Victorian Opera 2017 - The Sleeping Beauty Programme

OTTORINO RESPIGHI 11–18 March 2017 Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse

Welcome

Welcome to Victorian Opera’s production of Respighi’s The Sleeping Beauty.

Earlier this year, the Australian opera community lost a dear friend and colleague; one of the founding fathers of opera in Melbourne, Richard Divall AO OBE. Victorian Opera dedicates this season to his legacy.

What you’ll see in this performance is a true artistic celebration, and we are delighted for director Nancy Black to lead the production alongside conductor, our Head of Music Phoebe Briggs. Puppet designer Joe Blanck’s creations are just remarkable.

What we have all discovered throughout this process is the tale’s continued relevance, as a story of resilience and finding hope in the world. Nancy has beautifully brought this out in each puppet and performer.

Each season, Victorian Opera continues to build its reputation for breaking boundaries and exciting collaborations with the best. The year ahead is bursting with beautiful music and wild imagination, such as our next production: the Australian premiere of Ernst Toch’s The Princess and the Pea. Filled with stacks of colour and humour, this story is transported to a modern day TV studio on the set of a hit show. It will be a real treat for the whole family, teaching us all never to judge a book by its cover.

From the Victorian Opera family, thank you for joining us at the theatre for The Sleeping Beauty. We hope you fall in love with it as much as we have.

ANDREW SNELL Managing Director

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Š Charlie Kinross

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Artistic Director's Message Richard Mills

This opera was originally written in 1922 for Vittorio Podrecca’s famous puppet company, I Piccoli, who performed it for 20 years. I suppose Respighi is somewhat typecast as a composer of large and colourful orchestral pieces like Fountains of Rome (1917) which quickly established his international reputation.

But there is a great deal more to this composer than his vibrant orchestral virtuosity.

For me, the most engaging characteristics of Respighi are his disarming directness, simplicity (as distinct from simple mindlessness) and a sense of colour. He also knew opera from the inside, being appointed a principal viola of the Russian Imperial Theatre in St Petersburg in 1900. During this time, he also studied with Rimsky-Korsakov – another prodigious opera composer, more celebrated today for his purely orchestral music.

From Rimsky-Korsakov he learnt the Russian orchestral tradition, with its emphasis on the primary colours of the orchestra, clarity of part writing and care for resonance and sonority. As a mature composer, he put his personal and distinctively Italian perspective on these aspects of compositional craft with many vibrant works, some of which reward closer inspection like Brazilian Impressions of 1922. This work’s quirky third movement, inspired by a visit to a reptile park (and in its coda quoting Dies Irae) gives a clue to the childlike (as opposed to childish – a very different thing) quality of The Sleeping Beauty.

Here Respighi is the composer/storyteller.

He manifests his and Bistolfi’s take on the Perrault fable with the distilled essence of his command of colour and melody, and his sense of humour. The achieved simplicity of this charming work which I hope will captivate our audiences is a marvelous example of “art concealing art”. The Sleeping Beauty reaches out to the child in all of us with spirits of humour, storytelling and delight. Enjoy!

RICHARD MILLS Artistic Director

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Conductor's Message Phoebe Briggs

Respighi described his score of La bella dormente nel bosco as an “innocent mockery of contemporary melodrama”.

From the opening lush and sultry landscape of the Nightingale and Cuckoo the beautiful score leaps joyfully and humorously to life with a rich variety of orchestral colours and musical styles.

Respighi clearly defines his characters musically, shifting effortlessly from the sublime to the silly for the Frog scene (complete with raganella or cog whistle to represent the frogs) and then into the lyrical landscape of the fairy tale kingdom.

The neoclassical score is full of inspiration from other composers, such as Wagner (the King’s march), Schubert (Gretchen am Spinnrade’s mesmeric semiquaver passage for the Old Lady’s spinning wheel), Debussy (Mister Dollar’s Cake Walk) and Puccini (Mimì’s death chords are used as the Princess falls asleep after pricking her finger on the spindle). These musical nods to other composers, rather than being direct quotes, are used to extend dramatic thought and to perhaps trigger recall of specific moments from other works.

