The gloriously melodious music of Gounod’s Faust is welcome in any season, but with a cast as superb as the design is extravagant, this production is one of opera’s must-see events of the year.

This is the new production that Sydney audiences have waited for this year, and Opera Australia has not disappointed. Lavish production values, theatrical magic and   a mixed cast of local and international singers combine to give as fully realised a performance of Faust as one could hope to see. It certainly wipes the floor with the current sparse, ill-conceived Met Opera Faust.

The strength of the cast and the scale of the production are all the more appreciated given that the season could have almost rested on the attraction of visiting American tenor Michael Fabiano. Well known to viewers of the Met Opera Live in HD series after his appearance in landmark opera documentary The Audition, Fabiano is on the cusp of being one of the world’s most sought after tenors.

Blessed with a thrilling ring to his powerful tenor voice, Fabiano is also a superb actor and a magnetic stage presence. The reaction of the audience to his first appearance from under the aged make-up was audible, and appreciation only rose from there. In Faust’s big aria “Salut! Demeure chaste et pure” Fabiano demonstrated the soaring power of his voice, which can also hush to a whisper as required. Fabiano charts the journey of Faust from painfully shuffling elder to bright-eyed, reinvigorated youth to desperate, drug-addled degenerate with pinpoint accuracy, garnering full audience sympathy and affection despite the fact that Faust is essentially a selfish, greedy man.

Fast rising Australian soprano Nicole Car conveys a similarly affecting arc for dear Marguerite, taking her from innocent subservient girl to passionate lover to pitiful fallen woman. The luscious tone of Car’s pristine soprano is in top form, and this is a role she could play for many years to come. Car’s gorgeous rendition of “Ah! je ris de me voir si belle en ce miroir (the Jewel Song)” is enhanced by the quality of her acting, as her body language conveys the way Marguerite gradually succumbs to the seductive appeal of the glittering jewels.

Having sung so beautifully individually, anticipation is high for Fabiano and Car’s first duet, “Laisse-moi, laisse-moi contempler ton visage,” as Faust begins his to conquer the virtuous young woman. Duets, and, indeed, the many trio and quartets scenes, are very well balanced, with Maestro Guillaume Tourniaire keep a tight but highly supportive reign over singers and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. The orchestra particularly impresses during the generous servings of ballet music, especially the exciting dance music in act five.

Charles Edwards’ spectacular, large-scale designs bring to mind the new staging of Les Misérables, so it must be noted that this production was designed first (2004 for Royal Opera et al). After a magical transition between the first two acts, from Faust’s chambers to the densely populated streets, it is a little disappointing that the remaining changes are covered with the house curtain. The sets are rich, extensive and highly attractive, completed to a very high standard of polish.

The dark and glossy costume design, by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, is as sumptuous and satisfying as the scenic design. Witty touches abound for the devilish Méphistophélès, who cheekily inserts himself into whatever is playing in each scene.

As Méphistophélès, popular bass baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes does not quite produce the rumbling malevolence of Russian bass Barseg Tunyaman (so memorable in the wonderful VSO Faust of the 1990s) but has a charismatic presence that is appreciated by the audience. Rhodes more than holds his own in duets with Fabiano.

Italian baritone Giorgio Caoduro, fast becoming a very familiar face on the Opera Australia stage, is a noble Valentin, giving an emotional rendition of Valentin’s aria “Avant de quitter ces lieux.”

Young Artist Anna Dowsley creates a sweet and pure characterisation of love-struck youth Siébel, her performance of “Faites-lui mes aveux” comparing most favourably with her more experienced colleagues. Dominica Matthews adds another charming, characterful mezzo role to her impressive repertoire as Marguerite’s easily waylaid guardian Marthe. (Matthews scores a particularly lavish purple dress and elaborate wig to wear as Marthe.)

Chorus singing is reliably excellent, with a special immersive treat coming in the final glorious moments of the opera. The use of multiple actors and dancers add significantly to the visual pageantry.

Fingers are crossed that this production will visit Melbourne in the near future. Meanwhile, four Sydney performances remain in this current season. Opera lovers are urged not to miss Faust.

Faust was reviewed 12pm Saturday 28 February 2015.

Faust plays selected dates at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House until 13 March 2015.

Man in Chair also reviewed Michael Fabiano in Verdi’s I Lombardi in concert in New York.

Photos: Lisa Tomasetti

Lyric Opera of Melbourne’s comic double bill does not quite achieve the polish of previous presentations, but in some ways that is a deliberate choice.

There has been a great deal of recent talk about making opera accessible. Lyric Opera of Melbourne have come up with a unique approach for this season, having the audience enter to a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, with cast and orchestra casually mingling, preparing and warming up. Conductor Pat Miller gives a warm welcoming speech and we are on our way with the first of two gently comic operas.

The first offering is The Spanish Hour (L’heure Espagnole), a one-act opera by Ravel about the revolving bedroom door of the wife of a clockmaker. Torqumada (Daniel Sinfield) goes out to tend the municipal clocks, leaving his wife Concepción (Katrina Waters) to deal with her many admirers. With a slew of lusty men hidden in grandfather clocks, the plot suggests a farce; the leisurely pace, however, does not provide a chance for tension or hilarity to develop. The musicality of the piece is solid and well prepared, but the opera does not ever really take flight. Still, at only 50 minutes, it is a pleasant experience, and Ravel’s score provides a unique musical sound compared to the usual opera classics.

Raphael Wong comes off best in the generally well-matched cast of six, producing a bright, clear sound with his fine baritone voice. Wong’s sturdy build is certainly well suited to Ramiro’s labouring tasks, as he carries the grandfather clocks on and off the stage.

Tenor Nigel Huckle has an appealing freshness as romantic poet Gonzalve. Sinfield again displays a flair for comedy in the all too brief role of the guileless husband. Shoumendu Ganguly gives a characterful performance as lusty middle-aged banker Don Iñigo Gomez.

Mezzo soprano Waters gives her all to the frazzled object of affection, singing and acting the role with flair. She is let down somewhat by Ross Hall’s costume design, which gives her a frumpy appearance unbefitting a woman so superficially lusted after by men. A more glamorous hairstyle or wig would also help to create the visual style the character requires.

The six singers perform with clear diction, and their technical prowess makes the unfamiliar score seem quite effortless.

Miller leads a chamber orchestra of eight musicians, with the appealing percussive elements of the score performed most effectively, and the clarinet adding extra character.

The casual atmosphere continues at interval, as the set is rearranged, musicians move into new positions and performers pause for photos with the audience.

Puccini’s comic masterpiece Gianni Schicchi is a far more well known piece, and its inherent quality gives the second half of the program more appeal. It is a novelty to hear it paired with another light opera, rather than after dramatic heavyweights Il tabarro and Suor Angelica as part of Puccini’s Il Trittico.

The Donati family bickers, backstabs and bewails at the deathbed of wealthy old Buoso, a role that is cast with a fun bit of audience participation. Hearing the work in English aids the humour of the morality tale, as fast-thinking neighbor Gianni Schicchi teaches the avaricious family a hard lesson about the wages of their greed. The orchestra is reduced to six players, with harmonium contributing a pleasing, authentic sound to the score. Miller keeps a firm grasp on the multiple overlapping vocal lines, allowing the delightful music to be appreciated with clarity.

The cast expands to 14 for Gianni Schicchi, and while the performers are not quite as well matched, there is still plenty to enjoy.

As Schicchi’s darling daughter Lauretta, young soprano Rebecca Rashleigh shines in the evening’s best-known aria “Oh, my dear papa (O mio bambino caro).” James Payne is a lively presence as the scheming Schicchi.

Co-directors Nicholas Cannon and Jane Millet have set the work in present day, and while this means it does not make all that much sense for people to be coveting a mule, the link of the mule (played by guest-star Milky White) between the two operas leads to some nice comic moments.

Hall’s costumes create suitably garish mishmash of Eurotrash. His one odd choice here is for romantic male lead Rinuccio (Nick Renfree-Marks), whose skintight shirt and trousers make him look greedy like the others rather than a wholesome match for Lauretta.

Double bill The Spanish Hour and Gianni Schicchi plays at Chapel off Chapel until 19 March.

MSO presents a lustrous performance of Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust, in which the superb orchestra, soloists and choirs create a whole that is greater than the not inconsiderable sum of its parts.

The mighty MSO, international soloists, and a choir more than 100 strong combined to bathe Hamer Hall in a shimmer of glorious music. Best heard as a concert, but rarely heard at all in Australia, The Damnation of Faust is two concentrated hours of rapturous music in which each melodic invention is more beautiful than the last.

In the opening minutes, as Faust sings of the beauty of spring, the music is so evocative that it takes several minutes to realise that there are no surtitles. Softly illuminated house lights allow the excellent program notes to be referenced during the concert, and the clarity of musical expression does the rest.

Berlioz’s extraordinary music gives the orchestra has manifold opportunities to demonstrate its supple versatility, as the score charts its way through prayers, military parades, drinking songs and romantic arias and duets. The orchestra shines throughout, but none more so than in various musical interludes such as the charming “Dance of Sylphs” in part two and the frenzied “the Ride to the Abyss” in the final stretch of part four.

Maestro Sir Andrew Davis channels his passion for the score into coaxing the loveliest of playing from the musicians, particularly in pianissimo phrases. Davis’ extensive knowledge of the music allows him to bring out the full colour and richness of Berlioz’s concepts. Davis’ utter confidence with the tempi and the range of styles facilitates seamless transitions within each of the four “parts” of the opera. Each of the first three parts builds to a big finish, and Davis ensures that soloists, choir and orchestra are perfectly balanced, with each aspect of the complex music blending to a distinct yet impeccably cohesive whole.

While Bryn Terfel is the big name drawcard to this event, English tenor Andrew Staples proves an absolute revelation as Faust. Staples lovingly caresses the French lyrics, demonstrating wonderful phrasing and diction along the way. His tireless tenor has a sweet purity that is an absolute pleasure to hear. The strength of his sound comes from faultless support of breath, completely avoiding any tendency of the kind of high volume that verges toward shouting. In the absence of a director for the concert, Staples still manages a good amount of interaction with his colleagues so as to enhance the storytelling. His rendition of “Invocation to nature” is a highlight of the evening.

Charismatic bass-baritone Terfel is in his element as the mischievous Méphistophélès, a character whose wily charm masks his sinister malevolence. Terfel sings the role with effortless flair, deftly switching from lively pieces such as “Song of the flea” to more sonorous and seductive music such as “Here are roses.” Terfel presents as a top class artist who is not only in full control of his talent but also conveys an infectious thrill in his love of performing.

The stage receives a touch of glamour after interval, as Croatian mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupić make an auspicious Australian debut. Projecting a serene and gracious manner, Pokupić’s singing characterises Marguerite’s intoxicating beauty, and she also captures the fragility of the innocent heroine. Pokupić starts off gently with Marguerite’s aria “The King of Thule,” and reaches full flight with the Romance “Love’s Burning Flame.”

As part three reaches its finale, Faust and Marguerite’s duet expands to a trio with Méphistophélès, and when the choirs join in as well, the effect is absolutely thrilling.

Australian bass Shane Lowrencev gives a solid cameo performance as student Brander, whose song “Song of a rat” ends with a wickedly ironic grand “Amen.”

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus is joined by Men of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs to create a vast massed chorus. MSO Chorus master Jonathan Grieves-Smith and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs music director Brett Weymark have clearly made excellent preparation with their singers, particularly with French enunciation. The chorus certainly has no difficulty in singing the roles of angels.

Speaking of angels, Melbourne mezzo Dimity Shepherd has a heavenly cameo in the final moments of the night.

Surtitles may have aided audience accessibility, and the soloists definitely needed music stands, but these are the smallest of quibbles after a glorious evening of world-class music.

MSO presents The Damnation of Faust once more at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne at 8pm on Saturday 21 March 2015. The performance will be broadcast live on ABC Classic FM.

The The Damnation of Faust program can be read online.

Man in Chair reviewed Bryn Terfel and Lisa McCune in MSO’s Broadway Classics.

Photos: Daniel Aulsebrook

In a ravishing display of the depth of her extraordinary talent, American soprano Latonia Moore outshines camels, fireworks and dancing girls to walk away with the fourth annual Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. Playing the title role of Aida means that, fortunately, the show is already hers for the taking.

