production at the Palais Conductor Richard Mills AM Theatre, St Kilda from 20 – 24 February 2019. Director Rodger Hodgman Set Designer Richard Roberts Following the prophesied odyssey of Parsifal from ‘pure fool’ to Costume Designer Christina Smith saviour, audiences will be immersed in the legend of the Holy Lighting Designer Matt Scott Grail and the knights who protect it in this epic quest for redemption. Parsifal Burkhard Fritz Kundry Katarina Dalayman The world’s greatest Wagnerian singers assemble to head the Gurnemanz Peter Rose cast, including: tenor Burkhard Fritz, mezzo-soprano Katarina Dalayman, bass Peter Rose and internationally revered Amfortas James Roser Melbourne baritone Derek Welton, who was acclaimed for his Klingsor Derek Welton performance of Klingsor at the 2018 Bayreuth festival. An Titurel Teddy Tahu Rhodes esteemed local cast, featuring Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Carlos E. Bárcenas, join them. Ensemble featuring: Carlos E. Bárcenas, Olivia Cranwell, Shakira Dugan, Stephen Marsh, Kathryn Director Roger Hodgman (Nixon in China, The Flying Dutchman) Radcliffe, Georgia Wilkinson, Victorian Opera guides this new production with poetry and simplicity. Youth Chorus Ensemble (VOYCE), Victorian Opera Chorus and Students from the University After their celebrated performance in The Flying Dutchman, the of Melbourne. Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) returns with their typical vigour and vitality under the baton of the intrepid Richard Mills. Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) “A great international cast star in an outstanding new production. 20, 22 February, 4:30pm Wagner’s last opera – a mystic legacy to the power of sound.” – 24 February, 3pm Richard Mills, Artistic Director Palais Theatre, St Kilda Subscriptions on sale 10 October 2018, 8pm. Single tickets to Parsifal go on sale on 12 October 2018, 2pm. Contact: Scott Whinfield, Media & Communications Executive E: [email protected] P: 03 9012 6653 M: 0412 534 730 MEDIA RELEASE EMBARGOED: WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER, 8PM A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Music and Lyrics Stephen Sondheim Since its Broadway premiere in 1973, Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Book Hugh Wheeler Night Music has been a classic of the music theatre canon. Following its popular trilogy of the composer’s works, Victorian Music Director Phoebe Briggs Opera presents A Little Night Music at Arts Centre Melbourne, Director Stuart Maunder AM Playhouse from 27 June – 6 July 2019. Original Designs Rodger Kirk AM Associate Designer Candice MacAllister Based on Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night, Lighting Designer Trudy Dalgleish this bittersweet musical comedy about a romantically entangled group of worldly characters remains one of Sondheim’s most Madame Armfeldt Nancye Hayes AM mature works. It speaks of the follies of human nature with Desiree Armfeldt Ali McGregor heartbreaking accuracy. Fredrik Egerman Simon Gleeson Much-loved songbird Ali McGregor (Lorelei) is set to enchant as Count Carl-Magnus Samuel Dundas faded actress Desiree Armfeldt and captivate with the work’s Malcolm iconic ‘Send in the Clowns’. McGregor appears alongside stars of music theatre and opera: Simon Gleeson (Les Misérables, Ensemble featuring: Paul Biencourt, Nathan Lay, Oklahoma), Nancye Hayes (Sunday in the Park with George, My Michelle McCarthy, Juel Riggal & Sophia Wasley Fair Lady) and Samuel Dundas (Pelleas and Melisande). Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra This production will sparkle under the direction of Stuart Maunder (Victorian Opera’s Sondheim Trilogy) and music 27, 28, 29 June, 2, 3, 4, 5 July 7:30pm director Phoebe Briggs (The Sleeping Beauty, Sweeney Todd). 6 July, 1pm Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse “A comedy with shafts of pain. A show