The development from the first days of improvisation and workshopping of ideas by the puppeteers to the fine tuning of each movement of a puppet’s face or body as they respond to the music, the singers’ voices and the meaning of the text has been fascinating to witness. The sheer joy, humour and pathos that Joe Blanck’s extraordinary puppets bring to the production heighten each moment of the music and add to the depth of the emotional journey of the characters.

What a delight it has been to work with Nancy and to watch the puppeteers and singers bring this classic story to life.

PHOEBE BRIGGS Head of Music & Conductor

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Director's Message Nancy Black

Respighi and Bistolfi’s The Sleeping Beauty strikes me as a moving portrayal of joy and grief, loss and resilience, despair and hope. Respighi composed it in 1922 following WWI and the terrible Spanish Influenza that killed even more people than the war. It evokes the sudden events that come out of left field – ones we all have witnessed or experienced – war, flood, the death of an innocent child, a sudden accident, a fire that takes out your house but leaves the neighbour unscathed.

In the opera, an event of great joy, a new baby girl, is torn apart by a curse from a Green Fairy enraged for no apparent reason, and inconsolable. This innocent child will be cast into a coma when she turns 20. Hope, that force that enables all of us to go on, comes in the form of the Blue Fairy who says that she will sleep but not die, and with the kiss of April awaken. In a surprise twist, Respighi has this kiss arriving 600 years later. For Respighi that meant 1940. We have chosen to set it now.

Our cast represent a contemporary community that has just experienced something terrible – we don’t say what.

In their anxiety, they do what mankind has done since the Stone Age. They tell a story that reminds them of resilience, hope, and the power to go on. Their tools are song, puppetry, and Respighi’s delightful music. The story they tell is nuanced with equal parts of tragedy, comedy, and the search for resolution.

Our multi-talented team have thrown themselves into the task. Singers are also puppeteers, the puppeteers (some wanted to sing, but a line had to be drawn!) use shadow, physical theatre, and mask in addition to puppets. Our inspiration for set, lighting and puppetry designs came from illustrations by the renowned Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen.

They have morphed into shapes that are both abstract and organic. Everyone tosses ideas into the ring. It has been a hugely challenging and exhilarating journey.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Victorian Opera for giving us this opportunity and supporting us through the process. I want to offer a very special thank you to our conductor Phoebe Briggs whose skill, insights, humour and joy light up every rehearsal.

NANCY BLACK Director

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Synopsis The Sleeping Beauty

ACT I The year is 1620. The Nightingale’s song competes with the Cuckoo’s, disturbed by a group of dancing Frogs. The Royal Ambassador and a Herald arrive to announce the birth of the Princess, inviting the Fairies to be godmothers of the child.

The Court Jester tries to entertain the baby Princess. The King and Queen arrive, accompanied by the Fairies and Royal guests. The ceremony is interrupted by the arrival of the angry Green Fairy, and she declares that at age 20 the Princess will prick her finger on a spindle and fall asleep forever. After the Green Fairy leaves, the King orders all spindles be destroyed.

ACT II Twenty years later, an old woman sings at the last remaining spindle. When she leaves the room the Princess comes in and greets a suspicious Cat who introduces her to the spindle. The old woman returns and when urged by the Princess, teaches her how to spin. The Green Fairy’s prophecy comes true when the spindle pricks the Princess’ finger and she falls asleep. The Doctors tell the King that they don’t know the cause of the Princess’ illness. Shortly after a funeral procession enters. The Blue Fairy casts a spell of sleep over the Castle, predicting that the Princess will one day be woken by the kiss of April. A group of humming Spiders wrap the castle in their silvery web.

ACT III It is the 21st Century. In the woods near the castle, a Woodcutter sings, joined by his fellows. Prince April enters, accompanied by a Duchess, a group of huntsmen and a rich American society led by Mister Dollar Cheque. The Prince is fascinated by the tale of the Sleeping Beauty as told by the Woodcutter. Jealous, the Duchess is consoled by Mister Dollar who offers to buy the Sleeping Beauty. The Prince leaves his horse and journeys to the castle. In the hall where the Princess lies, Prince April greets the motionless courtiers. A large spider attempts to trap him in its web, but the Prince defeats it. He sees the Sleeping Beauty and his kiss awakens her and everyone else. They sing a love duet. The Blue Fairy appears, transforming the old room into a splendid new throne-room.