Now an established, and highly anticipated, annual event, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour finally presents inevitable outdoor spectacle Aida, camels and all. Equal parts social and cultural event, the hospitality, ambience and twilight setting are all second to none. Many visitors to Sydney are attracted to see an opera inside the Opera House, but when used instead as a backdrop, along with its iconic bridge partner, the effect is utterly magical.

Experienced director Gale Edwards has delivered a far more interesting and engaging production than the superficial flashiness of 2013’s Carmen, Edwards shows great respect for the intimate love triangle at the heart of Aida, allowing the many personal and poignant moments to breathe undisturbed on the massive stage. Using light and colour to make the performers feel vividly close, Edwards successfully achieves the miracle of establishing an affecting bond between performer and audience despite the massive size of the 3000-seat arena. In short, Edwards delivers an operatic experience over and above a stadium experience.

In a modern, but generally nondescript, period, the crumbling façade of Queen Nefertiti keeps an eye over a fortress of sorts, which is stashed full of golden treasures and barrels of fuel. Designer Mark Thompson has balanced the grand and the functional, providing a vast playing space that gives plenty of room for Edwards to stage the requisite eavesdropping, spying and furtive glancing that can seem cramped and unrealistic on a regular stage.

Nefertiti rotates to have a look at the city skyline reveal a mighty altar for the return of the conquering Egyptian army. In a well-considered touch, Edwards offsets the avaricious procession of the spoils of war with two long rows of the coffins of fallen Egyptian soldiers. The cruelty of war is also seen when Radamès is kept onstage for his trial, during which he is held by long ropes and summarily tormented.

The performance space works brilliantly in all scenes except the very last, in which a mess of haze and lights leaves only those familiar with the plot capable of recognising the scene as supposedly representing an underground tomb. One other curious misfire is a rectangular frame that rises in the trial scene and seems to serve no purpose other than to partially spoil the sightlines.

Thompson distinguishes the four acts through use of colour, significantly aided in this regard by the lighting design of Matt Scott. From regal reds and golds to dusky violets and blues, the palette is played out through the lighting and costumes to create rich visual appeal. Thomson’s costumes are sumptuously lavish on a grand scale. The colour-drenched African fabric for Aida, and fellow slaves, is stunning. Ina a humorous touch, the ladies of Amneris’ court have clearly taken the western-style of dressing too far, looking like Southern belles on steroids. The mix of periods in military uniforms is somewhat confusing, but presumably this is a deliberate choice. Mention must be made of Ramfis’ giant cobra headpiece, which is as witty as it is terrifying.

Choreographer Lucas Jervies fills the stage with movement at key moments, but his level of invention does not begin to approach that of Edwards and Thompson, leaving the dance as rather irrelevant overall.

Maestro Brian Castles-Onion balances the oversized stage spectacle with a sensitive, nuanced performance of Verdi’s immortal score from the augmented Australia Opera and Ballet Orchestra. Castles-Onion has clearly put meticulous preparation into the music and this pays off handsomely.

Sound, by Tony David Cray, is clear and strong for the most part, but verges on the loud and slightly harsh at times. Reproduction of multiple voices at once is more of a challenge. This quality may be corrected as the season progresses.

Chorus work, lead by Anthony Hunt, is reliably well prepared.

Moore is in wondrous form as passionate slave/princess Aida. In “Ritorna vincitor” her voice is strewn with lust and longing, and these colours are further enhanced in Aida’s soaring anthem “O Patria Mia.” Finally, Moore achieves the sound of an angel as Aida prepares for death with the man she adores. Above all the glitz and glamour, this production is worth attending just to hear Moore in this role.

In a well-matched stage partnership, Milijana Nikolic gives an extremely impressive and exciting performance as Aida’s bitter rival Amneris. Radiating a magnetic presence, Nikolic is never anything short of compelling, and her sterling mezzo-soprano is a true pleasure to hear.

Trailing these dazzling female leads is the lackluster performance of visiting tenor Walter Fraccaro. Clearly experienced in the role, and with a reasonable amount of lungpower, Fraccaro nonetheless has an unsettling tendency to wobble very slightly on the notes. The amplification does him no favours in terms of producing an attractive sound. Worst of all, Fraccaro seems to “phone in” his performance, making no effort for any sort of chemistry with Moore. To have this performer on the stage while excellent Australian Radamès Rosario La Spina sits in the audience is a curious and disappointing situation.

Fine bass David Parkin pours forth in rich, resounding tones as high priest Ramfis (he of the cobra headdress). Michael Honeyman gives a commanding performance as Aida’s father Amonasro, lifting the stage energy from his first appearance. Eva Kong distinguishes herself as the High Priestess.

As a fully realised piece of entertainment, Aida is sure to be embraced by all but the most die-hard opera purists, and is set to continue the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour of introducing newcomers to the magic and majesty of grand opera. Miss it at your peril.

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour Aida plays at Mrs Macquarie’s Point, Sydney until 26 April 2015.

Man in Chair has also reviewed Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour:

La Traviata

Carmen

Madama Butterfly

Photos: Prudence Upton

Five superb lead singers distinguish Met Opera’s revival of the 2010 co-production of Verdi’s epic drama Don Carlo.

Rising tenor Yonghoon Lee looks set to take the next step to fame after an electrifying performance in the title role. On stage alone to open the show, Lee absolutely nails Carlos’ big aria “Io la vidi.” The crowd roars their approval, and the tone is set for a glorious night of music.

Visibly relaxed after the successful beginning, Lee beams with confidence throughout, and the stage energy noticeably lifts in his every scene. A key strength of Lee’s tenor is the even tone between mid-range and high notes; he soars up and down his register with no change of vocal style. Coupled with the wonderfully romantic sound he produces, this is a voice to treasure.

For this co-production (shared with Royal Opera and Norwegian Opera and Ballet), Nicholas Hytner has the ingenious concept of using lavish, detailed period costumes against clean, post-modern, stylised interpretations of the settings. The striking effect begins with a stark white winter forest, where a hunting party in gorgeous midnight blue is seen. From there, designer Bob Crowley using a dramatic palette of blacks, reds and gold. Lighting designer Mark Henderson keeps the actors clearly seen but using plenty of shadow for added menace. The climactic reveal of the burning heretics behind the giant cloth showing Christ’s passion is a particular highlight in the lighting effects.

Revival stage director J. Knighten Smith tempers the energy of the surging crowd scenes with the quiet stillness of the interplay between lead characters.

Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in a pristine performance of the score. Sweet playing from the strings contrasts nicely with the occasional booming effects required from the brass. Wherever possible, Nézet-Séguin enjoys bringing out the playful sequences of the music.

Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is well established in the role of tormented King of Spain, Philip II. After the heightened activity of act three, Furlanetto’s performance of “Ella giammai m’amò” is a masterclass in quiet introspection. Such is his level of control, the booming bass voice flows out powerfully with little sign of effort from Furlanetto.

The subsequent duet with James Morris, as The Grand Inquisitor, doubles the thrill with a pair of basses singing together.

In supremely fine voice, Dmitri Hvorostovsky runs the gamut as Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa, moving from loving friend to scheming ally, to courageous soldier, to fearful mortal. Perfectly matched by Lee, the pair delivers a brilliant rendition of the friendship duet “Dio, che nell’alma infondere.” Hvorostovsky’s scene with Furlanetto at the end of act two, as Posa cultivates the King’s confidence, displays the intensity and spark that are hallmarks of his work. A performer more accustomed to displaying such bravado, Hvorostovsky transforms his acting style as Posa faces death, matching this with an extraordinary change in vocal technique to communicate Posa’s wavering courage. This final scene of Hvorostovsky’s was extremely affecting.

Italian soprano Barbara Frittoli has a sweet and gentle style that is well suited to roles such as Micaëla and Mimi. As Elisabeth, in love with Don Carlos but forced to marry his father Philip II, Frittoli lacks a certain fire and presence. She is wonderful, however, in scenes calling for tenderness, such as Elisabeth’s fond farewell to her lady-in-waiting: “Non pianger, mia compagna.”

As the glamorous Princess of Eboli, Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova is ideally cast. Her Veil Song “Nel giardin del bello” is a charmingly feminine delight after all the male-centred action to that point. Gubanova also impresses in the act three trio with Lee and Hvorostovsky, scoring extra points for playing the scene so straight despite the melodramatic developments that occur.

A special mention goes to the six men playing the Flemish Deputies, whose singing is notably excellent.

Even at 270 minutes (including two intervals), the time fairly flies by as the combined efforts of Verdi and the production team and cast deliver a thrill a minute. The Met has served the piece extremely well by assembling such sterling singers for this revival.

Don Carlos was reviewed at Metropolitan Opera House, New York 7pm Monday 30 March 2015. It plays selected dates until 25 April 2015.

Photos: Simon Parris

Placido Domingo and James Levine, a pair of sentimental favourites and masterful talents, draw much audience affection at Met Opera’s revival of Ernani.

A sequel, of sorts, to current stablemate Don Carlo, Verdi’s Ernani is essentially the tale of a soprano pursued by a tenor, baritone and bass. Elvira loves Ernani but is forced to marry her uncle, de Silva, and is also pursued by no less than Don Carlo, King of Spain.

Verdi’s fifth opera is a terrific example of his melodic skill, his love of pulsing choruses and his innate knack for the overall theatricality of setting stories to music. The opera features a wealth of wonderful, instantly accessible arias that are both its strength and its downfall. The action is restricted by stopping for aria after aria, and never builds up any pace or excitement.

Coupled with this is the dreary stage direction by Peter McClintock, which features little more than a static stand-and-sing style. Chorus direction is even drearier, with their lack movement at odds with the rousing music they are often singing.

Pier Luigi Samaritani ‘s production originated in 1983 and, while it is designed on a suitably grand, sweeping scale, it is no surprise that the staging is highly traditional in execution. Act three features probably the most exciting visual, with a life-size statue of a horse and knight above a tomb, around which a staircase curves up to dizzying heights.

Having been designed by Peter J. Hall, costumes are reliably lavish, detailed and historically evocative.

Fortunately, the evening is well and truly elevated by the virtuosic singing of the four lead performers and chorus.

Italian tenor Francesco Meli, as Ernani, sings with a consistently thrilling tone that many tenors produce just for high notes. Meli exhibits crisp Italian diction, his singing also characterised by the way he lovingly caresses romantic phrases. Meli’s tenor rings out over the large male chorus at the end of act two as Ernani agrees to take his life when de Silva sounds the not-so-happy hunting horn.

As leading lady Elvira, American soprano Angela Meade demonstrates exquisite control of dynamics, and adorns key phrases with gorgeously attractive ornamentals. In ensemble pieces, Meade’s luscious soprano rings out over the entire chorus. Meade maintains a focused, gracious presence as the saintly Elvira, never allowing a hint of melodrama into proceedings.

Legendary vocalist Plácido Domingo remains a wonder, the voice an incredible case study in vocal preservation. His role of Don Carlo is a younger man and even though his hair, eyebrows and goatee need to be coloured black, the man himself still provides plenty of virility in his own right. Domingo’s singing still has the characteristically expressive tone, but the power is not quite on par with his three colleagues. At the opening of three, as Carlo waits to see if he will be named Roman Emperor, Domingo’s rendition of cavatina “Oh, de’ verd’anni miei” is a lovely highlight of the night.

Ukrainian Dmitry Belosselskiy unleashes his mighty bass as the nefarious Don Ruy Gómez de Silva. Belosselskiy has a particularly pure and unwavering tone that rings out strong and clear. He plays the villain completely straight, as a man who simply believes that he a right to a beautiful young maiden and all others can be damned.

Beloved maestro James Levine rises to the warmest of welcoming applause, and leads the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in a confident, rousing and splendid rendition of Verdi’s rhythmic, melodious score.

Ernani was reviewed at Metropolitan Opera House, New York 7.30pm Tuesday 31 March 2015. It plays selected dates until 11 April 2015.

Photos: Simon Parris

Soaring sets and grand pageantry distinguish the Met’s Aida, a production that holds up strongly in repeat viewings.

The evening began with the warmest possible welcome for conductor Plácido Domingo, the original Radamès when this production premiered in 1988. Domingo’s intricate knowledge of the music allows him to project a cheerful, relaxed vibe. His musically assured touch with the baton, draws fine, delicate playing, particularly from the strings.

Marco Berti is a solid, masculine Radamès, presenting an implacable front to the brave and ambitious warrior. In “Celeste Aida,” Berti reveals a power that supports his high notes with ease, although this strength comes at a slight cost of beauty to the voice. He tirelessly maintains this vocal strength all night, but also remains rather stiff in terms of acting the role.

