edition 12 edition In Melba’s Footsteps Covent Garden calls for Emily Edmonds Patrons bring opera into their everyday lives AUTUMN 2 015 Magazine of the Melba Opera Trust Shauntai Batzke, Harold Blair Opera Scholarship The Melba AUTUMN 2015 The Melba AUTUMN 2015 A Note From The 2015 general Manager Melba Page 2 – A Note from the Scholars General Manager – About Melba Opera Trust After 12 editions and 10 years of – 2015 Melba Scholars Melba activity, this will be my final Dame Nellie Melba Scholarship ‘Note from the GM’ for a time. In June Patrick & Vivian Gordon Award Page 3 Jade Moffat – Meet the Scholars I will be ‘retreating to the wings’ – Meet our new Director: to prepare for an entirely different Kate Shelmerdine role – that of new Mum. Amelia Joscelyne Memorial MEET THE SCHOLARS Scholarship Page 4 Whilst I am busy tuning in to a very new I am enormously proud of our singers. ‘performing’ arts company as such and Our ‘Meet The Scholars’ occasion is a highlight of Morgan Balfour Judy Anne Stewart, Margot Lady Burrell, Fleur Gibbs & Glenn Fryer with Nikki Hill – 2015 Scholars – Our Ladies voice, I am delighted to welcome to The successes we continue to share with many Melba Artist performances are our annual calendar and for good reason. With the cast Acting General Manager, Olivia you are testament to their incredible for private clients. However, we have Giglia. Olivia brings to this position a tenacity, commitment and resilience. heard your call and thanks to an exciting our national cohort and a program focussed on Page 5 breadth of arts management experience The road for an aspiring opera singer is new partnership with Melbourne Recital John & Elizabeth Wright-Smith delivering a tailored development approach for – Covent Garden calls for with the artistic understanding of a undeniably tough. Having seen first-hand Centre, we have two wonderful concerts Scholarship Emily Edmonds Bachelor of Music. I know that Olivia the heart-wrenching disappointments scheduled in the Salon later this year each singer, ‘Meet the Scholars’ not only provides is looking forward to connecting with and sacrifices that often underpin (please see details below). Nicholas Tolputt everyone at future Melba events and these successes, I can truly say that our supporters with the opportunity to meet – and Page 6 – 7 Featuring scholars and alumni, these will be a superb champion for our Melba scholars are a source of inspiration. concerts are a new Melba Opera Trust importantly hear – current scholars, but is also one – A Little Legacy Goes a Long Way program. We have developed a framework initiative and we would love for our Joseph Sambrook Opera of the few occasions that the scholars perform In the process of preparing my handover to provide the breadth of skills that scholars to perform to a ‘full house’ Scholarship Page 8 I have enjoyed some reflective moments our singers need in order to propel so please tell your friends. In closing, I together as a group. – 2015 Scholars – Our Gentlemen around the journey and impact of this their careers forward. At the same offer my personal thanks to everyone Jeremy Kleeman dynamic organisation. time, however, success relies on the who has been involved with the Melba, Of the 34 young singers who have individual singer embracing the process including my terrific team in the office. John & Liz Wright Smith with Nicholas Tolputt Kate & Stephen AM Shelmerdine with Page 9 Shauntai Batzke participated in our program, 16 of our and realising the opportunities being I look forward to reading all about the Harold Blair Opera Scholarship & – In Master Class with Daria Masiero presented – a partnership in the truest next exciting chapter in the Spring alumni are successfully establishing Mel & Nina Waters Scholarship – Learning the Art of Ensemble international careers and another 14 sense of the word. edition. This year, over 100 supporters gathered 2015, including several workshops and “The (Melba Opera) Trust has made the friends, but it’s the Melba family that “It’s really wonderful to watch the are engaged professionally with either This culture of partnership extends Shauntai Batzke in the intimate yet grand dining room performances with Australian National transformation from university life into have agreed to make an investment in scholars interact with the supporters. national, state-based or independent beyond the program into our BAROQUE TO BROADWAY Page 10 – 11 of The Australian Club in Melbourne. To Academy of Music (see page 9 for more the industry seamless. I sometimes our exciting futures. For this we have As the night progresses you can see touring opera companies. That is quite community. Over the past six years, the Monday 20 July, 6.00 pm – Supporting the Journey – commence formalities Chair of Melba information) and a partnership with refer to it a bit like an opera finishing a responsibility. If it wasn’t for your the