All rejoice.

Fairies © Joe Blanck

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Production The Sleeping Beauty

11–18 March 2017 Arts Centre Melbourne Playhouse

Cast The Nightingale Zoe Drummond

Composer Ottorino Respighi

The Frog/The Spindle Kirilie Blythman

Librettist Gian Bistolfi

The Ambassador Timothy Newton

Running time is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes without interval

The Blue Fairy Elizabeth Barrow

Creative Team Conductor Phoebe Briggs

The Green Fairy Juel Riggall

Director Nancy Black

The Queen/The Cat Sally Wilson

Puppet Design & Construction Joe Blanck

The Old Lady/The Duchess Liane Keegan

Set Design bluebottle, Joe Blanck

The Princess Jacqueline Porter

Costume Design Nancy Black

The Woodcutter Stephen Marsh

Lighting Design Philip Lethlean

The Prince Carlos E. Bárcenas

Choreographic Consultant Michelle Heaven

A Villager Tomas Dalton

Stage Manager Felicity Hollingbery

The Cuckoo Shakira Tsindos

The Jester/Mister Dollar Timothy Reynolds The King Raphael Wong

Deputy Stage Manager Luke Hales

Puppeteers Christian Bagin

Assistant Stage Manager Chantal Trimboli

Vincent Crowley

Production Manager Eduard Inglés

Nadine Dimitrievitch

Repetiteurs Tom Griffiths, Phillipa Safey

Hamish Fletcher Kaira Hachefa Michelle Heaven Neal Holmes

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Orchestra Victoria Concertmaster Roy Theaker^

Trombone Don Immel Principal^

Violin Alyssa Conrau Acting Principal 2nd Violin Julien Dupont* Cameron Jamieson* Susannah Ng* Ruby Paskas* Tim Veldman*

Percussion Scott Weatherson Principal^

Viola Ceridwen Davies Principal ^ Beth Hemming Associate Principal^ Cello Rosanne Hunt Principal^ Molly Kadarauch Associate Principal ^ Double Bass Phoebe Russell Principal^ Flute Rebecca Johnson Principal^ Oboe Stephanie Dixon Principal ^ Clarinet Lloyd Van't Hoff Principal^

Harpsichord/Celeste/Piano Tom Griffiths+ * = Guest Musician ^ = Guest Musician Acting in a Principal Role + = VO Music Staff

Acknowledgements Translation provided by Alison Richards.

Shadows designed by Hamish Fletcher & Christian Bagin. Masks created by Nadine Dimitrievitch.

Our thanks to Show Technology, Harrison Cope, Robert Ballingall, Kinetic Sots, A Blanck Canvas, Meka Audet, Deiter Barry, Nathan Reardon, Vanessa Ellis, Neal Holmes, Camilla Bassi, Meagan Short, Cassandra Kumaschow and Morwena Schenck from bluebottle.

Bassoon Matthew Kneale Principal^ Horn Anton Schroeder Principal^ Trumpet Joel Brennan Principal^

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Biographies The Sleeping Beauty

PHOEBE BRIGGS Conductor

NANCY BLACK Director, Costume Design

Phoebe completed a BMus at the University of Melbourne. She was a member of the Opera Australia music staff 2002 – 2012 and in October 2012 was appointed Head of Music at Victorian Opera.

For Victorian Opera, Phoebe has conducted Sunday in the Park with George, The Play of Herod, Alice’s Adventures in Operaland, Sweeney Todd, Cendrillon and Four Saints in Three Acts. She was conductor for Opera in the Paddock (Opera Northwest) and was assistant/cover conductor for Don Pasquale (IFAC/ OA, Tokyo), The Magic Flute, The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, The Pearlfishers, Così fan tutte, A Little Night Music, The Mikado (OA) and Guys and Dolls (Ambassador Group).

Nancy is a theatre maker, director, producer and occasional performer.

Since 2006 she has been the Artistic Director of Black Hole Theatre, an independent puppet based company, and with them has devised and directed award winning shows, collaborated with companies overseas, produced ongoing skills workshops and puppet slams, and toured the company internationally. For Victorian Opera she directed the acclaimed double bill Master Peter’s Puppet Show and What’s Next? and Four Saints in Three Acts. Other productions include Jennifer Walsh’s experimental opera XXX Live Nude Girls!!! for the Bendigo International Exploratory Music Festival and now Respighi’s The Sleeping Beauty.

