23 MARCH 2019 VICTORIA SQUARE, TARNDANYANGGA 2 Georges Bizet
Conductor – Oliver von Dohnányi Director – Stuart Maunder Lighting Designer – Wes Hiscock Costume Designer – Emma Brockliss Chorus Master – Sharolyn Kimmorley Repetiteur – Andrew Georg Language Coach – Christine Rothauser Fight Director – Ruth Fallon Assistant Fight Director – Nino Pilla
Carmen - Helen Sherman Don Jose - James Egglestone Escamillo - Morgan Pearse Micaela - Emma Pearson Frasquita - Desiree Frahn Mercedes - Bethany Hill Morales/Dancairo - Samuel Dundas Remendado - Adam Goodburn Zuniga - Wade Kernot
STATE OPERA CHORUS ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Duration: 190 Minutes including interval.
3 DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Carmen is possibly the most famous opera of Flower Song in Act II, and Micaëla’s soaring all time probably because it contains more Act III aria and most notably the baritone’s hits per square metre than any other opera. famous Toréador Song.
Geoges Bizet’s masterpiece of the gypsy Carmen herself has no actual aria but seductress who lives by her own rules, no rather several solos in the form of songs— matter what the cost, has had an impact far that is, moments in which the character is beyond the opera house. Its melodies have actually supposed to be singing within the proliferated popular culture from Gilligan’s context of the drama. Every time she sings Island to the Muppets. a major solo, it’s a performance within the performance. She is sort of the Sally Bowles Carmen, famously was a scandal at its of the opera. premiere and was roundly denounced in the press for its flagrant immorality. This is music theatre charged with an The power of the music and the drama, unprecedented realism that makes the two however, created an equally vocal faction principal figures, Carmen and Don José, as in favour of the work. And everywhere vivid as flesh and blood, destroyed by their away from Paris it was a success: Wagner, appetites and their weaknesses. Brahms, Tchaikovsky and even two unlikely But even though it’s full of colorful Germans: Otto von Bismark, the man who characters, Carmen is really about just two united the German states, and the great people. Carmen and José. Carmen, as even philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche all extolled she herself knows, is doomed from the start, the brilliance of the work. Nietzsche, indeed she does not change from beginning to end. praised the opera, declaring ‘the robustness She is entirely free. of the score is nothing less than a cure-all for the world’s spiritual ills’. And we see Carmen totally from Don Jose’s perspective, so in a strange way we are Brahms went to see the opera over twenty all turned into Carmen’s lovers. It is his times; the great Wagner declared, ‘At last. disintegration that forms the core of the Someone with new ideas’; Tchaikovsky was opera. in awe at the premiere and later wrote; José, in contrast to Carmen, undergoes ‘I am convinced that ten years hence Carmen a complete, doomed metamorphosis. He will be the most popular opera in the world’. changes from a naive country boy, to a The score of Carmen contains so many besotted lover, and finally into a homicidal instantly recognizable melodies that it can demon who, driven mad by unrequited love, be easy to overlook how well constructed it murders the object of his fierce love. is. The orchestra brings to life a wide palette of sound, and Bizet is now renowned as a master orchestrator. The major solo arias STUART MAUNDER AM are not only arresting melodies but all follow Artistic Director the dramatic purpose: the tenor’s wrenching
4 SYNOPSIS
ACT ONE ACT THREE Seville – Micaëla enters searching for Don Smugglers’ Hideout – Don José is still José, but he is not amongst the soldiers on infatuated with Carmen, but is brooding duty. Don José’s regiment arrives and the over the honourable life he has sacrificed for guard changes. The cigarette workers come her. Carmen has lost interest in Don José out for their break, Carmen amongst them. and the emotional commitment he demands. She comments on the perverse nature of She suggests he return to his mother. love, and give José a flower. Micaëla returns Carmen then foresees her death in the cards. with a letter from Don José’s mother, which The smugglers are moving on and leave Don dispels his thoughts of Carmen and reminds José to guard their retreat. Micaëla arrives, him of his love for Micaëla and his family. wanting to see Don José. Escamillo has Screams erupt from the factory, where also made his way to the hideout, seeking Carmen has attacked another worker. She Carmen. A fight begins between the rival is arrested and Don José is left to guard her. lovers, which is stopped by Carmen’s return. Carmen convinces José to help her escape, Escamillo leaves, inviting the whole group promising a night of love in return. to his next bullfight. Micaëla is brought forward, imploring Don José to return home to his dying mother. He eventually agrees, ACT TWO warning Carmen that they will meet again. Lillas Pastia’s Tavern – Don José has just finished a prison sentence for his part in ACT FOUR Carmen’s escape. Escamillo, the celebrated toreador and his group of supporters pass by. Seville – Escamillo and Carmen arrive at Carmen and Escamillo are attracted to one the bullfight. Carmen’s friends warn her another. A band of smugglers arrive, and that Don José is lurking in the crowd, but ask the gypsy girls to join them in their next she is not intimidated. Don José confronts escapade. Carmen refuses to go, since she Carmen outside the ring and desperately is waiting for Don José. He finally arrives, begs her to begin a new life with him. but shortly after their reunion is recalled to The more piteously he pleads, the more the barracks. Carmen accuses him angrily determined Carmen becomes. A Chant of being more dedicated to duty than to love. goes up for Escamillo inside the ring, but Don José protests his devotion, but Carmen Don José blocks Carmen’s way. Carmen demands that he desert and follow her. contemptuously takes Don José’s ring from Zuniga, Don José’s officer, enters, looking her finger and throws it to the ground. Don for Carmen. A fight erupts between the two José reacts. men. The smugglers return and break up the duel. After this act of mutiny, Don José has no choice but to join up with Carmen and the smugglers.