Oksana Dyka has a regal presence as the disguised Ethiopian princess Aida. She sings “Ritorna Vincitor” as a tremulously gentle prayer, her delicate volume conveying the barely contained fear of a woman who dreads the thought that her lover may not return from war. “O Patria Mia” is equally lovely, perhaps even sweeter When singing opposite Berti and Mark Delavan (Amonasro) in act three, however, Dyka’s volume is not sufficient and the character loses impact. Overall, Dyka’s exquisite vocal expression partly counters her lack of facial and physical expression, but her performance develops little engagement with the audience. Dyka and Berti display precious little chemistry as the ill-fated lovers.

Act Two is the big showcase in any presentation of Aida, and this staging is certainly no exception. Gianni Quaranta’s set are at their most epic, with the procession in scene two lit beautifully by Gil Wechsler to give a sense of outdoor sunshine. The transition from Amneris’ apartment to the public square features a dazzling trick as the apartment sinks into the floor, bringing a phalanx of spear carriers down to stage level. A massive cast, plus a handful of beautifully groomed horses, processes in triumphant celebration of Egypt’s defeat of the Ethiopians.

Alexei Ratmansky provides two impressive sets of choreography in act two. Dancers Christine Hamilton and Bradley Shelver perform a frisky pas de deux to entertain Amneris in her chambers (she is even moved to a pleasant smile). After the Triumphal March, Ratmansky presents a set of female and male dancers moving lightly and briskly in ever changing formations. This highly entertaining sequence is almost like watching the whole act of a ballet in fast-forward.

Violeta Urmana sports a crafty smile as the pampered princess Amneris. Urmana has excellent projection of her mezzo-soprano, and it rings out clearly, even when singing with the entire company. As the opera progresses, Urmana goes on to give the most compelling performance of the lead cast. Her impassioned work in the final act, as Amneris awaits the judgment in Radamès’ trial, is particularly moving.

Štefan Kocán displays his smooth, powerful bass as Ramfis. Mark Devalan adds significantly to the drama as Amonasro, imprisoned father of Aida.

Chorus master Donald Palumbo has clearly made thorough preparation for the performance. The male choristers impress with their pianissimo work in act one. The loveliest of voices are heard in the female chorus at the beginning of act two, as the women keep Amneris company.

Despite the excellent singing, the lack of dynamic performances creates an underwhelming experience of the drama. This season of Aida is mainly worth attending for the music and the spectacle.

Aida was reviewed at Metropolitan Opera House, New York on opening night, 8pm Thursday 9 April 2015. It plays selected dates until 20 April 2015.

Photos: Simon Parris

Moffat Oxenbould’s cherished production of Madama Butterfly goes out in high style with sublime soprano Hiromi Omura giving an exquisitely calibrated tour de force performance.

Emanating a vibe that is the antithesis of the stereotypical opera diva, Omura simultaneously commands attention whilst also maintaining a demure and serene grace. Omura’s silken soprano pours forth in shimmering waves, conveying the spectrum of Butterfly’s modesty, anticipation, joy, fear and heartbreak. Such is Omura’s tireless stamina, at evening’s end she seems like she would be able to start at the beginning and sing it all over again.

Enhancing Omura’s rich vocal colour is her highly expressive countenance. The suspension of disbelief required to see Omura as a teenager is simple given the way she beams first with innocent radiance and then with the ecstasy of first love. Omura is particularly convincing in portraying Butterfly’s resolute mania as the deluded young woman steadfastly awaits the return of her American “husband.” Finally, the beaming face crumbles to ashen despair as the realization sinks in that Pinkerton is not returning to her.

This production has fit the company like a glove, which is due, in small part, to its collective three-year creation process. One of the few stagings to successfully expand to capaciously fill the State Theatre stage, the production has been a failsafe introduction to opera for newcomers as well as an ongoing regular audience favourite.

As pristine as when first seen 18 years ago, the invention and stunning beauty of Peter England and Russell Cohen’s designs remains rarely matched on the world opera stage. Floating candles, cascading petals and twinkling stars grace the elegant wood paneled floor, textured dark green walls and broad moat, the picture completed with the rainbow of billowing jewel-toned costumes.

Maestro Guillaume Tourniaire supports Omura’s superb vocals with a splendid performance from Orchestra Victoria. Such is the effortless ebb and flow of dynamics and rhythm, Puccini’s time-honoured score seems to take on the qualities of a soundscape, with waves of percussive bells and magical harp giving way to emphatic brass fanfares and melodic strings.

The significant experience of the lead and featured cast in their roles adds weight to the drama. The cast projects a strong sense of trust and shared instincts in their ensemble performances.

Tenor James Egglestone projects a sexual energy as the lustful Pinkerton, and gives the character’s selfish disregard for young Butterfly a subtle edge of regretful concern. His mid-range voice in fine form, Egglestone appeared to have some tightness and discomfort with high notes on opening night.

Sian Pendry has developed beautifully in the role of Butterfly’s devoted companion Suzuki, finding layers of gentle compassion, shared joy and crushing despair in the character’s journey. Pendry’s rich, full mezzo-soprano voice is a lovely complement to Omura’s silvery soprano, and duet work from the pair is a dream.

With sprightly movement and mockingly deferential body language, Graeme Macfarlane deftly realises many a comic touch in the role of self-serving marriage broker Goro, also singing the role with understated flair. As US Consul Sharpless, Michael Honeyman lives up to his surname, his rich, warm baritone having a charmingly seductive tone.

Sterling bass Jud Arthur gives an energetically commanding cameo as Butterfly’s outraged uncle, The Bonze. Baritone Samuel Dundas effectively captures the calm majesty of Butterfly’s spurned suitor, Prince Yamadori.

Hiromi Omura’s world class performance is simply not to be missed, and this production of Madama Butterfly is to be revered one last time.

Madama Butterfly plays selected dates at State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne until 30 May 2015.

Photos: Jeff Busby

In a staging that is as magnificent as it is ingenious, director David McVicar breathes fresh life into trusty favourite Don Giovanni.

Robert Jones’ epic stage design, seen first in the smaller Joan Sutherland Theatre last year, looks just as grandly impressive in the State Theatre. Chalky black and grey marble columns and walls soar to great heights overhead, with an ongoing array of sliding and flying set pieces creating a seamless flow between scenes. A patch of blue sky behind a graveyard is the only flash of colour for the evening in this richly textured, grayscale design. The centrepiece of the staging is a seemingly endless staircase, which slowly, and very satisfyingly, lowers into place.

Given that the opera’s finale see the Don make his descent into the depths of hell, the staircase brings a suggestion that the characters are already in the underworld, which is a hazy hell of their own making. Reflecting the class distinctions of the time, there is also a suggestion of “below stairs” drama, where “upstairs” is only glimpsed through broken rickety slats. In addition to the rear graveyard setting, Jones’ has strewn the sides of the stage with ominous piles of skeletons and skulls, keeping the spectre of death ever present.

In a brilliant twist on the traditional living statue of the slain Commendatore, Don Giovanni and his manservant come across The Commendatore’s sculpted tomb, where the Don makes the foolhardy error of pushing the tomb lid ajar when recklessly inviting the dead man to dinner. The silhouette that marks the arrival of the ghoulish dinner guest is just one of the striking effects of David Finn’s expert lighting design.

When the walking dead Commendatore opens the bowels of hell, a ghastly gaggle of ghouls pours forth, with the female demons in particular appearing to represent the Don’s past catalogue of sins.

Maestro Anthony Legge presides over an exacting rendition of Mozart’s glorious score from Orchestra Victoria. What the Mozartian-sized orchestra lacks in oomph it more than makes up for in exquisite detail, with the sharing of musical motifs across and around the pit heard with distinct and very pleasing clarity. Special mention, also, to the exacting work of Siro Battaglin on Fortepiano.

It is pleasing indeed to see such a talented cast comprised entirely of local singers. Taking over duties from McVicar, who directed the Sydney premier last year, revival director Matthew Barclay respects the text, eliciting controlled, respectful performances from the cast. The use of space and height and the creation of new locations within what is basically a single set are both nothing short of superb.

It could be said that Teddy Tahu Rhodes owns the role of Don Giovanni in Australia, with the reasons behind this in full evidence this season. Rhodes nails the Don’s swagger and self-grandeur, and delivers his oily lies, excuses, seductions and manipulations with earthy charisma. Rhodes’ deliciously burnished baritone is in mellifluous form, and, if his diction leaves just a little to be desired, his deep, rich tone is such a pleasure to hear, and so perfect for the character, that it really does not matter.

Shane Lowrencev gives his best comic performance to date, finding delightful layers of humour in the text and situations without even a hint of mugging for laughs. In an opera full of rape, murder and adultery, Lowrencev’s Leporello is a welcome relief. Lowrencev’s nimble bass is heard to great effect in the catalogue aria “Madamina, il catalogo è questo.”

Of the three female objects of Don Giovanni’s desire, Taryn Fiebig acquits herself most impressively, with her gently floating soprano sounding particularly angelic. Zerlina and Don Giovanni’s duet “Là ci darem la mano” is a true highlight of act one, and Fiebig’s rendition of act two aria “Vedrai carino” is utterly charming.

Australia’s first lady of opera, Emma Matthews, demonstrates her celebrated acting skills playing sympathetic heroine Donna Anna. Matthews’ voice seemed not at its full strength on opening night; her trademark vocal trills, however, were as wonderful as ever, particularly in act two aria “Non mi dir.”

Jane Ede is in fine voice as Donna Elvira, delivering a lovely performance of act two aria “Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata,” but does not quite manage to put a distinct stamp on the characterisation of the obsessed lover.

John Longmuir impressed mightily as Don Ottavio last year, and while the luxurious tone of his tenor voice was still heard in abundance at the Melbourne opening, his breath support seemed shallow, leading to a somewhat shaky sound.

Jud Arthur delivers a spine tingling performance as the Commendatore, his commanding bass causing hairs of the neck to stand on end.

Melbourne audiences who think they have already seen all Rhodes has to offer as the Don (based on the popular previous production) are strongly encouraged to experience this tremendous staging, the first of a trilogy of Mozart productions from McVicar. The Marriage of Figaro’s Melbourne November premiere is highly anticipated.

Don Giovanni plays selected dates at State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne until 30 May 2015

Photos: Jeff Busby

Verdi’s grandest opera is given the meticulous and magnificent treatment it deserves in this most welcome revival, the glittering centerpiece of this very well received Melbourne Autumn season.   Beginning and ending in an ornate mausoleum, the spectre of death looms heavily in this examination of the constrictive effect of the intertwined forces of church and state on personal freedom and love. The lengthy running time gives ample breathing space for characters and audience alike to ponder the life and death dilemmas and decision faced by the sixteenth century Spanish royal court.

The opera is performed in Italian (despite use of the French title) in the four-act version, which removes the prologue-like first act that shows Carlos and Elisabeth falling in love before her hand is claimed by Carlos’ father, King Phillip. Fortunately, Carlos’ big aria, “Io la vidi,” is moved from the original act one, when he first sees Elisabeth, to become a recollection of that moment in the first act of this version.

Fast becoming a popular fixture on the Opera Australia stage, Mexican tenor Diego Torre plays his sixth lead role as the title character, again demonstrating the unflinching power of his mighty tenor voice. While singing with great strength, Torre’s physical performance expertly conveys the powerlessness of the heir to the throne and the utter futility of his romantic attraction to his father’s wife. Acting performances are excellent all round, an attribute due, in no small part, to the presence of original director Elijah Moshinsky, who has returned to helm this revival of his 1999 staging. Understanding the power of stillness, Moshinsky eschews unnecessary action for calm, focused scenes, in which the singing and acting talents of his cast are afforded full attention.

More than a simple scenic design, Paul Brown’s work on the settings contains many aspects that are closer to works of art than backdrops. The looming green marble of the mausoleum contorts to create the interim scenes before returning for the finale, in which the painful figure of deceased Charles V makes a final ominous visit. The most ingenious aspect of Brown’s designs is the use of intricately detailed panels and sculpture that clearly represent the people’s use of art to display, remember and celebrate their history, ethics and culture. These pieces are absolutely fascinating, and make one long to go on stage and view the works as if in a museum display.