confidence in the scholars growing a remarkable outcome given that our opportunity to read in these pages how a personal approach... Featuring: Margaret Schofield Opera Opera Trust, Robert G Logie-Smith, Melbourne Recital Centre resulting in school. The program allows me to generosity and time we would not be and it’s gratifying to see the enjoyment program began just six years ago. our programs have evolved has inspired Nikki Hill Scholarship & Ruskin Opera addressed the community sharing two concerts in the Salon later this year. continue my opera training but in the sitting here today. We thank you for your the benefactors receive from getting to In 2008 we launched a ‘promise’ that many of you to personally invest in updates of alumni achievements and Of course the feature of the evening most personalized manner. I can choose ongoing support and hope that you will know these impressive young people. Page 12 was founded on an entirely unique helping to ensure the careers of these Jade Moffat Award efforts underway to increase Melba was the 40 minute musical program which vocal teacher, vocal coaches, continue to do so in whichever form It works both ways – the scholars are – Letters from Abroad approach to operatic development: exceptional young people. Brenton Spiteri Nikki Hill Opera Trust’s presence in Sydney. Focus presented by this year’s Melba scholars. language classes and acting courses that possible, to enable young emerging similarly inspired by conversations they balancing professional business know- Thanks to the Melba family, we raised – ‘Twilight in the Garden’: Daniel Carison on building funds for the endowment Artistic Advisor, Sharolyn Kimmorley I want to take part in. It has enabled artists like us with the best chance of have, the impact of the support they are how with artistic development. In $6.5 million for our capital endowment. remains of highest importance and me to grow considerably as an artist creating a career in opera.’ being given becomes more meaningful Melba at Beleura Stefan Cassomenos AM travelled especially from Sydney addition we believed that our most Our goal is $9.5 million which would whilst the endowment has grown from to prepare and accompany the and I have discovered a new found Following the performances, the and they become very motivated!” outstanding young operatic talents provide financial sustainability and RJ Hamer Opera Scholarship $3.5 million to $6.5 million thanks performance – an extension on the confidence.” scholars were able to enjoy a relaxed As always, our event partner, De Bortoli, should be nurtured here, in Australia, to guarantee that the stories of success in Zoe Drummond to donations, pledges and bequests, intensive work she has been undertaking Nikki also offered personal thanks on reception with supporters. For many it was a cornerstone of the occasion. After ensure that they have the best chance the pages of The Melba will continue for AN DIE MUSIK Logie-Smith stressed the importance of with the scholars since they commenced behalf of the scholars: was the first time they were introduced an evening of fine wine and fine music, at establishing a professional operatic future generations of aspiring Australian Tuesday 1 September, 6.00 pm raising another $3 million to achieve full the program in early January. “Knowing that each and every one of to those benefactors behind their it is fair to say a memorable night was career, be that in Australia or overseas. talent. Featuring: sustainability for the program. Opera Society Vocal Scholarship & In a gesture of gratitude, second-time you are supporting us every step of named scholarship. Amy Black highlights had by all. We were – and still are – a small Clearly our journey is not yet complete Alexandra Flood Beleura-Tallis Opera Scholarship Continuing the announcements, General scholar Nikki Hill addressed the audience the way makes it impossible to give up that this is one of the most rewarding organisation with big aspirations and and we ask you to continue your manager, Amy Black, spoke briefly about aspects of the evening. Nicholas Tolputt on behalf of her fellow scholars speaking when we are faced with challenges. It’s a potent legacy to uphold. As a result support, be it through tax deductible Daniel Carison the collaborative projects in store for compellingly about what being a Melba not just our parents and close we now have exceptional young artists donations, an annually pledged gift or Jeremy Kleeman scholar has meant for her: pursuing operatic careers in London, a lasting bequest. Every contribution Stefan Cassomenos New York, San Francisco, Manchester, brings us closer to ensuring that we Munich, Berlin, Switzerland, Salzburg, remain Australia’s premier scholarship Associate Repetiteur Ticket info Lyon, New Zealand and Wales not program for our most promising operatic Stefan Cassomenos to mention Melbourne, Sydney and talent.