Interval
5 CREATIVES
Conductor Director OLIVER VON DOHNÁNYI STUART MAUNDER
Oliver von Dohnanyi studied conducting Stuart is Artistic Director of State Opera with Václav Neumann at the Academy of South Australia. Musical Arts in Prague, and later with Otmar Suitner at the Hochschule für For the last thirty years Stuart has been Musikin Vienna. In 1979, he made his directing musical theatre and opera in debut with the Bratislava Radio Symphony Australia. He joined The Australian Opera Orchestra. Throughout the 1980s, he was as Stage Manager in 1978, becoming a closely associated with that orchestra, Resident Director in 1981. In 1992 he joined as well as with the Slovak Philharmonic The Royal Opera (UK) as a Staff Director. Orchestra and the chamber group Canticorum Iubilo. In 1999 Stuart was appointed Artistic Administrator of Opera Australia, becoming He subsequently turned his attention to Executive Producer 2004 -2008 . His OA opera. From 1986 to 1989, he was chief productions include Tales of Hoffmann, conductor of the Slovak National Opera Manon, Gypsy Princess, Don Pasquale, My and in 1993, was appointed music director Fair Lady and A Little Night Music. His of the National Theatre in Prague. He has Trial by Jury, HMS Pinafore and Pirates of conducted at the English National Opera Penzance have been televised nationally on and the Salzburg Festival, and has appeared ABC TV. with the English Chamber Orchestra. Dohnanyi’s discography includes works by Recent productions include Cunning Little Rubinstein, Liszt, and Smetana. Vixen, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George and Sweeney Todd (Victorian Opera), Tosca, Rigoletto, La Boheme (West Australian Opera) and Candide and The Mikado (New Zealand Opera).
From 2014 to 2018 Stuart was General Director of New Zealand Opera.
6 Lighting Designer Costume Designer WES HISCOCK EMMA BROCKLISS
Wesley made the decision to move to Emma has over a decade of experience Australia in 2012. He was offered Senior working in theatre as a costume maker, Lighting Supervisor at Opera Australia, wardrobe supervisor and most recently as a based in Sydney. Prior to coming to costume designer. Australia, Wesley ran his own business, Motionlighting, for 13 years in the UK. Emma graduated from Adelaide College of the Arts in 2008 with an Advance Diploma During his career, Wesley has worked on in Costume for Performance. Since then many projects in the event industry from she has made significant contributions conference to product launches. His most within the wardrobe departments of many accomplished design was lighting Coventry local theatre companies such as, State City Centrein the UK for the Millennium. Theatre Company of South Australia, Brink Other credits include the re-lighting of Productions and Slingsby Theatre. ‘Barber of Seville’ for Opera North & more recently the re-lighting of La Boheme at Emma has also toured nationally and Sydney Opera House, Onegin in Melbourne internationally with the musical, Wicked and Faust at the Adelaide Festival theatre Australia, and is currently in the final & His Majesties Theatre in Perth. Wesley semester of a Bachelor of Visual Arts at the lit Opera in the Domain from 2013 –2016 University of South Australia. before moving to Adelaide. Since the move to Novatech Creative Event Technology, Most recently, Emma has joined the team Wesley now manages and lights many at State Opera, helping to bring The Merry events, including Womadelaide for the past Widow and Dido and Aeneas to stage as 3 years. wardrobe supervisor. Carmen represents Emma’s first foray into design. This is Wesley’s 3rd Lighting Design for SOSA.