Brown’s costumes are similarly highly impressive, with acres of luxuriant dark silk in use. The extraordinarily wide dresses are seen in their highly decorative splendour whilst also conveying the cumbersome restrictions they made to women’s freedom while supposedly protecting their virtue. Maestro Andrea Licita took a few extra moments at this performance to carefully focus the attention of the musicians before they embarked on Verdi’s score. At 225 minutes with only one interval, the epic challenge is met by Orchestra Victoria with high honours. The brass players, in particular, retain plenty of oomph for forte fanfares right to the end.

Chorus master Anthony Hunt’s preparation of the Opera Australia Chorus is reliably excellent. The Chorus has a real showcase at the end of act three, and the sound emanating from the stage was nothing short of magnificent.

José Carbó is in excellent form as Carlos’ close ally Rodrigo, impressing particularly with Rodrigo’s final aria, “Per me giunto è il dì supremo.” Torre and Carbó enjoy the most hummable tune of the opera, the stirring friendship duet, “Dio, che nell’alma infondere.” Tall and fit, Italian bass Giacomo Prestia brings a commanding virility to aging king Phillip II. After the grand pageantry of the Auto-da-fé, seen just before interval, Prestia’s introspective rendition of “Ella giammai m’amò” is masterful in the use of silence and stillness.

Clearly on her way to becoming an operatic superstar, Serbian-born mezzo-soprano Milijana Nikolic (now an Australian resident) gives another stunning performance as the exotic aristocrat Princess Eboli. As in her recent standout performance as Amneris in Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour Aida, Nikolic matches the glorious sound of her voice with a magnetic, intelligently detailed acting performance. With such talent, her extraordinary beauty is simply an added bonus. Russian soprano Victoria Yastrebova makes an auspicious Australian debut as the enticing Elisabeth. While her golden soprano is easily of comparable beauty to her colleagues, Yastrebova does not quite cultivate the same presence on stage, perhaps due to her youth. Her rendition of Elisabeth’s final aria, “Tu che le vanità,” is a lovely highlight. Daniel Sumegi looks believably older as the Grand Inquisitor, and, in no mean feat, matches the impressive power and focus of Prestia. David Parkin gives a finely controlled physical performance as deceased Charles V. Special mention to soprano Julie Lea Goodwin, who provides the gorgeous Voice from Heaven.

Don Carlos is an all too rare event that must be seen by Melbourne opera lovers. Don Carlos plays selected dates at State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne until 29 May 2015

Photos: Jeff Busby

In their second annual Culture Project season, Gertrude Opera shares an immersive, highly affecting experience in Benjamin Britten’s Curlew River.

Subtitled A Parable for Church Performance, the alternative venue is not the only change director Linda Thompson and team have made with this work. Written for some 13 male voices, the company has adapted the piece for the singers on hand, strengthening the impact of the central characters significantly.

Seated in the centre of Peter Corrigan’s simple but striking white stage design, seven talented musicians from the Forest Collective play the haunting, driving music. Performing without a conductor, as prescribed by Britten, there are moments of hesitancy, but overall the combined effect of vocal and instrumental music reflects the excellent preparation by Dr David Kram, Pam Christie and Irina Cherkassi. Using the instruments for Britten’s exact arrangements is certainly far more atmospherically effective than a simple grand piano would have been.

The church setting is reflected in the opening and closing hymn-like music, as members of the congregation, so to speak, come forth to disrobe from their winter coats and ritualistically prepare for the performance before returning to their pews afterwards.

Unfortunately, Corrigan’s white skivvies and long johns are not flattering for any body type, but at the least the lead performers are better served with their costumes. The red star worn by each member of the ensemble is a clever modern touch. Anyone who has been to Times Square or Trafalgar Square recently will have seem tour groups all wearing some distinctive unifying symbol. This situation is mirrored exactly when the Ferry Man leads the marching boatful of passengers with his hand high in the air.

French artist Agathe de Courcy gives a highly committed central performance as the madwoman who has lost her young son. de Courcy sings with the power to fill a far larger venue, and immerses herself entirely in the woman’s searing grief. There is a sense of privilege in being there to witness such an intense performance.

Spurned by her fellow passengers initially, the woman undergoes a cathartic experience as the travellers come to understand and respect her grief. The music builds to the point when the voice of her deceased child is heard by all (a lovely solo by Tamzyn Alexander). The journey is completed by a baptism in the river, a cleansing ritual that leaves the woman, in de Courcy’s capable hands, visibly relieved, grateful and exhausted. Ultimately, however, the woman is left alone and desolate, accepted by her fellow man but still without her dear child.

In both her vocal and facial expression, Mezzo-soprano Belinda Brakhoff emanates tender warmth as the Abbot. Adrian McEniery sings with commanding power and authority as the Ferry Man. Owain Browne gives solid, sensitive support as the Traveller.

 Members of the ensemble deliver well-blended vocals, and their focus and expression contribute greatly to the impact of the storytelling.

Curlew River plays at fortyfivedownstairs 30 May – 6 June 2015.

Photos: Lyz Turner-Clark

Celebrating a unique mix of opera, dance, music theatre, plays, live music and more, the 2015 Helpmann Nominations were announced this evening at performing arts venues around Australia. The 2015 Helpmann Awards will be presented live in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre and broadcast live on Foxtel Arts, Monday 27 July 2015 at 7.30pm. Read on for all the nominations, plus a look at surprises, snubs and possible winners.

LPA Chief Executive Evelyn Richardson (above) introduced the annual awards.

Sue Nattrass (above) spoke passionately about the ongoing legacy of conductor Brian Stacey, and introduced this year’s winner of the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Australian Conductors, Jessica Gethin (below).

Todd McKenney (below), who will host the Helpmann Awards ceremony, introduced the evening’s guests who were there to read the nominations.

Amy Lehpamer (below), presented with Colin Lane (below).

Queenie van de Zandt (below),presented with Joel Creasey.

Kate Miller-Heidke (below), presented with Ash Flanders.

Caroline O’Connor (below), presented with Wayne Scott Kermond.

A good number of last year’s nominated musicals, such as Strictly Ballroom, The Lion King, Rocky Horror Show, Sweet Charity and Grease, have continued to play into this year, so the field was always going to wide open for a clean sweep by Cameron Macintosh’s new production of Les Misérables.

Les Misérables earned a whopping 12 nominations, including Best Actor nominations that will see on-stage foes (but off-stage friends) Simon Gleeson and Hayden Tee go head to head.

Independent musicals have continued to thrive, but the Helpmann Awards are contingent of membership of Live Performance Australia, which is mainly held by the larger commercial production companies. The sole representative of small-scale musicals came with a nomination for Best Actress to Helen Dallimore for Blood Brothers.

In addition to Les Misérables, which would seem extremely likely to win Best Musical, other commercial productions nominated for Best Musical are Once, which closed after only presenting a Melbourne season, the newly opened Anything Goes and ongoing tour Dirty Dancing.

Once and Anything Goes both earned nine nominations apiece. With the relatively unique touch of an ensemble cast who played all the score, Once was a likely selection for Best Music Direction. Expected picks aboard the SS American included Caroline O’Connor for Best Actress (a likely winner), Andrew Hallsworth for Best Choreography.

Odd choices here included nominating Madeleine Jones as Girl for Once without her Guy, Tom Parsons. Anything Goes seemed to have the male categories backward, with Todd McKenney nominated for Best Actor for the supporting role of Evelyn while leading man Alex Rathgeber, as Billy Crocker, was nominated as Best Supporting Actor.

Another duo split up by the nominations were the Thénardiers, with Trevor Ashley on the board for Best Supporting Actor but no sign of his fabulous partner in crime Lara Mulcahy.

Dirty Dancing received no acting nominations, but was a worthy selection for Best Choreography.

Coming off a relatively weak year, The Production Company came away with only two nominations: Todd McKenney for Best Actor as Albin/Zaza in La Cage Aux Folles (but not his stage partner Simon Burke as Georges) and Eddie Muliamaseali’I for Best Supporting Actor as Joe in Show Boat. Guys and Dolls, directed by previous winner Gale Edwards and starring previous winner Verity Hunt-Ballard, was completely overlooked.

Lucy Maunder was rewarded with a Best Supporting nomination as Cinderella in Victorian Opera’s Into The Woods, while Queenie van de Zandt was overlooked as The Witch as was Christina O’Neill as The Baker’s Wife.

Opera Australia scored a decent number of acting nominations, with two each for Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Nicole Car. On the brink of stardom, Car is set to make her Covent Garden debut later this year. Sir David McVicar’s productions of Faust electrified Sydney this past summer, and earned nomination for Best Opera and performance nods for visiting US tenor Michael Fabiano as well as Rhode and Car. Hopefully this production will be seen in Melbourne next year.

Italian baritone Claudio Sgura was nominated as the malevolent Scarpia in the return of John Bell’s new Tosca, but his colleagues playing Tosca and Cavaradossi in Melbourne and Sydney seasons were overlooked.

McVicar’s new Don Giovanni scored nominations for Rhodes, in the title role, and Shane Lowrencev as manservant Leporello. Two of the three women romanced by the Don were nominated, Taryn Fiebig and Car, with guest soprano Elvira Fatykhova missing out.

The performance of lustrous soprano Latonia Moore (below, right) in the title role was the only aspect rewarded in Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: Aida. Likewise, Warwick Fyfe was the only nomination for Victorian Opera’s cutting edge presentation of The Flying Dutchman.

MSO’s concert presentation of The Damnation of Faust was a worthy nominee for Best Symphony Orchestra Concert. The complete absence of new original Australian opera The Riders seems a most egregious oversight. Opera Australia’s sensational return of Don Carlos will most likely be entered next year, based on its Sydney run later this year.

The most highly nominated opera of the year was Brisbane Baroque’s Faramondo with an impressive haul of eight nominations.

Highly successful, extremely stable arts company The Australian Ballet was all but shut out, with only one nomination, Retiring prima ballerina Madeline Eastoe was nominated for Giselle, a role she will dance in her final performance in July in Adelaide.

INDUSTRY AWARDS

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

ANNA CORDINGLEY

Masquerade, Produced by Griffin Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia.
NSW: Presented by Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House. SA: Presented in association with Adelaide Festival Centre and Windmill Theatre. VIC: Presented by Melbourne Festival. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, Melbourne Festival, State Theatre Company of South Australia and Griffin Theatre Company.

DALE FERGUSON

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

GABRIELA TYLESOVA

The Rabbits, Opera Australia and Barking Gecko Theatre Company, in association with West Australian Opera. Co-commissioned by Perth International Arts Festival and Melbourne Festival.

GARY MCCANN

Faramondo, Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

GEOFF COBHAM

The Philip Glass Trilogy, State Opera Company, South Australia

NICK SCHLIEPER

Macbeth, Sydney Theatre Company

PAULE CONSTABLE

Faust, Opera Australia

PAULE CONSTABLE

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

RACHEL BURKE

Marlin, Produced by Arena Theatre Company, presented by Melbourne Theatre Company

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

CAMERON GOODALL and QUENTIN GRANT

Little Bird, State Theatre Company of South Australia, in association with Adelaide Festival Centre

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE with IAIN GRANDAGE

The Rabbits, Opera Australia

MIKELANGELO and THE BLACKSEA GENTLEMEN

Masquerade, Produced by Griffin Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia

TIM ROGERS

What Rhymes with Cars and Girls, Melbourne Theatre Company

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION

ERIN HELYARD

Faramondo, Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

MARTIN LOWE

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

TIM ROGERS

What Rhymes with Cars and Girls

Melbourne Theatre Company

TIMOTHY SEXTON

The Philip Glass Trilogy

State Opera South Australia

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

DAN POTRA

The Perfect American, Brisbane Festival and Opera Queensland, in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Griffith University.

