Composer seeks backing for historic opera that was a child’s destiny Keith Platt keith@baysidenews.com.au CLASSICAL musician, Sean Ross, echoes claims by the Spanish artist Salvador Dali that his art was influenced by memories from before he was born. Part-raised in Frankston and a onetime boarder at Peninsula Grammar, Mt Eliza, Ross credits his then-pregnant mother’s playing of Tchaikovsky on a cassette player with his “destiny” to write an opera about the Russian composer’s life. “I truly believe my opera was conceived with me, in my mother’s womb, and that it was therefore my destiny to write it. I’d even go so far as to say it was written on the very blueprint of my soul,” he says. “Listening to Tchaikovsky’s music [when studying the composer at Melbourne University] was like remembering a language I had once spoken, long ago. “It resonated with me in a unique way, and I just felt I understood it intimately, in a way I can’t claim to comprehend the music of other composers.” Although a man whose work composing, conducting an orchestra, or accompanying singers at the piano – is steeped in the classics, Ross is using very modern methods to raise money.
COMPOSER Sean Ross with his nephew, Caleb McDonnell, at the workshop of Act Two of his opera in January 2017 and, above, as depicted by Melbourne artist, Paul McCluskey in 2001.
Whereas in the past artists looked for a patron, they can now look to many sources for patronage, or audience sourcing. Ross’s efforts to raise money to pay for rehearsals and Melbourne concert performances of Act Three of his opera, Tchaikovsky, Angel of Music with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic choir and orchestra, with Opera Australia soloists have ranged from radio interviews to Facebook, inserting flyers into concert programs and
the online Australian Cultural Fund. Although Tchaikovsky, Angel of Music won the Director’s Choice Award for opera in the 2014 Boston International Contempo Festival, that is no guarantee of having it performed on an ongoing basis. “We have raised about one third of the money needed to finance the [$110,000] project, but need a further $40,000-50,000 by mid-year if we are to be able to go ahead and plan the rehearsals and performances for
as early as March or April, 2019,” he told The Times. Now based in Brisbane, Ross has “plastered a media release all over Facebook”, spoken on several radio programs and received endorsement from conductor and music director Andrew Wailes, who spoke at length about the Tchaikovsky to the audience at last August’s RMP Aria Final. A flyer about the project was included with the evening’s concert program. “A similar flyer was also included
in the programs of audience members attending the RMP's performance of Messiah last December, so the target audience has been targeted on several occasions,” Ross said. He is also anticipating article in a Melbourne daily newspaper “in the next month or two, which will no doubt help us enormously, in terms of generating wider publicity”. “I’m deeply flattered that Maestro Wailes has chosen to support my opera, for it means I’ll have at my disposal the combined forces of one of the finest musical ensembles in the country,” Ross says. “With the added interest from great singers including Guy Booth, Sally-Anne Russell, and Andrwew Jones, it would be such a shame if we weren’t able to raise sufficient funds in time to present the concerts in 2019. “Naturally, I’ve applied for numerous government and family foundation grants to date, … but, sadly, with very little success. “Even the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic has failed to receive support from prominent funding bodies in recent years, so we really are reliant on the generosity of opera and new music lovers of means if we’re to see this project go ahead next year.” Details: www.seanpeterross.com or donate at australianculturalfund.org. au, under Sean Ross’s opera’s name, Tchaikovsky, Angel of Music.
Local and compassionate care for cancer patients SKYE local Melanie Rees was able to spend every precious last moment with her late husband Joel in hospital before he passed away on Boxing Day last year; but only because of Frankston Hospital’s expanding Oncology service. The 55-year-old sadly lost his battle with aggressive tongue and throat cancer and spent his last weeks on Ward 5FS at Frankston Hospital. “If I didn’t have the support of Frankston Hospital I wouldn’t have been able to spend as much quality time with Joel,” says his wife Melanie. “When Joel was receiving treatment in the city there was an endless amount of travel time, around three hours a day. If Joel was still in Melbourne during this time I would have been up for a bucket load in accommodation and parking just to spend time with him.” Demand continues to grow for our oncology service, which is why Peninsula Health is asking the community to Take a Break for Cancer and raise funds to expand cancer services on the Peninsula so that families like Melanie and Joel can get the care and support they need, close to home. Joel was initially diagnosed with cancer at Frankston Hospital in January 2016 after having a series of sore throats. “After his fifth visit to the GP with a sore throat he was referred to Peninsula Health’s ENT specialists and that’s where they diagnosed him with tongue cancer,” explains Melanie. Joel then had to go to the city for some of his treatment. A comedian to his friends who loved to dress up, Joel was doing well until he started getting headaches and having difficulty breathing towards the end of last year. He was admitted to Frankston Hospital and that is when Melanie and Joel, who have been together for 26 years, received some devastat-
Take a Break for Cancer this May & June to support your local cancer services at Frankston & Rosebud Hospitals. Raise funds so that everyone has access to fast diagnosis, fast treatment, and the care and support they need, close to home.
Get involved today: • Host a Fundraiser • Donate • Join events across the Peninsula ing news – Joel’s cancer was back and it was terminal. “It was very quick for Joel. From 1 December to 26 December he was in the constant care of the oncology team.” “All of the staff were just amazing, they were really supportive of me and of Joel – I used to joke with them that the only thing they weren’t doing for me during that time was my washing!” “Even during Christmas they made the atmosphere on the ward bright and cheery with all of their hand-made decorations – that to me shows the compassion behind what they do.” Melanie says. Melanie plans to continue to support the oncology ward at Frankston Hospital in memory of her beloved husband Joel. Take a Break for Cancer today by hosting your own fundraising event or making a donation online at takeabreakforcancer.org.au.
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Frankston Times
7 May 2018
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