ValMachin OperaScenes 2026
Peter Luff, Conductor
Lois Redman, Director
Friday 15 May 2026 | 7:30pm th Saturday 16 May 2026 | 2:30pm th
Program
Le Nozze di Figaro - Act 4 Mozart
Sung in Italian (with English surtitles)
The Tales of Hoffmann Offenbach - Olympia Act
Sung in English (with English surtitles)
Director’s Note
Director
Lois Redman
'The Figaro Trilogy' was written in the 18th Century by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. King Louis XVI had initially banned the performance of the second play 'Le Mariage de Figaro' due to its controversial and highly politicised content. However Beaumarchais, in true Figaro-style, succeeded in seeing an official production mounted in 1784. Mozart and Da Ponte took this play and created one of the most popular operas in the repertory.
In today's excerpt, it is a case of 'Things are not as they seem'. Prejudice, betrayal, mistrust and manipulation abound as characters play a game of delusion, with the hope of bringing justice and reconciliation.
Similarly, the excerpt of The Tales of Hoffmann presents an example of mistaken identity. This time, a romantic, gentle soul believes a mechanical object to be his true love, much to the amusement and disdain of those around him. How quickly the crowd turns on those whom they look with condescension and superiority.
It has been a privilege and joy to work on these marvellous excerpts with our whole team. I am so thankful for Dr Glenda Powell's support in memory of her mother, Val Machin.
Program Synopses
Le Nozze di Figaro - Act 4
Count Almaviva wishes to reinstate the previously abolished ‘droit du seigneur’, in order to bed his wife’s servant Susanna, on her wedding night.
Barbarina appears, having lost the pin that she has been instructed by the Count to return to Susanna, as a confirmation of their romantic assignation later that evening. Marcellina enters with Figaro, her newly found long lost son. Their peaceful stroll through the garden is disturbed as Barbarina thoughtlessly divulges the incriminating information concerning Figaro’s fiancée, Susanna. Furious and devastated, he vows to avenge all husbands.
As night falls, Barbarina reappears, ready to meet up with her current love interest, the teenager Cherubino, Countess Almaviva’s page. She is interrupted by the arrival of Bartolo and Basilio, whom Figaro has summoned to witness Susanna’s treachery.
As Figaro vehemently decries all women, Marcellina, Susanna and the Countess arrive. Marcellina has informed the ladies that Figaro believes his fiancée is about to betray him, so Susanna decides to punish him by winding him up just a little bit more.
Program Synopses cont.
Le Nozze di Figaro - Act 4
The Countess and Susanna then disguise themselves as each other, and the trap is set.
Cherubino throws a cat amongst the pigeons by arriving to meet Barbarina, but notices ‘Susanna’ i.e. the Countess - yet another woman with whom he is in love.
In fear that Cherubino is going to ruin the whole plan, the Countess tries desperately to send him off. Chaos ensues as the Count and Figaro interfere.
Seemingly left alone, the Count begins his seduction of ‘Susanna’, little realising he is seducing his own wife. Figaro interrupts the rendezvous, and the Countess slips away, with the Count promising to join her soon.
Susanna reappears, with Figaro initially believing her to be the Countess. He quickly realises that she is in fact Susanna, but continues the charade and enjoys giving her a taste of her own medicine.
The Count reappears, looking for ‘Susanna’, and much to his dismay, discovers Figaro seducing ‘the Countess’. Incensed that his ‘wife’ could do what he himself was about to do, the Count summons everyone for what he believes to be the unmasking of his wife’s infidelity.
Program Synopses cont.
Le Nozze di Figaro - Act 4
However, he is left mortified and humiliated as the women expose him for the man that he is. He pleads for mercy.
The esteemed Countess offers grace and forgiveness to the one who deserves none.
The Tales of Hoffmann - Olympia Act
In the Prologue of ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’, at a tavern in Nuremberg, the poet Hoffmann, is persuaded to recount his three disastrous love stories, the first concerning Olympia.
The eccentric inventor Spalanzani has invited everyone over to meet his ‘daughter’, Olympia, whom everyone knows to be a mechanical doll created by the inventor- everyone, that is, except Hoffmann. He has seen her a couple of times through the window and fallen in love with her, never for a moment thinking she wasn’t real.