GEOFF COBHAM

Little Bird, State Theatre Company of South Australia, in association with Adelaide Festival Centre

MARG HORWELL

Marlin, Produced by Arena Theatre Company, presented by Melbourne Theatre Compan

MATT KINLEY

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

BEST SOUND DESIGN

CLIVE GOODWIN

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

JD BRILL, CLAIR GLOBAL and EAGLES

Eagles | History of the Eagles Live In Concert 2015, The Eagles and Frontier Touring

MICHAEL WATERS

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

MICK POTTER

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

AIDAN FENNESSY, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY TIM ROGERS

What Rhymes with Cars and Girls, Melbourne Theatre Company

ARENA THEATRE COMPANY

Marlin, Produced by Arena Theatre Company, presented by Melbourne Theatre Company

JOANNA MURRAY-SMITH

Switzerland, Sydney Theatre Company

NICKI BLOOM with songs and music by CAMERON GOODALL and QUENTIN GRANT

Little Bird, State Theatre Company of South Australia, in association with Adelaide Festival Centre

OPERA AUSTRALIA and BARKING GECKO THEATRE COMPANY, in association with WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA, co-commission by PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL and MELBOURNE FESTIVAL


The Rabbits, Opera Australia and Barking Gecko Theatre Company, in association with West Australian Opera, co- commission by Perth International Arts Festival and Melbourne Theatre

TAMARA SAULWICK

Endings, Sydney Festival and Insite Arts

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

CHET FAKER | NATIONAL TOUR 2015, Chet Faker, Frontier Touring, Artist Voice, Opulent, Future Classics and Perth International Arts Festival

JIMMY BARNES | 30:30 HINDSIGHT GREATEST HITS TOUR 2014, Jimmy Barnes and Frontier Touring, in association with Premier Artists and A Day on the Green

KYLIE | KISS ME ONCE TOUR 2015, Kylie Minogue and Frontier Touring

TINA ARENA RESET TOUR, Tina Arena and New World Artists

BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL

BLUESFEST BYRON BAY, The 26th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay 2015 and Peter Noble

LANEWAY FESTIVAL, Lunatic Entertainment and Chugg Entertainment

VIVID LIVE 2015, Destination NSW and Sydney Opera House

WOMADELAIDE 2015, Ian Scobie

BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

ED SHEERAN | X WORLD TOUR 2015, Ed Sheeran and Frontier Touring

FOO FIGHTERS | SONIC HIGHWAYS WORLD TOUR 2015, Foo Fighters and Frontier Touring

PAUL SIMON and STING – ON STAGE TOGETHER, Paul Simon, Sting and Live Nation

THE ROLLING STONES | 14 ON FIRE, The Rolling Stones, Frontier Touring, AEG Live and IEC Entertainment

OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC

BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA

DAVID MCVICAR

Faust, Opera Australia

DAVID MCVICAR

Don Giovanni, Opera Australia

LEIGH WARREN

Philip Glass Trilogy, State Opera of South Australia

PAUL CURRAN

Faramondo, Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

ANNA DEVIN

Faramondo

Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

ANNA STARUSHKEVYCH

Faramondo, Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

NICOLE CAR

Don Giovanni, Opera Australia

TARYN FIEBIG

Don Giovanni, Opera Australia

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA

CAITLIN HULCUP

Iphigenie en Tauride, Pinchgut Opera

JENNIFER RIVERA

Faramondo, Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

LATONIA MOORE

Aida – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Opera Australia

NICOLE CAR

Faust, Opera Australia

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

CHRISTOPHER LOWREY

Faramondo, Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

SHANE LOWRENCEV

Don Giovanni, Opera Australia

TEDDY TAHU RHODES

Faust, Opera Australia

WARWICK FYFE

The Flying Dutchman, Victorian Opera

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA

ADAM DIEGEL

Madama Butterfly, English National Opera, Metropolitan Opera and Lithuanian National Opera, in association with West Australian Opera and Perth International Arts Festival

CHRISTOPHER PURVES

The Perfect American, Brisbane Festival and Opera Queensland, in association with QPAC and Griffith University

CLAUDIO SGURA

Tosca, Opera Australia

MICHAEL FABIANO

Faust, Opera Australia

TEDDY TAHU RHODES

Don Giovanni, Opera Australia

BEST OPERA

FARAMONDO, Brisbane Baroque, in association with QPAC

FAUST, Opera Australia

MADAMA BUTTERFLY, English National Opera, Metropolitan Opera and Lithuanian National Opera in association with West Australian Opera and Perth International Arts Festival

THE PHILIP GLASS TRILOGY, State Opera South Australia

BEST CHAMBER AND INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT

GOLDNER STRING QUARTET, MUSICA VIVA INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SERIES NATIONAL TOUR 2015,
Goldner String Quartet for Musica Viva Australia

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS and LE JARDIN DES VOIX IN Â JARDIN Ã L’ITALIENNE, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and Perth International Arts Festival

THE SIXTEEN, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House, Perth International Arts Festival, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Australian National University of Music, Llewellyn Hall

STEPHEN HOUGH IN RECITAL, Sydney Symphony Orchestra

BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT

THE DAMNATION OF FAUST, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

MAHLER 3, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

REFLECTIONS ON GALLIPOLI, Australian Chamber Orchestra

TAFELMUSIK’S HOUSE OF DREAMS, Musica Viva

BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE

ASHER FISCH

Beethoven Festival, West Australian Symphony Orchestra

CHRISTIAN TETZLAFF

Christian Tetlaff, Melbourne Recital Centre

EMANUEL AX

The Beethoven Piano Concertos, Sydney Symphony Orchestra

WILLIAM CHRISTIE

William Christie, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House, and Perth International Arts Festival

COMEDY


BEST COMEDY PERFORMER

JUDITH LUCY

Judith Lucy – Ask No Questions of the Moth, Token Events

MATT OKINE

The Other Guy ,Century Entertainment

NAZEEM HUSSAIN

Nazeem Hussain – Legally Brown, Live Nation

RONNY CHIENG

You Don’t Know What You’re Talking About, Century Entertainment

SAM SIMMONS

Sam Simmons – Spaghetti for Breakfast, Token Events

CABARET

BEST CABARET PERFORMER

BECCY COLE and LIBBY O’DONOVAN

The Cowgirl and the Showgirl, Adelaide Festival Centre Trust

CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN

Camille O’Sullivan – Changeling, Arts Centre Melbourne

DAVID CAMPBELL and JOHN BUCCHINO

David Campbell Sings John Bucchino, Luckiest Productions

KIM SMITH

Nova Noir, Adelaide Festival Centre Trust

DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE

BEST BALLET OR DANCE WORK

FRAME OF MIND, Sydney Dance Company

MEETING, Antony Hamilton and Alisdair Macindoe

MOTION PICTURE, Lucy Guerin Inc

PRECIPICE, Rachel Arianne Ogle

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

ANTONY HAMILTON

MEETING, Antony Hamilton Projects, Arts House and Insite Arts

NATALIE WEIR

Natalie Weir’s The Red Shoes, Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre

RAFAEL BONACHELA

Frame of Mind, Sydney Dance Company

STEPHEN PAGE

Patyegarang, Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

CHLOE LEONG

William Forsythe’s Quintett, Sydney Dance Company

ELISE MAY

Natalie Weir’s The Red Shoes, Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre

JESSE SCALES

William Forsythe’s Quintett, Sydney Dance Company

MADELEINE EASTOE

Giselle, The Australian Ballet

BEST MALE DANCER IN A DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

ALISDAIR MACINDOE

Motion Picture, Lucy Guerin Inc

CASS MORTIMER EIPPER

William Forsythe’s Quintett, Sydney Dance Company

DAVID MACK

William Forsythe’s Quintett, Sydney Dance Company

JACK ZIESING

Natalie Weir’s The Red Shoes, Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre

BEST VISUAL AND PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

BEYOND THE CIRCA, Arts Centre Melbourne and Circa

DISLOCATE’S “IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK”, Marguerite Pepper Productions

THE PAPER ARCHITECT, Davy and Kristin McGuire and Perth International Arts Festival

TABAC ROUGE, Produced by Compagnie du Hanneton, presented by Sydney Festival

REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTIONS

BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION

FESTIVAL OF CIRCA, Circa

FOOD, Force Majeure and Belvoir

KELLY, Queensland Theatre Company

SONS & MOTHERS, Performing Lines and No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability

CHILDRENS PRESENTATIONS

BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS, Circa and Queensland Performing Arts Centre

HANS CHRISTIAN, YOU MUST BE AN ANGEL, Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne

PETE THE SHEEP, Monkey Baa Theatre Company

THE RABBITS, Opera Australia and Barking Gecko Theatre Company, in association with West Australian Opera, co- commissioned by Perth International Arts Festival and Melbourne Festival

THEATRE


BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

ANDREW UPTON

Endgame, Sydney Theatre Company

CLARE WATSON

What Rhymes with Cars and Girls, Melbourne Theatre Company

KIP WILLIAMS

Suddenly Last Summer, Sydney Theatre Company

SARAH GOODES

Switzerland, Sydney Theatre Company

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

HELEN THOMSON

After Dinner, Sydney Theatre Company

JULIE FORSYTH

Endgame, Melbourne Theatre Company

PAMELA RABE

Beckett Triptych – Footfalls, State Theatre Company of South Australia, in association with Adelaide Festival

SARAH PEIRSE

Endgame, Sydney Theatre Company

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

JULIE FORSYTH

Night on Bald Mountain, Malthouse Theatre

PAMELA RABE

The Glass Menagerie, Belvoir

ROBYN NEVIN

Suddenly Last Summer, Sydney Theatre Company

SARAH PEIRSE

Switzerland, Sydney Theatre Company

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

BRUCE SPENCE

Endgame, Sydney Theatre Company

GLENN HAZELDINE

After Dinner, Sydney Theatre Company

JOHN BELL

As You Like It, Bell Shakespeare

LASARUS RATUERE

Kill the Messenger, Belvoir

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

HUGO WEAVING

Endgame, Sydney Theatre Company

HUNTER PAGE-LOCHARD

Brothers Wreck, Belvoir

PETER CARROLL

Oedipus Rex, Belvoir

STEVE RODGERS

Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Porn, Griffin Theatre Company and Perth Theatre Company

BEST PLAY

CALPURNIA DESCENDING, Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company

ENDGAME, Sydney Theatre Company

THE GLASS MENAGERIE, Belvoir

SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER, Sydney Theatre Company

MUSICALS


BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL

ANDREW HALLSWORTH

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

KATE CHAMPION and MICHELLE LYNCH

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Love Story on Stage, John Frost

MICHAEL ASHCROFT and GEOFFREY GARRATT

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

STEVEN HOGGETT

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

DEAN BRYANT

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

JOHN TIFFANY

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

LAURENCE CONNOR and JAMES POWELL

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

STUART MAUNDER AM

Into the Woods, Victorian Opera

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

AMY LEHPAMER

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

CLAIRE LYON

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

KERRIE ANNE GREENLAND

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

LUCY MAUNDER

Into the Woods, Victorian Opera

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

CAROLINE O’CONNOR

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

HELEN DALLIMORE

Blood Brothers, Enda Markey Presents

MADELEINE JONES

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

PATRICE TIPOKI

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

ALEX RATHGEBER

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

BRENT HALL

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr, Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

CHRIS DURLING

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

COLIN DEAN

Once, John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr, Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

EDDIE MULIAUMASEALI’I

Show Boat, The Production Company

TREVOR ASHLEY

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

HAYDEN TEE

Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh Australia

SIMON GLEESON

Les Misérables. Cameron Mackintosh Australia

TODD MCKENNEY

Anything Goes, Opera Australia and John Frost

TODD MCKENNEY

La Cage Aux Folles, The Production Company

BEST MUSICAL

ANYTHING GOES Opera Australia and John Frost

DIRTY DANCING – THE CLASSIC LOVE STORY ON STAGE, John Frost, Karl Sydow, Martin McCullum and Joyce Entertainment

LES MISÉRABLES Cameron Mackintosh

ONCE John Frost, Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

2015 HELPMANN AWARDS BESTOWED AWARD

BEST SPECIAL EVENT


PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH ROYAL DE LUXE, The Incredible and Phenomenal Journey of the Giants to the Streets of Perth

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

SUE NATTRASS AWARD^TM:

ERIC ROBINSON

JC WILLIAMSON AWARD®:

PAUL KELLY

THE BRIAN STACEY AWARD 2015 (for emerging Australian Conductors):

JESSICA GETHIN

Photos: #1-10 Simon Parris; #11 Kurt Sneddon, #12, #13, #16 Jeff Busby, #14 Lisa Tomasetti; #15 Prudence Upton

What a difference a tenor makes. Joining 2010 stars Phillip Calcagno and Sally-Anne Russell, lively young tenor Brenton Spiteri completes a terrific trio whose antics are as much of a joy to watch as their singing is a pleasure to hear.

Making a welcome return after five years, Melbourne Opera’s delightfully daffy 2006 production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville remains one of their mostly artistically satisfying. Creative design enhances the humour, and inventive direction creates an unpredictable air that fits the desperate disguises and deceptions of the plot perfectly.