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JOE BLANCK Puppet Design & Construction, Set Design Joe Blanck a.k.a. A Blanck Canvas focuses on bringing the unimaginable to life through 2D and 3D art forms; building, painting, sculpting and designing unique and bespoke products. Anything can be created, from fine art and murals, to large props, puppets, sets and installations for film, theatre and events. A Blanck Canvas has created installations and puppets for events and clients such as Cirque Du Soleil, Disney, ICC Cricket World Cup, Jakarta Aquarium, White Night and now Victorian Opera.

BLUEBOTTLE Set Design

PHILIP LETHLEAN Lighting Design

bluebottle strives to continually evolve and incorporate new skills and technologies across all domains, creating outcomes that challenge and excite. Their work is seen in theatres, galleries, museums and architecture.

Drawing upon 25 years of experience, bluebottle's talented collaborative staff have extended and aligned their skills to deliver numerous high calibre projects, including The University of Melbourne’s Arts West Building lighting design, National Library of Australia Reading Room lighting design and ANAM Quartetthaus design & build. Recent theatrical works include Chunky Move’s LUCID set and lighting design, nominated for a Green Room award.

Philip Lethlean designs lighting for projects across Australia, Asia, Europe and America including theatre, opera, dance, circus, puppetry, large cultural events and architecture.

Commissions include: Melbourne International Comedy Festival opening and 30th Birthday Celebrations; opening ceremony of the Pacific Games in PNG (2015); Clusters of Light in Sharjah UAE (2014); How to Train Your Dragon for Dreamworks/ Global Creatures (2012); White Night Melbourne (2013/2014); the Australian Pavilion at Expo Shanghai and the opening of Hamer Hall (2012). Theatre works include the English National Ballet, Opera Australia, MTC, Circus Oz and Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd and The Sleeping Beauty for Victorian Opera.

MICHELLE HEAVEN Choreographic Consultant, Puppeteer Michelle has worked nationally and internationally with companies and directors including Gideon Obarzanek (Chunky Move), Lucy Guerin, Helen Herbertson, Michael Kantor, Phillip Adams (BalletLab), Douglas Horton (ChamberMade Opera), Sandra Parker (DanceWorks), Kate Denborough (Kage), Polyglot, Black Hole Theatre, Leigh Warren, Tracie Mitchell, Sue Healey and Ben Cobham (bluebottle).

She is a recipient of The Dame Peggy Van Praagh Choreographic Scholarship, The Australian Post Graduate Award (Industry) Scholarship, Helpmann and Australian Dance Award nominations and several Victorian Green Room Awards. Michelle also works as a movement consultant, teacher, mentor, director and choreographer.

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Biographies The Sleeping Beauty

ZOE DRUMMOND The Nightingale

SHAKIRA TSINDOS The Cuckoo

KIRILIE BLYTHMAN The Frog/The Spindle

Soprano Zoe Drummond completed a Bachelor of Music Performance with First Class Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Zoe has been a proud scholar of the Melba Opera Trust in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Last year, Zoe won the prestigious Opera Foundation for Young Australians Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship; made her Opera Australia principal debut in The Eighth Wonder; and recorded her first CD with The Seven Sopranos. This year, Zoe looks forward to covering the lead role in Opera Australia’s Two Weddings, One Bride, and commencing study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on a full scholarship.

Shakira holds a Bachelor of Music with Honours from The University of Melbourne. In 2016, Shakira was the proud recipient of the Joseph Sambrook Opera Scholarship with Melba Opera Trust and was a Victorian Opera Developing Artist. Shakira made her professional principal debut in Victorian Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor as Alisa, alongside soprano Jessica Pratt. Further roles with Victorian Opera include Dorothée in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Mrs Mayor in Mills’ The Pied Piper and Minstrel in Laughter and Tears. Shakira has also been a soloist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and held a scholarship with Opera Scholars Australia from 2013-2016.

Kirilie Blythman is a graduate of Victorian Opera's Developing Artist Program, and has a Master of Music (Opera Performance) from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She made her operatic debut with Victorian Opera playing Tisbe in La Cenerentola, followed by featured roles in Cendrillon, La traviata, and The Magic Pudding.