Hoffmann arrives early for the gathering, and is confused by Spalanzani’s talk of ‘science’ in relation to Olympia. Hoffmann’s friend Nicklausse arrives, and tries to make Hoffmann understand that Olympia is not real, to no avail.
Program Synopses cont.
The Tales of Hoffmann - Olympia Act
The sinister Coppelius enters. He supplied the eyes for Olympia, and has come to demand his share of the fortune Spalanzani is bound to make. Coppelius sells Hoffmann some enchanted glasses, which make Olympia appear human.
Spalanzani is angry at Coppelius’s attendance and tricks him into leaving. All the other guests arrive and Olympia is revealed. She thrills and charms her audience, none more so than Hoffmann. When they are left alone, Hoffmann declares his love. Again, Nicklausse’s warnings fall on deaf ears.
Furious that he has been tricked, Coppelius slips back into the workshop to repay Spalanzani.
The waltz begins, Olympia’s mechanics spiral out of control, and Coppelius wreaks his revenge. Hoffmann is heartbroken for the first, but not the last, time.
Artists
Peter Luff
Conductor
West Australian-born Peter Luff has a diverse conducting career encompassing symphonic repertoire, opera, dance and chamber music. He has directed many ensembles including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensemble, Opera Queensland Chorus, Expressions Dance Company, Australian National Academy of Music Brass Ensemble, Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Brisbane Philharmonic, Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Conservatorium Symphony and Opera Orchestras.
As a professional horn player who has held and guested in principal positions throughout Australia and abroad, Peter has acquired a wealth of orchestral knowledge and experience serving to shape his informed conducting style.
Artists continued.
Peter Luff Conductor
He is in great demand as a Horn teacher and pedagogue, with many of his Horn graduates securing permanent playing positions in national and international professional symphony orchestras.
Lois Redman Director
Lois Redman has been teaching Movement and Stagecraft to the classical voice students at the Queensland Conservatorium since 2018, upon the retirement of Anna Sweeny HonRAM.
Anna has trained Lois in Movement for Singers and they have enjoyed a long association for over twenty-five years.
Artists continued.
Lois Redman Director
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. Lois was Assistant Director and Choreographer for QCGU’s production of Iolanthe in 2022.
From 2023-2026 Lois has mentored and directed the Melba Opera Trust Artists. She directed the QCGU’s Val Machin Opera Scenes from 2022-2025. In 2024, Lois directed Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel for Voxalis, and in 2023 Voxalis’s Two Queens production.
In 2026, Lois will direct Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphee for Springboard Opera, and Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande for Voxalis Opera.
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, AngelMonster, 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), The Laramie Project (Forward Movement), The Wind in the Willows (La Boite Theatre Company) Die Opernprobe & Der Häusliche Krieg (Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program) and Tarnished (La La Palour).
At the Queensland Conservatorium his lighting designs include Grease, Street Scene, Beatrice and Benedict, Iolanthe, Dido and Aeneas, 42nd Street and Legally Blonde. Improvised designs have been for such artists as The Necks, Jeff Lang, The Ordinary Fear of God, Aaron Goldberg, Kate Miller-Heidke, and Nakhane. Keith’s designs for various productions have toured nationally and internationally to Europe and America. He is also a member of the award-winning independent theatre group The Escapists.