Director Hugh Halliday again presides over the mayhem with a judicious eye, allowing modern references to gain quick laughs without overpowering the original text. If there is a slight lack of polish to proceedings here and there, it is all part of the madcap fun. The humour is outlandish, but is always kept well clear of going over the top. A great many duets are performed straight, relying solely on the wonderful vocal talents of the charismatic singers.

An inspired addition to the modern touches this time is the playing of sneaky snatches of tunes on the keyboard (providing harpsichord sound) during recitative. Dr Bartolo has his very own leitmotif as Mancini’s “Baby Elephant Walk” accompanies his early entrances. From “La Cucaracha” to Mission Impossible to the Pachelbel Canon, these moments are all the funnier for how briefly they are heard. Listen closely for the very witty use of a snippet of Musetta’s “Quando m’en vo” when Rosina claims to have hurt her foot.

Conductor Greg Hocking’s tempi are on the safe side, but this allows Melbourne Opera Orchestra to play Rossini’s cherished score with clear precision. Act two is a little livelier, as musicians and singers alike grow in confidence.

Singing the opera in English is a mixed blessing. Excellent diction facilitates easy understanding of the plot but also tends to highlight the (deliberately) repetitive nature of the libretto.

Anna Cordingley’s two-storey set begins with a fish eye view of the street before rotating to reveal the interior of the residence of cantankerous miser Dr Bartolo. Purple detailing on props stands out attractively against the black and white background. Adapted costuming, not attributed to Cordingley this time, also adds to the visual flair of the production.

Lighting designer Scott Allan makes a nice distinction between daytime and twilight, but struggles to portray the thunderstorm convincingly. The stage is often bathed in rich, warm shades of light.

The romantic warmth of Spiteri’s lovely tenor voice brings to mind the young David Hobson. Spiteri’s pure, clear high notes range from delicate piano to ringing out over the company during ensemble pieces. While his melismatic phrases sound just a little forced, though very accurate, experience will perhaps bring a more relaxed, legato technique. Deftly flipping back and forth from cheeky comic grin to noble romantic expression, Spiteri easily wins the audience’s affection. During Count Almaviva’s final aria, “Hear this! If you resist me now” the audience listen with silent rapt attention, particularly during the a capella section.

Calcagno sparkles with merry confidence as the dapper Figaro, singing the nimble baritone role with deceptive ease. A strong team player, Calcagno enjoys his time in the spotlight but equally allows his castmates to shine. 

Mezzo-soprano Russell is in delightful form as dear Rosina, conveying the comedy with a twinkle in her eye and singing with a golden, expressive tone. When the combination of Russell, Calcagno and Spiteri are in full flight the opera really soars. Singing in English, their work demonstrates the best of what Gilbert and Sullivan were striving for in their comic operettas.

David Gould is once again very funny as doddering Don Basilio (Is Don. Is Good). Slipping in witty asides in different voices, his rumour aria ‘Calumny is a Little Breeze’ is quite hilarious.

Roger Howell is a good sport as the unfortunate Dr Bartolo, cheerfully playing the exasperated straight man to allow the comedy to roll along. Jodie Debono scores with Berta’s breakout aria in act two, “Here’s a man whose years afflict him.”

Terrific fun with a score to match, The Barber of Seville is recommended for newcomers and aficionados alike.

The Barber of Seville plays selected dates at Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne until 3 July, and plays at Alexander Theatre, Monash university on 10 July 2015.

Photos: Robin Hall

A triumphant success, Victorian Opera’s one-night concert presentation of I Puritani was a finely honed musical showcase focused on the splendour and beauty of the voice.

Freed from the trappings of a fully staged production, Bellini’s gloriously melodious music more than stood up to having the spotlight shone directly on orchestra, chorus and soloists.

Maestro Richard Mills prepared a highly polished, evenly balanced performance of the all too rarely staged opera in which each musical element blended perfectly. Performing on stage, Orchestra Victoria again proved to be not only capable of expert operatic accompaniment but also a visually appealing stage orchestra.

The assembled Chorus sang with focus and precision to create a noticeably unified sound. Male chorus brought controlled vigour to Bellini’s military passages, and full choral work was wonderfully appealing in its balance of power and beauty.

The dark copper walls of the Hamer Hall stage gave a decent impression of the Puritan’s fortress setting. Clarity of the plot was aided through free programs and the welcome sight of big, clear surtitles.

The focal point of the concert was the appearance of visiting artists Jessica Pratt and Celso Andres Albelo Hernandez, and these stars certainly did not disappoint, wowing the audience with dazzling vocal artistry.

English soprano Pratt, who lived in Australia from age 12, found ample scope to display her astounding vocal talents in the central role of Elvira. If Pratt’s fiorature has just a slight lack of definition, it is more than made up for in the accuracy and fullness of tone in her middle and upper register. Pratt gave an effortlessly commanding performance that will long be remembered by all those in attendance.

From her first appearance in gently blended quintet “O di Cromvell guerrieri” (sung onstage), Pratt expertly portrayed Elvira’s emotional journey through joy, heartbreak, madness and recovery. As Elvira prepared for her wedding, Pratt delivered the delightful aria “Son vergin vezzosa,” before moving on to the rapid encroach of madness after Elvira asks “Dov’è Arturo?” only to find herself jilted at the altar.

In act two’s famous mad scene, Pratt moves through “Qui la voce … Vien, diletto” in an electrifying display of passionate but expertly controlled singing. Pratt’s exquisite talent with pianissimi in altissimo is but one feature that brought the house down in this extraordinary sequence. A return to the stage for an extra bow was more than warranted, but Pratt had disappeared in to the wings and Mills eventually had to move on with the show.

Pratt’s thorough preparation gave her a familiarity with the role that allowed her to position herself away from the music stands to perform Elvira’s key scenes. A generous colleague and gifted actress, Pratt brought a distinct warmth and presence to the role, interacting with her castmates so as to enhance the storytelling of the concert performance.

Pratt contrasted a cheerfully bright coral gown with a dark verdant green ensemble to bring a touch of glamour to the evening.

Rising Spanish tenor Hernandez began with a momentary hint of nerves before moving on with great confidence to thoroughly enjoy the evening. In Arturo’s first big aria “A te, o caro,” Hernandez displayed the warmth of his voice as well as his gift for powerful fortissimo singing.

This warmth blossomed into tender, highly romantic tones in the returning Arturo’s extended sequence of arias in act three. To follow such an incredible mad scene was no small task, but Hernandez wowed the audience with his unflagging vocal power and incredible high notes. He managed the high F in full voice in “Credeasi, misera,” also confidently ending the final duet with Pratt on the interpolated high C.

Emerging Australian baritone Nathan Lay more than held his own in this highly experienced company, presenting himself with poise and charisma. Lay delivered the evening’s first aria, “Ah! Per sempre …Bel sogno beato,” with such appealing tenderness that he almost seemed to be the romantic lead, rather than the rival suitor, Sir Riccardo Forth. Lay’s singing and acting talents, along with his alluring charm, are sure to see him in high demand before long.

New Zealand born bass Paul Whelan projected an imposing stature as Elvira’s uncle Sir Giorgio Valton. Whelan seemed to almost run out of voice during act two opening aria “Cinta di fiori” before recovering sufficiently to continue. While Lay’s freshness was an asset, stirring act two duet “Suoni la tromba” was not as thrilling as it might have been due to a somewhat less lustrous contribution from Whelan.

Powerful tenor Carlos E. Bárcenas contributed to the evening’s attractive singing with some featured moments in act one as Sir Bruno Robertson, compatriot of Riccardo. Likewise, mezzo-soprano Tania Ferris sang with supple flair in the supporting role of Enrichetta, widow of King Charles I. Bass Jeremy Kleeman, although a little young to play Elvira’s father Lord Gualtiero Valton, gave reliably strong support.

This was an unforgettable evening of expertly performed, truly beautiful music. It is hard to imagine how Victorian Opera will top this next year, but let us all hope that they will try.

I Puritani was performed at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne on Thursday 2 July 2015

The I Puritani program can be read online

Photos: Charlie Kinross

The production may be well known, and well loved, but the Opera Australia role debuts of soprano Lorina Gore and tenor Rame Lahaj make for a scintillating evening.

As long as designer Michael Yeargen’s highly ornate, deliberately crowded settings draw gasps at the iris-like opening of the double curtain, there is no reason for Opera Australia to even consider dispensing with this much revered 21-year-old production. Act two’s fast change from the country house to Flora’s party, during the briefest of pauses, remains a remarkable feat from the hardworking backstage crew.

Verdi’s divine score is heard afresh under the baton of maestro Renato Palumbo. Carefully considered and immaculately controlled, Palumbo’s conducting brings out fine details and emotional underpinnings. By reconsidering the tempi of individual phrases, for example the ominous entrance music of Germont Sr, Palumbo enhances their impact. The countermelodies in the overture are realised so distinctly that they seem to be played by two separate orchestras, adroitly foreshadowing Violetta’s suffering while the parties of Paris continue.

A number of aspects align to facilitate successful debuts for Gore and Lahaj. Revival director Tama Matheson has clearly worked closely and carefully with the cast to mine the text for its full dramatic impact. Moments such as Alfredo’s unconscionably rough handling of Violetta in front of Flora’s guests and the Baron’s challenge of a duel (with a slap of the glove to Alfredo’s face) land powerfully. In the stark final act, Matheson paints a striking stage picture that demarcates each character’s relationship to the dying courtesan.

A host of experienced, well-established Opera Australia performers take the supporting roles, working complaisantly together to create a delightfully festive atmosphere in the party scenes. Dominica Matthews projects joyous warmth as glamorous hostess Flora, hilariously chasing after her protector the Marquis, played by Luke Gabbedy, when she notices his wandering eye. Choice tenor John Longmuir conveys flamboyant fun as Gastone, impressively leading the band of “toreadors” in their party performance. Pelham Andrews matches his strong physical presence with a powerful baritone as Baron Douphol. In lovely voice, Natalie Aroyan is a sympathetic presence as maid Annina.

Negating the law of diminishing returns, José Carbó returns to the role of Giorgio Germont with ever-increasing authority, presence and vocal strength. Using the power of stillness, Carbó puts all of Germont’s command in his voice and steely gaze, building to a superb rendition of “Di Provenza il mar.”

Gore has played leads for Opera Australia and has played Violetta elsewhere, but the role debut on the Joan Sutherland Theatre stage at Sydney Opera House is a significant moment indeed. Gore made a highly auspicious performance, rewarded with a highly enthusiastic outpouring of the warmest possible cheers and applause for her individual curtain call directly after the opera’s finale.

Looking every bit the pale, slight Violetta one might imagine, Gore highlights Violetta’s delicate vulnerability, keeping a tense layer of fear bubbling just below the surface. While a more relaxed enjoyment of Violetta’s reckless abandon will most likely come as Gore builds confidence into the season, the emotional and physical journey is affectingly portrayed.

Rather than the soppy love at first sight that is often seen, Gore’s Violetta maintains a stiffly formal lack of familiarity towards Alfredo at their first meeting. Young and handsome he may be, but means and power are far more attractive to Violetta. During her final sequence of arias in act one, a winning piece of direction sees Violetta sit on a downstage chair and sing directly to the audience. This moment forges a noticeably warm bond between Gore and the audience, making the final applause for act one all more resounding.

Gore’s exquisite soprano proves adept to the range of styles required to sing Violetta. Possessing a particularly effortless coloratura, Gore brings a lovely lightness to ornamental notes. Her control during pianissimo phrases is immaculate, and she switches seamlessly to a more powerful sound for Violetta’s indignation, also conveying joy with bright bell-like tones.

In contrast with her gorgeous appearance in Flora’s act two party, Gore looks (deliberately) ghastly as Violetta sits and awaits her doom in the moving final act. Violetta’s death throes are clear as Gore shows her painfully grasping for the final few phrases of “Addio, del passato.” The pain of what might have been is acutely felt as Violetta dies in Alfredo’s arms like a limp rag doll.

Hailing from Kosovo, Lahaj is the most exciting Alfredo seen locally since Gianluca Terranova in the inaugural Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. A terrific actor, Lahaj charts the full emotional journey of Alfredo, from ardent admirer to impassioned lover, through to his brutish anger and subsequent shame and sorrow. Despite his striking looks, Lahaj clearly conveys Alfredo’s shy awkwardness at first meeting Violetta. His countenance changes as a dark storm cloud overtakes Alfredo’s logic, which then melts away with as deep regret takes over.