7 Chorus Master Principal Repetiteur SHAROLYN KIMMORLEY ANDREW GEORG
After studying at the Sydney Andrew Georg is a versatile South Conservatorium of Music, Sharolyn Australian musician whose career Kimmorley joined the Music Staff of The encompasses opera, church music,choral Australian Opera and has assisted in music, and accompanying. the preparation of a vast range of works with many distinguished singers and Since 2010 Andrew has been a répétiteur for conductors. In 1985 she became Principal the State Opera of South Australia, where Répétiteur for The Australian Opera and he has worked on a diverse range of operas, in 1987 was appointed Head of Music Staff. including several Australian and world From 1994 to 1999 she was the company’s premieres. He has also worked with Co- Artistic Administrator, following which she Opera and the Adelaide Festival on operatic was Opera Australia’s Director of Music productions. Administration until June 2003. Andrew initially undertook a Répétiteur Sharolyn Kimmorley is regarded as one Mentorship with State Opera though an of Australia’s finest vocal coaches and Accompanists’ Guild of SA initiative, and accompanists. She has recorded for the ABC later was an Emerging Artist in the James & Classics, taken part in Chamber Music Diana Ramsay Foundation Opera Program. Concerts, and accompanied some of the Andrew has twice attended the Lisa Gasteen world’s most distinguished recitalists. National Opera School on scholarship.
In January 2009 Sharolyn became a member After completing studies at the Elder of the Order of Australia in recognition Conservatorium, Andrew was an Organ of her work as an accompanist and the Scholar at St Peter’s Cathedral and Pilgrim nurturing and mentoring of emerging Church. In 2013 Andrew took up the artists. In 2017 Sharolyn was the recipient position of Organist and Choir Director at of the MOST Achievement Award in Christ Church North Adelaide. recognition of her long and distinguished career. In 2014 Andrew won the Geoffrey Parsons’ Award for accompanying, Australia’s most Sharolyn is currently Artistic Manager and prestigious award for the collaborative Scholar Advisor for the Dame Nellie Melba pianist Opera Trust, Artistic Director of The Opera Club (Christchurch) and Guest Vocal Coach at the Tiroler Festspiele in Erl, Austria.
8 Language Coach Fight Director CHRISTINE ROTHAUSER RUTH FALLON
Christine Rothauser studied In Paris at the Ruth is a Martial Arts Stunt Krew MASK Sorbonne for a double degree for a Master in graduate and has also achieved her Martial French classical literature and a Master in Arts Instructorship with Sifu Nino Pilla and Visual Arts. She then worked in the USA for with his two teachers, Guro Dan Inosanto seven years and moved to Australia where and Ajarn Surachai Sirisute, in the Arts of she studied German and Italian while doing (Bruce Lee’s) Jun Fan/Gung Fu-Jeet Kune a PHD in musicology by correspondence at Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Kali/Escrima/ the Sorbonne. Arnis/Silat (Empty Hand & Weaponry) and Muay Thai/Thai Boxing. Christine started working with State Opera when the company, under Bill Along with working as an actor on The Gillespie, started to produce operas in Fairies seasons 1-3 and Feature filmGoing foreign languages in 1990. Christine is for Gold, Ruth has worked consistently a devoted Wagnerian and as such was with Actors to train them in Martial Arts/ representing Australia at the International Stage Combat, and Martial Artists the craft Wagner conferences. She was part of the of Acting. Her Action/Fight Choreography 1998, 2004 Ring Cycles and Parsifal where for The State Theatre Company of South she curated 15 exhibitions and two music Australia includes Hamlet, Vale, Macbeth, symposia. Christine was on the Ring Board Switzerland, Creditors, Sense and Sensibility Corporation where she was chair of the and The Gods of Strangers. For State Opera special events. She has been on and off the South Australia she worked on Hamlet, State Opera of South Australia’s board for as well as choreographing and teaching 18 years. for Holden Street Theatres, The Adelaide Duende Collective, Urban Myth Theatre of Christine was Honorary Consul of Francein Youth, Flinders University Drama Centre, SA and is a member of the orders ofLégion Film & TV International, Mercedes College, d’honneur, Mérite and Academicpalms for Angela Heesom Casting and Westminster services to the arts. School. In recent years Ruth has put her two arts together in roles with The Rackaracka, Wastelander Panda, Prank Patrol and the Netflix Series,Real Rob Season 2. Ruth is a regular Instructor at The Nino Pilla International Academy of Martial Arts.