In 2015, Kirilie performed the roles of Gretel and the Witch with Opera Australia in their Victorian Touring and Outreach production of Hansel and Gretel. Kirilie devised and performed in a multimedia immersive production (Silver Rain) in conjunction with Release Creative, making its festival debut during Melbourne’s 2016 White Night.

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TIMOTHY NEWTON The Ambassador

ELIZABETH BARROW The Blue Fairy

TIMOTHY REYNOLDS The Jester/Mister Dollar

Timothy is a bass originally from Queensland and in 2016, he held the Stuart Leslie Opera Scholarship with the Melba Opera Trust and Val Vallis Memorial Scholarship at the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School. His recent performance highlights include Stonnington's Opera in the Park, Olin Blitch in Floyd’s Susannah (Opera New England), Williamson’s Our Man in Havana (Lyric Opera of Melbourne) and Laughter and Tears (Victorian Opera chorus). Later in 2017 Timothy will undertake further study in Italy as recipient of the Acclaim Award.

Elizabeth, a high coloratura soprano, recently graduated from the Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music (Honours). Learning from Carrie Barr, she has spent five years with Opera Scholars Australia and has performed roles including the Archangel in The Play of Herod and the Bird in The Grumpiest Boy in the World in Victorian Opera’s youth operas, Rosemary Sprigg in Victorian Opera’s The Pied Piper and sang as part of the chorus in the company’s Remembrance tour, I Puritani, Cendrillon and Laughter and Tears.

Elizabeth hopes to continue singing and performing, honing her technical and musical skills through travel and further study.

In Europe, Timothy performed with The Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam, The Bach Akademie Stuttgart with Hans Christoph Rademann, Opera Holland Park, Philharmonischer Chor Esslingen, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and understudied a number of roles at Oper Stuttgart.

In Australia, he has worked with Victorian Opera, Opera Australia, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Simone Young and Sir Andrew Davis, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the Melbourne Bach Choir, Ludovico’s Band, La Compañia and Gloriana.

Timothy graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Music, a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and a Master of Music - Opera Performance in conjunction with Victorian Opera.

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Biographies The Sleeping Beauty

JUEL RIGGALL The Green Fairy

RAPHAEL WONG The King

SALLY WILSON The Queen/The Cat

BMus/BArts from Melbourne University.

Acting, Drama with a Difference. Roles include Turnspit for XL Art’s 2015 production of Rusalka, Eriphyle in Daphnis and Chloe for Pacific Opera, Dew Fairy for Pacific Opera’s Hansel and Gretel, Princess in The Frog Prince and Alice in a staged version of Liza Lehmann’s “Alice in Wonderland; Nonsense Songs”. Recent engagements include being one of four soloists to tour China with Melbourne Opera and Orchestra, with performances at Shanghai Symphony, Souzhou Opera House and Dafeng Stadium amongst others. In 2017, Juel has further recitals, concerts and engagements to perform and cover roles.

Raphael completed his Bachelor of Music under Full Merit Scholarship at the University of Melbourne and has performed with opera and music theatre companies across Australia, the USA and China. In 2016 Raphael was runner up in the National Liederfest, a finalist in the Herald Sun Aria Competition and received a Green Room Nomination for his role as the Musiklehrer in Citi Opera’s Ariadne auf Naxos. 2017 engagements; Tamino/Papageno, The Magic Flute (Opera Australia Victorian Schools Company); Baritone Soloist, Sanctuary (Ten Days on the Island Festival); Baritone Soloist, Carmina Burana (Frankston Arts Society); Tobit, Tobias and the Angel (XL Arts).

Soprano Sally Wilson performed in the UK, Europe, USA, Asia and Australia for over twenty years in opera, concert and recital, and has several recordings to her name. She has sung at The Washington Opera, Munich Biennale, Ravinia Festival, Wigmore Hall, Berliner Konzerthaus and Oper Bonn to name a few.

An award winner in several national and international competitions, in 2013 Sally returned to Australia where, in addition to performing commitments, she teaches privately and at Monash University and conducts workshops within the corporate environment - bringing a wealth of skills from her stage experience to empower professionals and business leaders.