Possessing a rich, luxurious voice, Lahaj moves easily from middle to upper register with equal strength. If there are fleeting moments when his pitching is not quite accurate, it may well have be due to opening night nerves, which will soon dissipate as the season progresses. Combined with his charismatic presence, and his clear enjoyment of being on stage, the tone and lustre of Lahaj’s voice portent a very exciting future.

The perfect choice for newcomers, long-term operagoers will also enjoy and appreciate this season of La Traviata for the thrilling debuts of Gore and Lahaj.

La Traviata plays selected dates at Joan Sutherland Theatre until 22 July 2015.

Photos: Branco Gaica

World-class singers enhance this decadently glossy production. 

Looking as sumptuously polished as in its premiere season some 25 years ago (when tickets could not be acquired for love or money), Graeme Murphy’s timeless staging of Puccini’s final opera has aged remarkably well. In fact, the level of artistic collaboration has rarely been matched. Instrumental and vocal music, dramatic action, choreography, scenic design, costume design and lighting design come together in a tightly integrated package that would unravel if even one element were to be removed.

Murphy demonstrates that choreography is more than dance, as he fills the stage with ever-changing, undulating waves of chorus members. With massive vocal demands on the chorus, Anthony Hunt’s preparation is clearly first rate given the amount of movement and expression required from the chorus while singing. Lovely work also comes from the Opera Australia Children’s Chorus, prepared by Thomas Johnson.

Kristian Fredrikson’s abstract scenic design keeps pace with the movement of cast, creating a fascinating flow of non-specific, ingeniously realised Asian imagery. A particularly inventive, and entertaining, sequence comes in the first scene of act two, in which the bamboo parchment scrolls of Ping, Pang and Pong are used in a multitude of highly creative formations.

On a crisp black and white canvas, Fredrikson makes splashes of gleaming yellows, along with occasional, carefully chosen strokes of red. Princess Turandot’s intricately embroidered white-on-white robe is a shimmering highlight.

The lighting design of John Drummond Montgomery serves to both highlight and enhance Murphy’s action and Fredikson’s designs as well as allowing the on-stage Mechanicals to furtively support the effects in shadow. The luscious midnight purple haze that accompanies “Nessun dorma” is a very attractive and atmospheric feature of the lighting.

Revival director Kim Walker lands the bold strokes of Murphy’s storytelling with flair, also bringing out the quiet human moments of the poignant fairy tale in an affecting manner.

It’s all too rare for an opera to have a dance captain, but this is, of course, no ordinary production. Timothy Farrar has the movers of all abilities working in tight, focused unison.

Maestro Christian Badea leads the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra in an expert performance of the complex score that neatly balances technical precision with lyrical, romantic warmth. Strong playing from the trombones provides moments of hefty dramatic oomph.

In addition to superb singing from the Opera Australia Chorus, the lead cast provides highly memorable vocals of extraordinary quality.

South Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee is a magnetic figure as the brave Calaf. As heard recently in Met Opera’s Don Carlo, Lee’s rich, powerful projection moves seamlessly from middle to upper register. His middle register has an almost baritone-like burnished quality, while his upper notes are incredibly strong. Lee’s “Nessun dorma” is a sensational highlight, sure to be heard around the world as his career advances.

Korean born Australian soprano Hyeseoung Kwon wins the audience’s hearts as she imbues slave girl Liù with vulnerable fragility. Singing with delicate beauty, Kwon shows clear control of pianissimo phrases, colouring her tone with Liù’s mix of passion and restraint.

It is interesting to note that the two lead characters who do not have overly painted faces are played by singers of Asian background (Lee and Kwon). This not only supports the setting of the story but also gives a strong reflection of Australian culture.

American soprano Lise Lindstrom sings the icy princess Turandot with majestic power. Given the fairly static direction for the implacably regal Turandot, Lindstrom draws on the full range of her vocal expression to convey the character. The piercing intensity of Lindstrom’s voice rings out easily over the combined volume of the full company. The final duet scene, written by Franco Alfano after the untimely demise of Puccini, is all the stronger for the combined might of Lindstrom and Lee.

The strength of Opera Australia’s talent pool is exemplified by the number of singers who were also seen in La Traviata on the previous night. Multi-talented tenor John Longmuir’s dulcet tones ring out in the role of Pong, a merry twinkle in his eye seen clearly despite the heavily made up face. Baritone Luke Gabbedy sings with clarity and authority as Grand Chancellor Ping. Gennadi Dubinsky glides on stage as A Mandarin and Jin Tea Kim is the ill-fated Prince of Persia.

Tenor Graeme Macfarlane draws on significant experience to nimbly handle the multifarious movements of Pang. Bass Jud Arthur, as fine and adaptable an actor as he is a singer, gives a compassionate, portrayal of exiled king Timur, father of Calaf.

Benjamin Rasheed provides a rare moment of levity, giving the Emperor of China a mousy voice that in no way matches his mighty beehive-like costume/throne.

Much as it would be nice to just take for granted that opera always represents the pinnacle of integration of creative arts, this is one instance in which this is definitely the case.

Turandot plays selected dates at Joan Sutherland Theatre,

Photos: Branco Gaica

Celebrating their 60^th anniversary year, Opera Australia presents a range of mainstage operas and special events, while continuing to take opera to regional centres.

Sydney’s year of opera begins with recent oft-seen productions La Bohème, directed by Gale Edwards, The Magic Flute, based on the Met Opera production by Julie Taymor. Sydney operagoers will have their chance to see new, multi-Helpmann Award-winning Australian opera The Rabbits.

Elijah Moshinsky’s much-praised 1920s version of The Barber of Seville returns to Sydney. Francesca Zambello’s 2005 production of The Love for Three Oranges will be revived, as will Moffat Oxenbould’s 2000 staging of Simon Boccanegra.

 Two acclaimed Australian storytellers will helm new productions. Michael Gow will direct a new production of The Pearlfishers, and John Bell will direct a new staging of Carmen. A co-production will Opéra de Lausanne will bring rarely performed Verdi opera Luisa Miller to Australia. Sir David McVicar will complete his Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy with whimsical romantic comedy Così fan tutte.

In a special event for the 60^th anniversary year, 1995 opera The Eighth Wonder, which tells the dramatic story of the creation of Sydney Opera House, will be performed on the Forecourt, with the House itself as the backdrop.

Chen Shi-Zheng, the director of 2016 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour Turandot, has a unique background of Chinese Opera in Beijing and western theatre in New York. Joined by local designer Dan Potra, Shi-Zheng is set to create a sensational outdoor production.

The 60^th anniversary production of My Fair Lady, directed by none other than original Broadway Eliza Doolittle, Dame Julie Andrews, is sure to garner world attention. Opera Australia previously staged My Fair Lady in 2008 (below) starring Taryn Fiebig and Reg Livermore.

Edwards’ La Bohème will return to Melbourne for the first time since its premiere in 2011. Melbourne will also see the new production of The Pearlfishers and Luisa Miller. (Sadly, Melbourne will not see McVicar’s brilliant production of Faust, which played in Sydney in February 2015.)

As promised when initially launched, the Melbourne Ring Cycle will make the first of its three-year encore appearances. The 2013 premiere cycles brought immense acclaim, and are sure to be just as popular in 2016. Popular local singers Jacqueline Dark, Warwick Fyfe, Daniel Sumegi and Jud Arthur return to their roles, as does German tenor Stefan Vinke. American bass-baritone makes his Australian debut as Wotan. American soprano Lise Lindstrom, recently seen locally as Turandot, will sing her first full Ring Cycle as Brünnhilde. Casting for Sieglinde is yet to be confirmed.

A number of high profile international artists will make their Australian debuts in 2016. Slovakian tenor Pavol Breslik will play Nadir and Russian soprano Ekaterina Siurina will play Leïla in The Pearlfishers in Sydney. Young French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine will star as Carmen, a role for which she is in great demand around the world. America tenor Charles Castronovo will sing Ferrando in Così fan tutte. Italian soprano Barbara Frittoli (below), a frequent performer at Met Opera, New York will play Amelia in Simon Boccanegra.

Returning overseas singers include Italian baritones Paolo Bordogna and Giorgio Caodura who will share the title role in The Barber of Seville. Luisa Miller’s famous tenor aria “Quando le sere al placido” will be sung by Mexican tenor Diego Torre in Sydney and Italian tenor Riccardo Massi in Melbourne. Exceptional Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee (below) will play Don José in Carmen. Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian will join Italian tenor Gianluca Terranova in La Bohème Melbourne.

Australian mezzo-soprano Anna Dowsley graduates from Young artist to principal, making her role debut as Rosina in The Barber of Seville. Australian soprano Nicole Car (below), fast rising in international prominence, will make her role debut as Luisa Miller.

Car and Taryn Fiebig will have performed in all three operas in McVicar’s Da Ponte/Mozart trilogy when they appear in Così fan tutte. Revered Australian soprano Emma Matthews will play Leïla in The Pearlfishers in Melbourne.

Popular singers not seen in the 2016 season include Rachelle Durkin, Cheryl Barker and Teddy Tahu Rhodes. Emma Matthews is only seen in Melbourne. Jacqueline Dark is in the Melbourne Ring Cycle, but will be occupied for most of the year with The Sound of Music, as will Dominica Matthews.

A new touring production of The Marriage of Figaro, directed by Michael Gow, will tour to performing arts centres in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania in July and August.

Performances in Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House:

Sydney Summer

La Bohème (Puccini) Aroyan/Kang/Gore 31 December 2015 – 30 January 2016

The Magic Flute (Mozart) Dundas/Fiebig/Longmuir 30 December 2015 – 16 January 2016

The Pearlfishers (Bizet) Siuriuna/Breslik/Carbó 15 January – 8 March 2016

The Barber of Seville (Rossini) Bordogna/Dowsley/Tarver 28 January – 22 March 2016

Luisa Miller (Verdi) Car/Torre11 February – 29 February 2016

Sydney Winter

Carmen (Bizet) Margaine/Lee/Honeyman16 June – 12 August 2016

The Love for Three Oranges (Prokofiev) Goodwin/La Spina 22 June – 9 July 2016

Così fan tutte (Mozart) Car/Castronovo 19 July – 13 August 2016

Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) Frittoli/Torre/Petean 26 July – 13 August 2016

My Fair Lady (Lerner & Loewe) 30 August – 5 November 2016

Special Events:

Sydney Festival: The Rabbits (Miller-Heidke, Katz & Grandage), Roslyn Packer Theatre 14-24 January 2016

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: Turandot (Puccini) Radakovic/Massi/Kwon, Mrs Macquaries Point 24 March – 24 April 2016

The Eighth Wonder (John & Watkins) , Sydney Opera House Forecourt 28 October – 5 November 2016

Performances in State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne:

Melbourne Autumn

La Bohème (Puccini) Haroutounian/Terranova/ Ede 3 – 19 May 2016

The Pearlfishers (Bizet) Matthews/Korchak/Carbó 7 – 28 May 2016

Luisa Miller (Verdi) Car/Massi16 – 27 May 2016

Melbourne Ring Cycle

Der Ring des Nibelungen (Wagner) Three weeklong cycles beginning 21 November, 30 November, 9 December 2016

Free Performances:

Mazda Opera in the Bowl, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne 14 November 2015

Mazda Opera in The Domain, the Domain, Sydney 23 January 2016

.

Pictorial summaries of the 2013 Melbourne Ring Cycle:

Das Rheingold; Die Walküre; Siegfried; Götterdämmerung

.

2015 Reviews of Opera Australia productions:

Michael Fabiano as Faust

Latonia Moore as Aida

Hiromi Omura as Madama Butterfly

Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Don Giovanni

Diego Torre and José Carbó in Don Carlos

Lorina Gore and Rame Lahaj in La Traviata

Lise Lindstrom and Yonghoon Lee in Turandot

Further 2016 season details and booking information can be found at Opera Australia.

Photos: #1, #2 Jeff Busby; #3 Jamie Williams; #4, #5 Simon Parris; #6, #7 Branco Gaica

Popular artists will perform in a range of venues in Victorian Opera’s eclectic, original, carefully curated 2016 season.

Inverting the formula used by basically every other arts organization in Australia, Victorian Opera presents just a small number of safe, well known works while staging a plethora of cutting edge, original pieces.

Unlike the range of one-night events offered this year, Victorian Opera’s 2016 season sees a return to a collection of opera seasons. The company continues to cast their operas with almost exclusively Australian casts, and retains a strong focus on opportunities for singers in their Developing Artists program.