9 CAST
Carmen Don Jose HELEN SHERMAN JAMES EGGLESTONE
Helen Sherman has established herself Dual Helpmann Award-winning James as amuch-sort-after artist in the United Egglestone is one of Australia’s finest tenors. Kingdom and Australia. Helen has represented Australia at BBC Cardiff Roles for State Opera of South Australia Singer of the Worldand the Francisco have included Laurie in Little Women, Viñas International Singing Competition, Ishmael in Moby-Dick and Nadir in The Barcelona. She is a Helpmann Award Pearl Fishers; for West Australian Opera– nominee, Wigmore Hall Song Prize awardee, Nadir, Almaviva, Ismaele in Nabucco Samling Scholar, Associate Artist for and Pluto in Orpheus in the Underworld; Classical Opera and YCAT alumnus. for Victorian Opera - Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte and Recent engagementsinclude Dorabella Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw. For (Cosi fan Tutte) Teatru Manoel, Malta, Cesare (Giulio Cesare) Bury Court Opera, the Belcanto Festival in The Netherlands, Christina(I Pazzi per Progetto) Festspiele he performed Elvino in La sonnambula and Zurich, Poppea (L’incoronazione di Don Carissimo in La Dirindina. Poppea) Pinchgut Opera, Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), Dorabella (Cosi fan Tutte) Most recently,James has sung Pinkerton and Cherubino (Le Nozze Di Figaro) Opera in Madama Butterfly, Lensky in Eugene North, Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and Onegin, Cassio in Otello and Lysander for Sesto (La Clemenza di Tito) Classical Opera. Opera Australia and Rodolfo (La bohème) for Recordings include ‘Mozart in London’ State Opera of South Australia. Signum Records,‘L’incoronazione di Poppea’ and ‘Bajazet’ Pinchgut Live. His performance as Edrisi (Krol Roger) for OA and won the Green Room Award for Best Concert appearances have included Male Performance in a Supporting Role. performances at Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Royal Albert Hall and The Sydney Opera House. Helen has featured on ABC Classic FM, BBC Radio4, Radio3 and Mozart’s London Odyssey for BBC4.
10 Escamillo Micaela MORGAN PEARSE EMMA PEARSON
London-based Australian baritone Morgan During her 9-year engagement as principal Pearse is making his mark in both soprano at the Hessisches Staats theater in hemispheres. He completed the renowned Germany, Emma Pearson also performed Houston Grand Opera studio programme in at the Semperoper Dresden, National 2014/15 and made his professional début with theater Mannheim, Theater St. Gallen, English National Opera in 2015/16 singing Saarländisches Staatstheater Saarbrücken Figaro in The Barber of Seville. and the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele.
Recent and future engagements include Emma regularly appears with Opera performances of the title role in the Australia, West Australian Opera, Opera Verbier Festival Academy production of Queensland, New Zealand Opera and Don Giovanni, Valens in Theodora in the Pinchgut Opera, inrepertoire including Karlsruhe Händelfestpiele, the title role title roles in Lucia di Lammermoor and in Le nozze di Figaro and Papageno in Die The Cunning Little Vixen, Gilda (Rigoletto), Zauberflöte for the Badisches Staatstheater, Violetta (La Traviata), Micaela (Carmen), covering the title role in Billy Budd for the Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Donna Elvira Bolshoi Theatre, Sid in Albert Herring for the (Don Giovanni) and Susanna (The Marriage Buxton Festival, Nero in Kaiser’s Octavia of Figaro). for the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, as well as making his New Zealand Opera In concert she has appeared with the West debut as Belcore in The Elixir of Love where Australian and Tasmanian Symphony he will return in 2019 for Barbiere.He’s Orchestras, Sydney Philharmonia recently returned from performing in Russia with Moscow Philharmonic and Musica Viva Choirs, Minnesota Orchestra, Slovak orchestras, Don Giovanni with the Auckland Philharmonicin Bratislava, Orquesta de Philharmonic, Messiah with West Australian, Valenciaand at UKARIA 24. Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras and Mozart with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonicand Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Morgan has won a number of prestigious competitions including the Cesti Competition in 2016, the prestigious Lies Askonas prize in 2014 and the Royal Overseas League’s Music Competition in 2013. 11 Frasquita Mercedes DESIREE FRAHN BETHANY HILL
Desiree Frahn is a South Australian Bethany Hill is an Adelaide based musician soprano. She is a graduate of the Elder and performer. Her work as a versatile Conservatorium and a former James and operatic soprano has been critically Diana Ramsey Foundation Young Artist. acclaimed as “strong and perfect vocals...a treat for the senses” by the Advertiser, “a For State Opera she has appeared as stand out” and “vivacious” by The Sydney Valencienne (The Merry Widow), Leila Morning Herald, and “powerful-yet- (The Pearl Fishers), Lauretta (Gianni sensitive” by Cut Common. Schicchi), Rose Pickles (Cloudstreet! -World Premiere), Pamina (Magic Flute), Rosalinde Bethany has performed with State Opera (Die Fledermaus), Bastienne (Bastien und South Australia, Co-Opera, Gertrude Opera Bastienne), and Kate Pinkerton (Madama (VIC), Various People Inc., Mopoke Theatre, Butterfly). and the award-winning Adelaide Chamber Singers and Song Company. In 2018 she performed in the Australian premiere of Jake Heggie’s To Hell and Back Performing regularly in the Adelaide for Gertrude Opera. Festival and Fringe, She has appeared in Barrie Kosky’s Helpmann Award-winning In 2019 she stars as the Vixen in State production of Handel’s Saul and Patch Opera’s production of Janacek’s Cunning Theatre’s Can You Hear Colour? in 2018. Little Vixen. In 2019 she appears in Carmen, The Mikado and Madama Butterflyfor State Opera.
