Program - Val Machin Opera Scenes

VAL MACHIN OPERA SCENES

Peter Luff, Conductor | Lois Redman, Director 20–21 May 2022

Conservatorium Theatre

Director’s Note ‘The Figaro Trilogy’ was written in the 18th Century by PierreAugustin Caron de Beaumarchais.

King Louis XVI had initially banned the performance of the second play ‘Le Mariage de Figaro’ due to its highly politicised and controversial content. However, Beaumarchais did not accept defeat, and in true Figaro-style, succeeded in seeing an official production mounted in 1784. (Frédéric Grendel’s biography is in fact titled Beaumarchais– The man who was Figaro). Mozart and Da Ponte took this clever, scathing and contemptuous play and created one of the most popular operas in the repertory. It challenges the social and political issues of the day, and yet in many ways, feels uneasily relevant in our current times.

In Shakespeare’s and Britten’s masterpiece, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, the human, fairy and mythological worlds overlap, meld, and collide in astounding complexity. Where one ends and another begins, it is impossible to say. As we delve into this Dream, there are more questions than answers.

It is both beautiful and disturbing, comical and yet uncomfortable, light and dark with shadows ever present.

It has been my privilege to work with a wonderful team on this Val Machin Opera Scenes production. Both staff and students have made this journey thrilling and inspiring as we have investigated and deliberated on what the creators have given us in these marvellous works.

1

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (Finale, Act 2)

Benjamin Britten

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Finale)

2

Program Notes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (Finale, Act 2) At the estate of the Count and Countess Almaviva, the valet, Figaro, is excited to be marrying Susanna, the Countess’s personal maid and niece of Antonio, the gardener. However, there are obstacles to their happy union. The Count wishes to reinstate with Susanna the droit du seigneur (the right to bed a servant on her wedding night). Meanwhile Doctor Bartolo, holding a personal grudge against Figaro, is only too pleased to assist his housekeeper, Marcellina, in marrying Figaro herself, due to an unfortunate contract obligating Figaro to marry her if he does not honour a debt. Basilio, the music teacher of the Countess and Susanna, is delighted to play his part in perpetuating lies, intrigue and slander, and does all in his power to contribute to the chaos. The already unhappy marriage of the Count and Countess suffers a further blow when the Countess confesses there is someone hiding in her dressing room—the lovesick page, Cherubino. After swapped identities, secret assignations, and the resounding message that servants can successfully outwit their masters, the tale concludes with reconciliation and celebration, albeit precarious and somewhat contrived.

Benjamin Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Finale) Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, are celebrating their nuptials. Hermia was to marry Demetrius, despite being in love with Lysander. Helena, meanwhile, loved Demetrius, but her love was unrequited. The fairy world intervened and, after a disastrous first interference, the magic was set aright and Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena, are to wed. Six Athenian tradesmen have prepared a play, Pyramus and Thisbe, to be performed at the Duke’s wedding celebration. The Rustics’ performance is interrupted by the gong of midnight. The fairy world materialises. Oberon and Tytania, King and Queen of the Fairies, are now reconciled after a vicious quarrel.

They lead the fairies in blessing the three unions, leaving the mischievous sprite, Puck, to make amends with those who have ‘but slumber’d here’.

3

Artists Peter Luff Conductor

Peter Luff is an Associate Professor in Horn and Brass studies at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. He holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium and a Master of Music specialising in Instrumental conducting from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU). As a conductor, Peter has extensive experience in a diverse array of performance disciplines which include symphonic repertoire, chamber music, brass band and opera. Peter has conducted many orchestras and ensembles including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensemble, Bangalow Festival Orchestra, Brisbane Philharmonic, Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Conservatorium Symphony and Opera Orchestras, the Brisbane Excelsior Band and Brisbane Brass. During his time as a professional Horn player Peter has performed with orchestras and ensembles across Australia and Hong Kong.

Lois Redman Director

Lois Redman is a classical voice graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. She has taught voice in her home studio for twenty three years. Lois has been trained in Movement for Singers by Anna Sweeny AM HonRAM, enjoying a long association for over twenty years, and has been teaching this subject to the classical voice students at the Queensland Conservatorium since Ms Sweeny’s retirement in 2018. Lois choreographed Dido and Aeneas for the Queensland Conservatorium in 2020, and was responsible for movement and choreography in the Val Machin Opera Scenes in 2019 and 2021. She has taught classes in Period Dance and Movement to the Bachelor of Acting students at QCQU and in 2021 supplied Movement Support and Choreography to their production of The Rover.

Lois choregraphed QCGU’s production of Street Scene in 2021.