While there is plenty of exciting news for lovers of opera, music theatre fans will be disappointed that the company has not begun another musical composer series after the highly successful Sondheim Trilogy, which concluded this year.

The year’s first offering will see revered Australian soprano Emma Matthews star in an original work with new words and old music. Acclaimed playwright and director Michael Gow has fashioned Voyage to the Moon on the 16th century poem Orlando Furioso. Matthews will be joined by mezzo-soprano Sally-Anne Russell and rising bass-baritone Jeremy Kleeman (above). The piece is a collaboration with Musica Viva, and will feature Head of Music Phoebe Briggs on harpsichord.

After a premiere season at Melbourne Recital Centre, Voyage to the Moon will travel to Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide.

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A second world premiere that is sure to have broad appeal is the new musical Banquet of Secrets. The piece features a libretto by TV celebrity Steve Vizard and music by jazz musician Paul Grabowsky.

Four terrific cast members from Sweeney Todd will return to the Playhouse to play a group of friends who each reveal their deepest secret over dinner. Highly experienced director Roger Hodgman will direct Antoinette Halloran, Kanen Breen, Dimity Shepherd and David Rogers-Smith in Banquet of Secrets.

Traditional opera lovers will be thrilled to hear of the return of acclaimed soprano Jessica Pratt (above), who wowed Melbourne audiences last year in La Traviata and this year in the incredible one-night concert of I Puritani. Pratt will perform her signature role Lucia di Lammermoor in a season at Her Majesty’s Theatre directed by Cameron Menzies.

Pratt will be joined by baritone José Carbó, tenors Carlos E. Bárcenas and Michael Petruccelli, bass Jud Arthur and mezzo-soprano Tania Ferris.

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Victorian Opera will return to the historic Palais Theatre in intriguing double bill that is a collaboration with Circus Oz. Laughter and Tears will feature two distinct halves: Laughter will see members of Circus Oz perform commedia dell’arte characters and Tears will be Leoncavallo’s one act tragedy I Pagliacci.

Powerful tenor Rosario La Spino will play tragic clown Canio, with Emma Pearson, James Clayton, Michael Petruccelli and Fabio Capitanucci in supporting roles. Olivier award-winning director Emil Wolk (below), who recently directed I Pagliacci at Met Opera, will direct Laughter and Tears.

Victorian Opera’s annual youth opera will feature the company’s second collaboration with Deakin Motion.Lab, who provided the memorable, immersive 3-D animated scenery for The Flying Dutchman earlier this year. The new opera has been composed by Virgil Thomson with a libretto by Gertrude Stein.

The youth cast will be directed by Nancy Black. Robyn Archer and Merlyn Quaife will be seen in cameo roles as Stein and Alice B. Toklas. An exclusive on-stage dinner curated by chef Gay Bilson will follow each performance.

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Young audiences will be charmed by a new production of Massenet’s Cinderella (Cendrillon). Directed by Libby Hill, the cast will feature Developing Artists from Victorian Opera’s new Professional Development Program. Costume design by Isaac Lummis is sure to be a feature attraction of the production.

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Family audiences will also enjoy new opera The Pied Piper by Victorian Opera ‘s Artistic Director Richard Mills. The Pied Piper will also feature Developing Artists, and will tour to regional Victoria.

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In a unique one-off event, Victorian Opera will live-stream a performance to the Members on the eve of winter solstice, 20 June. Featuring performances from Victorian Opera’s developing artists, The Darkest Night will showcase exciting young talent in a program inspired by the darkest and brightest moments of the human spirit.

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Voyage to the Moon, Melbourne Recital Centre 15 – 19 February 2016

Banquet of Secrets, Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne 1 – 5 March 2016

Lucia di Lammermoor, Her Majesty’s Theatre 12 – 21 April 2016

The Darkest Night, streamed live, 20 June 2016

The Pied Piper, Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne 28 – 30 July 2016

Laughter and Tears, Palais Theatre 13 – 18 August 2016

Four Saints in Three Acts, Malthouse Theatre 30 September – 1 October 2016

Cinderella, Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne 16 July 2016

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2015 reviews of Victorian Opera productions:

Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Antoinette Halloran in Sweeney Todd

Jessica Pratt in I Puritani

Oskar Hillebrandt in The Flying Dutchman

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Further details of the season and information about season and single tickets is available at Victorian Opera.

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Photos: #1 Keith Saunders; #2 Michel Crosera; #3 © Sara Krulwich/The New York Times/Headpress

Melbourne Opera raises the bar yet again as a superb cast perform bel canto classic Mary Stuart in a lavish, inventive and highly attractive staging.

In a contrasting but highly complementary pair of casting coups, each of the dueling queens is played by a soprano of noteworthy attraction

It is wonderful to welcome Elena Xanthoudakis back to the Melbourne Opera stage, and to enjoy the flourishing talent that has seen her international career thrive in recent years.

Equally thrilling is the extraordinary late-career form displayed by Rosamund Illing, one of the most successful Australian sopranos of all time. While male singers seem to be given more chances to continue on stage to a grand age, the same opportunities are rarely offered to their female counterparts. The recent reversal of Emma Matthews’ Opera Australia status from Helpmann-winning star attraction to occasional supporting player was baffling in its almost overnight immediacy.

Illing’s performance as Queen Elizabeth I displays not only her well preserved voice, but also the immeasurable benefit of decades of stage experience. Whether sharing a coy smile or an icy glance, Illing conveys Elizabeth’s haughty, imperial presence with élan. Along with the many impressive facets of this production, the opportunity to see Illing in action again is a prime attraction.

In what may be the most expertly realised production staged by Melbourne Opera to date, Mary Stuart gleams with regal gloss and polish. Christina Logan-Bell’s abstract set is inspired, combining a shiny floor of Tudor roses with attractive geometric wall designs and the overall suggestion of a crown itself. In the final scene, rear stairs rise to an ominous chopping block.

Enhancing this scenic design, the company has been extremely fortunate to secure the use of a stunning set of costumes, designed by Jennie Tate and owned by Opera Australia. The chorus progress from festive emerald greens and purples to dark cloaks and hoods from the dramatic final scene. The lead men sport smart pantaloons, velvet vests and fetching headwear, but the most eye-popping costumes are reserved for the queens, particularly Elizabeth. Mary’s main gown is a clever mix of electric blue satin covered with fine dark black lace. For the final scene, she appears without bustle, making her look all the more vulnerable and exposed. The final onstage change to fiery red for her execution has tremendous impact.

Scenery and costumes alike benefit from the excellent lighting design of Lucy Birkinshaw.

Maestro Richard Divall returns to a score he first conducted some 40 years ago (for Victorian Opera Company). Divall coaxes the very best playing from the musicians in Melbourne Opera Orchestra.

Director Suzanne Chaundy presents a strong, clear telling of the drama, keeping the atmosphere terrifically tense. There are some challenges with spacing in the crowded opening scene, but Chaundy’s eye for detail comes to the fore in tighter scenes involving fewer players. The faceoff between the two queens is a crackling climax to act two, and act three builds with a requisite sense of impending and inescapable doom.

Xanthoudakis is in wonderful voice, performing Donizetti’s bel canto music to delightful effect. Her ornamental phrases and coloratura are supple and tender. Xanthoudakis’ performance of Mary’s final prayer, “Ah!! May Thou hear the sound of our humble prayer,” is particularly exquisite.

Xanthoudakis and Illing are supported by an extremely strong, very well cast set of singers.

Tenor Henry Choo is magnificent voice as Robert, Earl of Leicester. In fact, I would have to say that this is the best singing I have ever heard from Choo. From his first notes, the sumptuous tone of his voice seems to lovingly caress the notes, and his projection makes incredible use of the excellent acoustics at the Athenaeum Theatre. Choo and Xanthoudakis sound wonderful together, beginning with act two duet “Forsaken by everyone…my heart knows no hope.”

Eddie Muliaumaseali’i brings gravitas to the role of Lord Cecil, conveying the malevolence behind the man who encourages Elizabeth to sign Mary death order. Act three trio “Alas! For pity’s sake spare the final blow at least” is a masterful scene between Muliaumaseali’I, Choo and Illing.

In a departure from sparkling comic turns, Phillip Calcagno plays the serious role of Talbot. Calcagno displays his skill as a dramatic performer in act three as Talbot comforts Mary in “While with the light of dawn my life still sparkled.”

Mezzo-soprano Caroline Vercoe, who is as talented an actress as she is a singer, lends sensitive support as Mary’s compassionate companion Anna.

The quality of the chorus singing is easily on par with the principal singing, thanks to expert preparation from Raymond Lawrence. Their excellent work at the top of act three’s final scene continues into beautiful singing in Mary’s final prayer.

Not receiving any government subsidies, Melbourne Opera is like a gift to the city from hard working arts lovers and incredibly generous arts angels. No opera lover in Melbourne should miss Mary Stuart.

Mary Stuart plays selected dates at Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne until 12 September 2015, with a further performance at Alexander Theatre, Monash University on 19 September 2015.

Photos: Robin Hall

In a highly artistic program of great integrity, Renée Fleming and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present a thoughtfully curated program of musical treasures, eschewing the chocolate box greatest hit parade that is surely the temptation of every visiting opera superstar.

The evening begins with a slightly reduced orchestra playing Four Orchestral Interludes from Richard Strauss’ Intermezzo. This significant work, running around 25 minutes, displays the careful control and expert playing of the orchestra musicians. The expressive, highly detailed music features little percussion, with a lyrical sound overall.

Maestro Sir Andrew Davis exhibits meticulous leadership of the orchestra, particularly with the first three gently flowing pieces. The fourth interlude, “Happy Ending,” is a lively piece, bringing the segment to a stirring finale.

During a brief break, some 25 additional musicians join their colleagues on stage, boosting the numbers of brass and double basses in particular.

Fleming makes her first entrance in a form fitting, strapless, dark silver metallic gown. Her flowing, gold-splashed cape adds a heightened air of theatricality to her appearance. Fleming’s thick, golden blonde hair is styled to complement her warm, heart shaped face, and she projects palpable warmth and grace from the stage to the mighty Hamer Hall auditorium.

The three gorgeous songs of Ravel’s Shéhérazade are placed largely in Fleming’s middle register, facilitating her expressive, heartfelt delivery. While a concert performance may often involve virtuosic singing chosen to impress and dazzle with vocal fireworks, Fleming sings with earnest, straightforward quality, bringing the audience towards her with an unshowy, carefully considered program. Smooth, natural, unforced delivery brings out the gold and silver tones in Fleming’s truly lovely voice.

For the second half, Fleming emerges in a royal blue satin strapless gown with matching shoulder wrap, which she often clutches about herself in the delight of performing.

The second half begins with two of Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne. First, the brisk frisky folk song “Malurous qu’o uno fenno,” followed by “Baïlèro,” in which Fleming lovingly recreates a romantic dialogue between shepherd and shepherdess.

The second half features a small smattering of well-known opera favourites, including “The Jewel Song” from Gounod’s Faust. Portraying Marguerite’s unbridled outpouring of avaricious pleasure as she explores a treasure chest of jewels, Fleming reminds us of her consummate acting skills.

The formal program concludes with soprano chart topper from Gianni Schicchi, Puccini’s sumptuously tuneful “O mio bambino caro.”

The orchestra provides a fabulous interlude in the second half with Ponchielli’s delightfully melodic dance music for La gioconda, “Dance of the Hours.”

Before the final bracket, Fleming shares some characteristically generous words about her pleasure in returning to Melbourne and her thrill at debuting, on invitation from Sir Andrew Davis, with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

In an exquisitely delicate selection, Fleming sings of the all-consuming love a teenage girl has for the title character in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz. This is followed by Tosti’s charming song “Aprile,” an ideal choice for a city just on the very cusp of spring.

The first two encores are popular music theatre selections. The Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess gives Fleming some of her highest notes of the evening, and she soars beautifully through these, filing the text with plaintive longing.

For a rousing finale, the crowd are invited, in fact strongly encouraged, to join Fleming in singing ever popular Lerner and Loewe standard “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady. The pleasure Fleming exhibits in sharing this singalong moment with the audience is another example of her inner joy and good will towards all.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will once again spend An Evening with Renee Fleming at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne on Saturday 5 September 2015. That concert will be recorded for broadcast on ABC Classic FM on Sunday 6 September 2015 at 1pm.

Photo: Daniel Aulsebrook