12 Morales/Dancairo Remendado SAMUEL DUNDAS ADAM GOODBURN
A graduate of the Melba Conservatorium Adam completed his Bachelor of Music of Music Melbourne, Samuel Dundas made degree for vocal performance at The Elder his opera debut with Opera Queensland, Conservatorium, Adelaide University in before joining Victorian Opera’s Artist 2003. Adam’s performing highlights have Development program and subsequently been performing the role of Nanki Poo (The Opera Australia’s Moffatt Oxenbould Young Mikado) for Opera Australia; Goro (Madame Artist program. Butterfly), Pang (Turandot), Don Basilio (The Marriage of Figaro), the comic roles Samuel has since performed leading roles Nathanael/ Cochenille/Pittichinaccio/Franz with Opera Australia, West Australian (The Tales of Hoffmann), Orpheus (Orpheus Opera, New Zealand Opera and Lost and in the Underworld) for State Opera of South Found Opera. Australiaand Giorgio (Ode to Nonsense) for Slingsby. In concert, he has sung with the Adelaide, Melbourne, Tasmanian, West Australian In 2007 Adam performed the role of and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, Mahatma Gandhi in Philip Glass’s opera Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Satyagraha (State Opera/Adelaide Vocal Philharmonia Choirs and Auckland Project and Leigh Warren & Dancers). Philharmonia. The role earned him a Helpmann Award nomination for best male performer in an Samuel was the recipient of the 2013 Lady opera. Adam has recently appeared as The Fairfax New York Scholarship and the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera inaugural Dame Heather Begg Award in (The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of South 2014. Australia) and Raoul St Brioche in The Merry Widow (The State Opera of South Australia).
Adam is the co-founder of SINGular Productions and produced I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; Elegies: A Song Cycle; Different Fields and “It’s a dad thing: The Musical” and is currently developing twonew Australian operas with State Opera of South Australia titled, ‘Innocence’ and a new chamber opera. 13 Zuniga WADE KERNOT
Principal artist at Theater St Gallen, Switzerland, from 2010-2015, Wade Kernot’s repertoire includes the Forester (The Cunning Little Vixen), Osmin (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Zuniga (Carmen), Père Laurent (Roméo et Juliette), Wotan (Siegfried), Truffaldino (Ariadne auf Naxos),Commendatore (Don Giovanni), Méphistophélès (La Damnation de Faust), SarastroandSprecher, (Die Zauberflöte), Frank (DieFledermaus),and Comtedes Grieux, (Manon).
In recent seasons Wade has performed with New Zealand Opera,West Australian Opera, Opera Queensland, Napier Civic Choir, Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Germany and Opera de Lyon.
This year, Wade’s engagements include his debut with Pinchgut Opera in Il Ritorno d’Ulisse (Monteverdi), and Verdi Requiem, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in New Zealand.