4

Artists Keith Clark

Lighting Designer

Keith Clark’s lighting design work includes Single Asian Female (La Boite Theatre Company), Boy Girl Wall and Packed (The Escapists), Handle with Care (Joymas Creative), De-Generator, Opposite of Prompt, Angel-Monster, and The Machine that Carries the Soul (Phluxus Dance Collective), Moon Spirit Feasting (Elision Music Ensemble), Juice (The Crash Collective), Kazka and Legend (Lehenda Dance Company), Laramie Project (Forward Movement), Wind in the Willows (La Boite Theatre Company) and Tarnished (La La Palour).

Improvised designs have been for such artists as The Necks, Jeff Lang, The Ordinary Fear of God, Aaron Goldberg, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Church, and Nakhane. His designs for various productions have toured nationally and internationally to Europe and America. Keith Clark is also a member of the award winning independent theatre group The Escapists.

5

Cast Finale, Act 2 from Le Nozze di Figaro–Mozart Narrator Logan Tinney

Count Almaviva Oliver Heuzenroeder

Marcellina Sophie Mortensen

Figaro Tom Nicholson

Countess Almaviva Anna Tafani

Don Basilio Ji Zhang

Susanna Caitlin Weal

Antonio Aidan Hodder

Dr Bartolo Vikram Goonawardena

Finale, Act 3 from A Midsummer Night’s Dream–Britten Theseus David Upcher

Bottom (Pyramus) Aidan Hodder

Puck Joel Berndt

Hippolyta Alla Yarosh

Quince (Prologue) Dallas Tippet

Fairy Chorus Minette Boyd

Helena Jolanta Kudra

Snug (Lion) Jack Bolton

Zoe Catchpoole

Hermia Aylish Ryan

Cobweb Imogen-Kate Bye

Lysander Heath Mick

Peaseblossom Kira Dooner

Demetrius Camilo Lopez

Mustardseed Monica Ruggiero

Flute (Thisby) Liam Jackson

Moth Louisa Nelson

Snout (Wall) Freddie Klein

Tytania Sky Kim

Starveling (Moon) Logan Tinney

Oberon Clair Wheatley

6

Shanna Goh Tashana Hardy Philomena Hoger Isabel Matthews Erin Power Lauren Towns Jemma West Charlotte Wright Slaves Nikhil Deo Jackson Muir

Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra Peter Luff Conductor

Mozart–The Marriage Of Figaro, K.492 (Act II Finale) Britten–A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Act III Finale)

Flute/Piccolo Aaryn Wong* Braden Simm Oboe/Cor Anglais

French Horn Mozart

Patrick de Koster* Arabella Davies

Mozart

Britten

Joshua Cass* Tina Gallo

Arabella Davies* Patrick de Koster

Britten

Trombone

Joshua Cass*

Britten

Clarinet Joshua Rosen* Kristina Newton

Tyler James-Brennan*

Violin 2 Kevin Hsu* Emily Ampt Viola Jeremy Egerton * Sebastien Masel Violoncello Daniel Shearer* William Bland Contrabass

Timpani

Mozart

Mozart

Steven Bryer*

Charlotte Scanlan* Deakin Darby

Mozart

Percussion

Hayden Mears* Sam Battock

Britten

Britten

Bassoon

Britten

Sam Battock* Trumpet Mozart

Hamish McCamley* Xavier Bradford

Steven Bryer* Dara Williams Violin 1 Emilia Jarvela* Jonah Spriggs David Tan Noah Coyne

Britten

Matthew Eisenmenger* * Principal player 7

Deakin Darby* Charlotte Scanlan Harp Grace Kikuchi* Harpsichord/Celesta Kai Hagiwara*

Production Credits

Production and Stage Manager Len McPherson

Surtitles Preparation Jillianne Stoll and Lois Redman

Orchestra Manager Daniel Fossi

Surtitles Technician Buck Outdoor Pty Ltd

Vocal Coach, Repetiteur, Chorus Master Jillianne Stoll

Surtitles Operator John Woods Costumes Conservatorium Wardrobe and The Bateman Collection

Italian Language Coach Teresa Desmarchelier

8

Special Thanks Special thanks to Dr Glenda Powell OAM, whose long-standing support of the Val Machin Opera Scenes, named in memory of her mother, has continued to provide our emerging opera students with invaluable experiences at the Conservatorium.

Philanthropy plays a vital role at Queensland Conservatorium. Only through your support can our students experience valuable learning opportunities through productions such as this one. To invest in the future of music and performance in Queensland, contact us on +61 (0)7 5552 7218 or email giving@griffith.edu.au.

Queensland Conservatorium thanks our generous donors and supporters.

We would like to acknowledge our instrument bank donors supporting the students in tonight’s performance.

DONATE NOW Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University 140 Grey Street, South Bank 4101 Concert enquiries: +61 (7) 3735 6241 Connect with us  /queenslandconservatorium  qldCon_Griffith

@qldcon  @qldcon

griffith.edu.au/music griffith.edu.au/queenslandconservatorium queenslandconservatorium.com.au Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, and pays respect to the Elders past, present and emerging.

Correct at time of print.

CRICOS No. 00233E