Patron: His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC Governor of South Australia October 2017 Welcome from the President … subscribe to the SOSA 2018 season One of the easiest and most effective ways to support State Opera SA is to subscribe to the 2018 season. This brings security to the company in that they know well in advance that they have a committed audience, income for present productions and can plan for the future. Subscription benefits include: saving money on some single ticket prices, priority access to seats, ability to change your tickets, advance information and discounts to special events and concerts. Subscribing helps show the company that you care about its future and share the love and passion for opera. When you subscribe you are organised for the season, committed to see the productions and won’t miss out if good seats are not available nearer the date. Help secure the future for State Opera SA. You should have received your copy of SOSA’s 2018 season brochure – if you haven’t already done so, please consider subscribing. The company needs and wants your support. Committing to a subscription not only supports future planning, but also assists the company to reach its financial targets. Thank you to all the loyal subscribers, sponsors, Friends and donors who support this great South Australian flagship arts company. Robina Weir State Opera of South Australia 2018 Dates The two subscription operas in the Festival Theatre are: The Pearl Fishers – 12, 15, 17, 19 May @ 7.30pm The Merry Widow – 29, 30 Nov, 4, 6 Dec @ 7.30pm, Sat 1 Dec @ 2pm The add-on productions in the Festival Theatre are: Hamlet – Fri 2 March @ 7.30pm, Sunday 4 March @ 5pm and Tue 6 Mar @ 6pm The Mastersingers of Nuremberg Act III – Saturday 4 August @ 7.30pm Sumi Jo: Mad for Love (Andrew McKinnon/ASO/SOSA/AFC collaboration) – Sunday 15 July @ 5pm Key Diary Dates 2017 October 14th @ 3pm to 5pm – The Friends host a High Tea at the Naval, Airforce and Military Club 24th @ 7.30pm and 25th @ 6.30pm – Die Fledermaus, Her Majesty’s Theatre November 3rd @ 6pm – Pop-up Opera at Carrick Hill, State Opera of SA 12th @ 12noon to 3.30pm – Songs by the River: The Friends Luncheon at the River Café, River Torrens 21st @ 7.30pm and 22nd @ 6.30pm – Verdi Spectacular, State Opera of SA, Adelaide Town Hall Booking for Friends events – tickets are not issued – attendance list at the door. of the State Opera of South Australia Inc GPO Box 2412 Adelaide SA 5001 Vale Diana Ramsay AO Patron, Friend and Generous Benefactor It was with great sadness that The Friends of State Opera received the news from the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation of the passing of our dear and generous friend and Patron, Diana Ramsay AO, at the age of 91 on Sunday 20th August. Diana and her late husband James were renowned throughout South Australia and beyond as great benefactors who generously supported many arts. Diana’s warm and enthusiastic spirit as well as her passion for bringing life to the arts and the arts into the lives of people, particularly here in South Australia, made her a great supporter and Patron of State Opera. Her generous funding of the surtitles for State Opera’s mainstage productions in the Festival Theatre transformed the opera-going experience for many. Her love and enthusiasm for ‘seeding’ and encouraging the talents and professional development of Young Artists led to the establishment of the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation Opera Program for Young and Emerging Artists at State Opera. Diana’s vision, through this program, is already being realised in the ever growing careers of our singers. Diana believed in the vital importance of the arts in our lives both as individuals and as a society. Over many years and through her numerous and generous gifts of support, both financially and personally, the State Opera SA has been able to continue to flourish and to excel artistically, in deep accord with those beliefs. On behalf of The Friends of State Opera and all our Young Artists and Colleagues, we give our thanks for Diana’s life of selfless philanthropy. To have known Diana and to have shared in her generosity of spirit and her joy of life and the arts was a privilege. Pauline Brooks OAM Betty Ross and Diana Ramsay AO Vale Betty Ross Friend and Life Member Sadly, The Friends’ committee recently attended the funeral of our Life Member Betty Ross Betty served on the early Friends’ committee for 15 years, as the membership secretary. She was an integral member of the 3Ds Sunday Music Club - Dawn Wallace, Dorothy Timms and Betty Ross (who replaced Doris Brokensha after Doris’ untimely death in 1992). This group gave emerging singers a platform