14 SKETCHES OF SPAIN
Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most popular there is an intensity which threatens to boil operas of all time. According to Operabase. over at any second. Whilst this makes for com, the reference for opera performances an exciting evening at the theatre, it does worldwide, in the 2017/18 season, Carmen not ultimately account for the spectacular notched up an astonishing 705 performances success of this opera and it’s enduring across 165 productions. This, for an opera appeal. that was very poorly received at its premiere in 1875, leaving poor Bizet believing that I think Carmen stands the test of time the work had been a failure. He died of a because it prefigures the musical theatre of heart attack on June 1st, the morning after the 20th century, paving the way for shows the 32nd performance of his masterpiece. such as West Side Story and Sweeney Todd. It’s one of the great tragedies of music that Indeed, Stephen Sondheim, who had a large Georges Bizet did not live to see Carmen’s hand in both these works and is not a fan of star rise, as it has continued to do until the opera, makes an exception with Carmen: present day. ‘Carmen is my idea of an ideal opera...I like So, why is Carmen so popular and what is that twilight zone between what we call the reason for its enduring success? Well, musicals and what we call opera...The great the story is inherently dramatic, with a thing about Carmen is the sense of song powerful central character and a scenario form, allied to the feeling of an endlessly which is a gift to an opera composer. flowing song texture, even though it’s full of We have an exotic setting; Seville, with numbers. How could Bizet master the form its medieval ramparts, market squares, that way and also give you 13 of the best factories and military barracks and, in songs you ever heard in your life?’ contrast, the mountainous countryside outside the city walls, haven to smugglers, Of course, Carmen has played on Broadway, bandits and ne’re-do-wells. Carmen’s fate in the adaption by Oscar Hammerstein is laid out in the tarot cards she deals. Carmen Jones(1943). Hammerstein She lives as a free spirit and dies in broad transposes the action from Seville to North daylight, murdered by her jealous lover Don Carolina during World War II. Carmen José, outside the stadium where a bullfight Jones works in a parachute factory, Don is taking place. José becomes the dashing Corporal Joe and the matador Escamillo becomes the Carmen is a big canvas that teems with heavyweight boxer, Husky Miller. Although the hustle and bustle of humanity. The the musical version is not widely performed threat of danger ever present, which creates today, the film, starring Dorothy Dandridge an atmosphere on stage that is tense and and Harry Belafonte, which screened in unpredictable. Much of the story plays out 1954, is something of a classic and Bizet’s on this knife-edge and, even in the more music works brilliantly in this context. overtly romantic moments of the work,
15 It’s not just the ‘songs’ in Carmen that It appears in Act One and it’s the first time point towards the musical theatre. In we as an audience get to meet Carmen and the original version, there is also spoken hear her sing. dialogue as opposed to sung dialogue or recitative, so you really get a sense that Bizet originally composed an entirely when the singing begins, it is because words different piece for the entrance of his alone are not enough. And the music stays heroine, L’amour est enfant de bohème (Love with you,because the tunes Bizet gives to is the Child of a Gypsy). This is an aria that his principal characters are so clear and would not have sounded out of place in an well defined. This is no doubt why the operetta by Offenbach or Gounod’s Faust. two most famous melodies from Carmen, It’s a finepiece of music, but there is nothing the Habanera and the Toréador Song, remotely Spanish about it and it doesn’t have appeared so frequently in television work in terms of establishing Carmen’s commercials and advertising. strength and independence.
Bizet never travelled to Spain so he had After a number of rewrites, Bizet adapted to rely on his imagination and printed a habanera by the Basque composer, anthologies of traditional Spanish folksongs Sebastián Iradier (1809 –1865) called El as potential source material for his opera. Arreglito, set to reworked lyrics from the There are no guitars in the orchestra original aria. Bizet apparently had no idea (although they suggested by the pizzicato he had stolen the music and subsequently strings) and there is no attempt to imitate added an acknowledgement of the source the highly ornamented improvisations as a footnote in the score; “Imitated from a or the raw passion of Flamenco singing, Spanish song. Property of the editors of Le which would have been inappropriate, Ménestrel.” given the operatic conventions of the day. Bizet assimilates some of the traditional This is the Habanera we know and love, one dance rhythms such as the seguidilla, polo of the most famous and instantly recognised and pasodoble and captures something pieces in all music. It completely captures of the melodic and harmonic inflections the spirit of Carmen’s character and, of Andalusian music and yet, for all its fortunately for Bizet, the copyright laws in Spanish veneer, Carmen is essentially the 1875 were more lenient than they are today. product of a French Romantic sensibility. In other words, his audience was Parisian and he wrote for them. As Noel Coward ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR quipped: ‘I think we must face the fact that RICHARD CHEW Carmen by Bizet is no more Spanish than Director, Arts Academy & The Gippsland the Champs-Élysées.’ Centre for Art and Design.
It may come as a surprise to learn that the Federation University, Australia. most famous piece of music in Carmen, the ‘Habanera’, is in fact not by Bizet at all. This aria, (or song), was the most crucial one for the composer and his lyricists to get right.
You can hear soprano Angela Gheorghiu’s recording of the first version of Carmen’s aria here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br-sLvSvvgQ
16 STATE OPERA CHORUS
Dione Baker, Alexandra Bollard, Meran Bow, Eleanor Brasted, Marie (Charlotte) Campbell, Catherine Campbell, David Cox, Victoria Coxhill, Peter Deane, Tom DuBois, Christian Evans, Susan Ferguson, Jared Frost, Daniel Goodburn, Michelle Grootenboer, Monica Hanusiak-Klavins, Norbert Hohl, Erin Holmes, Macintyre Howie-Reeves, Greg John, Deborah Johnson, Victoria Kakoulis, Reece Keane, Charlotte Kelso, Rod Kirk, Iwona Koprowska, Nic Lock, Katrina Mackenzie, Elizabeth McCall, Callum McGing, James Moffatt, James Nicholson, Mark Oates, Martin Penhale, David Perry, Amelie Peters, Barbara Rennison, Alex Roose, Joshua Rowe, Danielle Ruggiero-Prior, Vanessa Shirley, Lynne Smythe, Jenn Tranter, Andrew Turner, David Visentin, Chris Webb, Brooke Window, Kim Worley.
ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
VIOLINS VIOLAS Natsuko Yoshimoto** (Concertmaster) Caleb Wright** Cameron Hill** Michael Robertson~(Acting Associate) (Associate Concertmaster) Martin Butler Alexis Milton* (Acting Principal 1st Violin) Linda Garrett Michael Milton** (Principal 2nd Violin) Anna Hansen Julia Brittain ~ (Acting Associate Principal Cecily Satchell 2nd Violin) Heidi von Bernewitz Janet Anderson Ann Axelby CELLOS Helen Ayers Simon Cobcroft** Minas Berberyan Sarah Denbigh~(Acting Associate) Gillian Braithwaite Christopher Handley Hilary Bruer Sherrilyn Handley Elizabeth Collins David Sharp Jane Collins Cameron Waters Judith Coombe Alison Heike DOUBLE BASSES Danielle Jaquillard David Schilling** Jennifer Newman Harley Gray~(Acting Associate) Emma Perkins Jacky Chang Alexander Permezel David Phillips Kemeri Spurr Belinda Kendall-Smith
17 ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (CONT.)
FLUTES TRUMPETS Geoffrey Collins** Martin Phillipson**(Acting Principal) Sabine Daniels Gregory Frick TROMBONES PICCOLO Colin Prichard** Sabine Daniels* Ian Denbigh
OBOES BASS TROMBONE Rachel Bullen** (Guest Principal) Howard Parkinson* Peter Duggan
TIMPANI COR ANGLAIS Andrew Penrose*(Acting Principal) Peter Duggan*
PERCUSSION CLARINETS Steven Peterka** Mitchell Berick**(Acting Principal) Samuel Butler Darren Skelton Amanda Grigg
BASSOONS HARP Mark Gaydon** Suzanne Handel* Jackie Newcomb
HORNS ** denotes Section Principal Adrian Uren** ~ denotes Associate Principal Emma Gregan * denotes Principal Player Philip Paine Timothy Skelly
18 PRODUCTION CREDITS
Producer – Alexandra Hirst Site Manager – Mark Pennington
Production Manager – Ben Flett Stage Manager – Jess Nash Assistant Stage Manager – Ashley Ng Assistant Stage Manager – Nadia Bobaly Assistant Stage Manager – Ashley Lord
Head Mechanist – Ben Brooks Mechanist – Mark Fisher Mechanist – Danny Persse
Head of Wardrobe – Emma Brockliss Wardrobe Assistant/Dresser – Ashleigh Thomas Wardrobe Assistant/Maintenance – Denise Strawhan Dressers – Jana Davies, Kent Green, David Adams, Dina Giaccio, Sue Nicola, Nick de Rohan
Head of Hair & Make Up – Sue Taylor Hair & Make Up – Jen Rossiter Hair & Make Up – Cheryl La Scala
Surtitles – Elizabeth Holbert Surtitles – Emma Robinson
Program Design - tifimage DESIGN
19 PATRONS
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS CIRCLE $2,000 AND ABOVE $500 AND ABOVE Drs Geoff & Sorayya Martin Dr & Mrs Paul Drysdale Bart Wissink & Kaye Salisbury Kaaren & Kevin Palmer Peggy Barker Barry Worrall Peter & Mary Sutherland GC & R Weir Peter & Helen Herriman Galina Podgoretsky & John Holmes Dr Rodney Crewther Anne Sutcliffe Meg & Jack Favilla Andrew & Sibby Sutherland Antonio & Eleonore Joan Lyons De Ionno Dr Christine Rothauser Barbara Walter Dr Jane Lomax-Smith $1,000 AND ABOVE Bill Harrod Galina Podgoretsky Rob Baillie Christopher Stone John Irving Chris & The Late DJ & RA Gilmour Donald Perriam Dr Brian Peat $15,000 AND ABOVE Graham Abbott Dr Ilze Augstkalns Peter & Pamela McKee Mrs Susan Tarr Dr Kenneth O’Brien Andrew & Gayle Robertson Frank Ford AM $10,000 AND ABOVE Bruce Saint Gillian Brocklesby PM Menz Dr A F Connon AM Graeme & Susan Bethune Dr DG & Mrs KC Morris Jane Doyle $5,000 AND ABOVE Dr Margaret Arstall John Dawes Valuations Drs Geoff & Sorayya Martin Dr Ruth Marshall & Pty Ltd Mr Tim Muecke Kaaren & Kevin Palmer JW Baker Elizabeth & John Shepherd Peter & Mary Sutherland Kay Dowling Ivy Melba Henshall Galina Podgoretsky & Mr & Mrs PS & EA Hambly Dr Rodney Crewther Jeremy Clark Mr Bruce Debelle AO QC Andrew & Sibby Sutherland John Holmes Mrs Anne Shadgett Dr Christine Rothauser Lorraine Drogemuller Mrs Margaret Scharer Dr Jane Lomax-Smith RJ, LL & SJ Greenslade Philip H Page Galina Podgoretsky Anonymous SM Johnson John Irving Linnett & David Turner Yvonne McMurray & Kaaren & Kevin Palmer John Sheat Anonymous x 1