Cast
Act 4, Le nozze di Figaro - Mozart
Count
Jenson White
Countess
Rebecca Goobanko
Matilda Smith (Cover)
Susanna
Victoria Evans
Figaro
Harrison Hammett
Cherubino
Scarlett Smith
Marcellina
Georgia Butland
Honor Nicholson (Cover)
Bartolo
Gabriel Shaw
Basilio
Anthony van Stam
Barbarina
Helena Shearer
Antonio
Joseph Pestorius
Cast
Olympia Act from The Tales of HoffmannOffenbach
Hoffmann
Nick Russell
Spalanzani
Anthony van Stam
Coppelius
Silas Gregory
Nicholas Massouras (Cover)
Cochenille
Sam Borgert
Olympia
Gabrielle Mizzi
Nicklausse
Amellie Zaitzev
Keely McKenzie (Cover)
Cast
CHORUS for The Tales of Hoffmann
Sopranos
Jemma West
Rebecca Goobanko
Youngah Lee
Chloe Arentz
Georgia Butland
Matilda Smith
Chelsea Baer
Victoria Evans
Esther Junker
Jade Kelly
Keely McKenzie
Honor Nicholson
Helena Shearer
Elahe Atefi
Olivia Brabham
Shae Marshall
Sarah Patino
Amalia Safonova
Mezzo Sopranos
Johanna Collins
Lucinda Hopper
Georgia Ogge
Scarlett Smith
Jacqueline Duckworth
Chelsea Bernard
Zoe Harris
Loretta Melit
Gabriella Nial
Sarah Winn
Tenors
Ziggy Dutfield
Basses
Harrison Hammett
Jenson White
Gabriel Shaw
Nicholas Massouras
Joseph Pestorius
Conservatorium Opera Orchestra
Conductor
Peter Luff
Violin I
Yuro Lee *
Claire Yeung
Violin II
Sophia Di Lucchio *
Siobhan Mewes
Viola
Lucia Hwang *
Eben Yeh
Cello
Gyorgy Deri *
Francesca Masel
Bass
Hilary Davis *
Flute
Laura Skorzewski *
Adeline Cassidy
Oboe Logan Nutley *
Lucinda Turunen
*Principal
Clarinet
Jack Goves *
Yi-Shan Wangy
Bassoon
Ethan Henke *
Val Yipi
French Horn
Thomas Ferreira-Montague *
Craig King
Trumpet
Sophie Donohue *
Trombone
Alexander McLaughlin *
Timpani
Christian Lanzafame *
Percussion
Camillo Lanzafame *
Harp
Ariel Chang *
Harpsichord
Jillianne Stoll *
Music Credits
Music Preparation
Jillianne Stoll
Italian Language Coach
Teresa Desmarchelier
Surtitle Preparation & Supervision
Buck Outdoor Pty Ltd
Surtitle Technicions & Operators
Tammy Weller
Stephanie West
Assistant Conductor
James Dobinson
Orchestra Manager
Dan Fossi
Assistant Orchestra
Manager Intern
Shelby Johnson
Production Credits
Production Manager
Len McPherson
Production Stage Manager
Isabelle Markham
Assistant Stage Manager
Eloise Collins
Lighting Operator
Stu Cochrane
Fly Operator
Helen Ashdown
Choreography Assistant
Keely McKenzie
Costumes, Hair & Makeup
Jemma West
Conservatorium Staff
Director
Professor Vanessa Tomlinson
Deputy Director (Learning and Teaching)
Associate Professor
Donna Weston
Deputy Director (Research)
Professor Brydie-Leigh
Bartleet
Deputy Director (Performance & partnerships)
Professor Peter Morris
Conservatorium Manager
Stuart Jones
Front of House Operations Manager
Michael Hibbard
Classical Voice
A/ProfMargaretSchindler (Head)
ShelliHulcombe
DrRonMorris
JillianneStoll
Strings
A/Prof Michelle Walsh (Head)
Graeme Jennings
Dr Gyorgy Deri
Brass
Dr Ben Marks (Head)
Sarah Butler
Woodwinds
A/Prof Tim Munro (Head)
Dr Martin Kay Percussion
Dr Rebecca Lloyd-Jones
Conservatorium Staff
Executive Officer (Engagement)
Dr Natalie LewandowskiCox
Technical Officers
Keith Clark
Ben Gibson
Amy Hauser
Len McPherson
Operations Administrator
Timothy Tate
Timetabling Administrator
Joshua White
Program Coordinator (Ensembles) & Orchestra Manager
Daniel Fossi
Shelby Johnson (Assistant)
Venue Officers
Brendan Cardiff
Chloe Forbes Administration Officer
Liz Tyson-Doneley
Special thanks
Special thanks to Dr Glenda Powell AM, 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.
Special thanks to Queensland Conservatorium supporters and donors.
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. Make a donation
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
140 Grey Street, South Bank 4101 Concert enquiries: (07) 3735 6241 griffith.edu.au/music griffith.edu.au/queenslandconservatorium queenslandconser vatorium.com.au
QueenslandConservatorium
QldCon _ Griffith
Correct at time of publication.