on which to perform and funds to further their studies. The now very established performers who benefitted from the 3Ds are Grant Doyle, Gisele Blanchard, Catriona Barr, Teresa La Rocca, Ben Rasheed and many others. Afternoon teas at Pilgrim Church were legendary. She also acted as the returning officer for early AGMs, an amiable lady who got on well with everyone and actively supported the State Opera and Friends activities extensively - hence well-deserved the Life Membership I was privileged to “bestow upon her surprised brow” during my presidency. Betty made a consistent effort to drive herself and Joan Young to almost ALL of The Friends’ events in later years, declining our offers to drive her. A genial person, a most likeable and respected lady who loved her glass of red wine. We made sure that in her later years, on entering the Studio with her friend Joan Young, the red wine was poured ready. I’m sure there’s much more to recount of Betty’s involvement in the years of Bill Gillespie’s and Stephen Phillips’ directorships, but enough to say that we will miss her cheery presence. Jan Harris, Past President Page 2 of the State Opera of South Australia Inc GPO Box 2412 Adelaide SA 5001 Friends on the Move – OPERAS IN NEW YORK with Robyn and Dick Leeson For our 2017 trip, Dick and I went to North America. We started in New Orleans, took the train to New York, and then flew to Calgary to enjoy the marvellous mountain scenery of the Canadian Rockies. This report will focus on our time in New York – a great destination for opera lovers. We had visited New York only once previously, in 2011, and managed to see three operas at the Met in the short six days we had there. It had certainly whetted our appetites for more, so this time we stayed for almost two weeks and booked four operas at the Met Opera, two other operas and two concerts. Our first Met opera was Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman. This was a terrific production, well sung and well received by an enthusiastic audience. It was the opening night, but you wouldn’t know it with everyone rugged up against a cold and wet evening. The next night was Don Giovanni, again a lavish production. There is nothing minimalist about Met productions and the work involved in presenting a different one night after night must be immense. The whole setup is impressive, with huge curved staircases and fancy chandeliers. It is a most attractive opera house, even if people don’t dress up as much as they used to. We then had a break from the Met for a few days. Our next opera (or operetta really) was a student production of The Gypsy Baron by Johann Strauss, at the Manhattan School of Music, which was a lot of fun and something we had not seen before. The conductor was ex-Adelaide maestro Kynan Johns. Then there was a brilliant piano recital at Carnegie Hall and a performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers in a church near Times Square. On Sunday afternoon we returned to Carnegie Hall for a concert performance of Handel’s Ariodante, presented by The English Concert with some excellent singers including Joyce DiDonato. The singers actually acted out their parts quite a lot so the lack of full staging didn’t matter. I found the performance quite magical and four hours passed very quickly. To finish our New York stay in fine style we returned to the Met where we really enjoyed Der Rosenkavalier with Renee Fleming in her last appearance as the Marschallin, and the next night, a new opera (for us), Cyrano de Bergerac, by Alfano, starring Roberto Alagna. ENCORE: Another Day in the Hills - Celebrating the Meaning and Magic of Opera On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the hills at Ukaria, Friends & their guests celebrated the Meaning and Magic of Opera. After a welcome glass of sparkling wine, guests moved into the auditorium to hear a wonderful programme of music presented by performers from the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation Young and Emerging Artists Program: Mark Sandon, Musical Director & accompanist; Karina Jay, soprano; Fiona McArdle, mezzo soprano; Courtney Turner, mezzo soprano; and Joshua Rowe, baritone. Between sets, Pauline Brooks OAM, led a lively conversation with our special guests, Gisele Blanchard and Mario Bellanova, principal soloists and Luke Dollman, conductor on the Meaning and Magic of Opera. Pauline posed some questions and each person responded from their own experience. We could have listened to more of their stories, but time was unfortunately short. The group then moved to the alfresco area to enjoy a light lunch of delicious canapes, and drink a glass of wine, revelling in the beautiful surrounds, and talking to their friends.