20 PATRONS (CONT.)
$100 AND ABOVE R Murray Judith Brown Dorothy Short Robert Fletcher Judy & David Ferguson Jocelyn Parsons Stephanie Thomson Libby Parker The Hon D J & Ann Rugless Margaret Woodcock Mrs E M Bleby Caroline Treloar Ms Penny Hewson Anne Levy Mr & Mrs J Pike Rl & GK Willing Bruno Krumins AM Mrs Meredyth Sarah AM S Stuart Christina Palfelt PM Hardy Lindsay Doherty Dr & Mrs HA Handley CW & EA Dunsford Margaret Taylor Dr Kathy Tiller David Hansman Anonymous x 7 J A Langford Dr Jane Lomax-Smith Joy Bishop Julie Almond Richard McGarvey Kay Thorp Anonymous x 5 Linda Sampson Susan Coldicutt $1 AND ABOVE Alan Marriage Lois Otterspoor Ann Matison Anna Shepherd Barbara Wall Anthony Burt Bill & Kerry Wood Barbara Bond Dr Norman James Diana Roberts Eleanor Ethell Dr Harry Green Elizabeth Smith Dr Lesley Woodard-Knight Helen Haines Frances Anderson Helga Ebbinghaus Ingrid Loesel Joan Loftus James Wilson Margaret Baker Jane Wilson Martin Borg Joan Young Michael Davey John Lumsden Ms Liz Kummerow & Mr Neil Kirby Joshua Jones
21 WINTER SCHOOL
State Opera South Australia is pleased Through coaching and classes by industry to announce our Winter School is now professionals, Winter School graduates will accepting applications. emerge from the program having learned from, and been mentored by, working artists The inaugural State Opera Winter School at the top of their profession. is open to senior secondary and tertiary students who have a passion for singing and A limited number of merit-based acting on stage. We are seeking applications scholarships and bursaries for students who from singers with a classical or musical are seeking financial support are available. theatre background. For queries or more information about Running in Adelaide over two weeks from eligibility, please email Youth and Monday 24 June to Saturday 6 July 2019, Education Coordinator Libby Parker the school provides tuition in stagecraft, [email protected] ensemble, audition technique, professional presentation and stage make-up alongside To apply visit https://stateopera.com.au/ rehearsals for State Opera’s production of winter-school/ the Australian opera Boojum! at Dunstan Playhouse. Winter School participants will APPLICATIONS CLOSE ON FRIDAY 29 perform in the opera, and minor roles are MARCH. available.
22 STATE OPERA
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Hugh Cunningham John Irving (Chair) Richard Brown Imelda Alexopoulos Elizabeth Olsson Christine Rothauser Brenda Wilson Robina Weir Peter Michell
STAFF
Executive Director – Yarmila Alfonzetti Artistic Director – Stuart Maunder AM Chief Operating Officer – Alison Nadebaum Consulting Chief Financial Officer – Anthony Burt Creative Producer – Sidonie Henbest Production Manager – Ben Flett Stage Manager – Jess Nash Youth and Education Coordinator – Libby Parker Development Executive – Sylvie Huigen Marketing Coordinator – Jennifer Brunton Music Coordinator – Andrew Georg Financial Administrator – Sarah Hart Company Administrator – Renee Dawes Office & Project Assistant – Xanthe Pettersen
Helpmann Director Fellowship 2019 – Clara Solly-Slade
23 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
GOVERNMENT
EVENT PARTNERS OPERA AND INDUSTRY PARTNER
REGIONAL PARTNER EDUCATION PARTNER FOUNDATIONS
CORPORATE PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
THANKS TO
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