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LIANE KEEGAN The Old Lady/The Duchess

JACQUELINE PORTER The Princess

STEPHEN MARSH The Woodcutter

Born in Australia, Liane studied voice at Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music. Her extensive career has been divided between leading roles in Australia and Europe.

She has performed for Victorian Opera (The Flying Dutchman); State Opera of South Australia (Erda, First Norn and Waltraute: Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Azucena: Il Trovatore); Opera Australia (Erda: Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Ulrica: Un ballo in Maschera); English National Opera (First Norn: The Twilight of the Gods); Theater Hagen (Klytämnestra: Elektra, Mistress Quickly: Falstaff, Leocadja Begbick: Aufstieg und fall der Stadt Mahagonny) and Deutsche Oper Berlin (Anna: Les Troyens, Emilia: Otello, Marcellina: Le Nozze Di Figaro, Siegrune: Die Walküre).

Jacqueline Porter holds an honours degree in Music Performance and a Bachelor of Arts (Italian) from the University of Melbourne and was the recipient of the 2010 Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust Scholarship. Equally at home on the operatic stage and the concert platform, Jacqueline appears regularly with Australia’s major symphony orchestras and choral societies. She has worked with celebrated conductors including Sir Neville Marriner and Vladimir Ashkenazy and her recitals and concerts are frequently broadcast on ABC Classic FM. Her opera roles include Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro) for Victorian Opera and Gretel (Hansel and Gretel) for State Opera of South Australia.

Geelong born, Stephen is a young baritone living in Melbourne, studying under Roger Howell. He has performed as a guest artist with Australian Music Events and Melbourne Opera, and most recently received the highly esteemed Betty Amsden AO Scholar of the Year Award with Opera Scholars Australia. The recipient of numerous vocal scholarships, Stephen was awarded a full scholarship with young artist program Opera Scholars Australia, and has performed seasonally at Opera in the Alps and Opera in the Market alongside Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Roy Best.

Stephen starred as Captain Segura with Melbourne Lyric Opera in their 2016 award-winning season of Our Man in Havana.

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Biographies The Sleeping Beauty

CARLOS E. BARCENAS The Prince

TOMAS DALTON A Villager

CHRISTIAN BAGIN Puppeteer

Born in Colombia. Bachelor of Music Performance and Master of Music (Opera Performance) at University of Melbourne. His work for Victorian Opera includes his Green Room Award winning performance as Steuermann in The Flying Dutchman, I Puritani, Norma, La traviata, Cinderella, The Pied Piper, Four Saints in Three Acts, Hansel and Gretel, Master Peter’s Puppet Show and a soloist for Opera on a White Night; Michael in Deborah Cheetham’s new opera Pecan Summer with Short Black Opera (2010 & 2011). In 2016, Carlos appeared as Edgardo opposite Jessica Pratt in Victorian Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Tenor Tomas Dalton completed his voice studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, and also holds an AMusA in piano. He is an established opera, concert and recital performer and is a regular member of the choruses of both Victorian Opera and Opera Australia.

Highlights include creating the role of Ernest in the international tour of the contemporary opera Women In War, and being a finalist for numerous awards including the Opera Foundation for Young Australians: Deutsche Oper Berlin Award, and Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria. Later this year Tomas will undertake further study in Italy as the winner of the 2017 Acclaim Awards Italian Opera Fellowship.

Christian is a physical performer, clown and puppeteer. He has codevised many of the productions in which he has performed, most recently playing Macbeth in Company 13's Macdeth.

In addition to Company 13 and now Victorian Opera he works with other fantastic independent theatre companies including Black Hole Theatre, Make a Scene, Spindly Figures, Bunk Puppets and Polyglot Theatre.

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VINCENT CROWLEY Puppeteer

NADINE DIMITRIEVITCH Puppeteer

HAMISH FLETCHER Puppeteer

Vincent has worked in theatre, dance, and film in Europe, the US and Australia. He has been a member of the ensembles of both Meryl Tankard’s Australian Dance Theatre and TanzTheater Basel in Switzerland. He has also worked with Theater Basel, Schauspielhaus Köln, Salzburger Festspiel, Steirischer Herbst, Chunky Move, Force Majeure and Spike Jonze in the film Where the Wild Things Are. Vincent is also a founding member of both Torque Show and Splinter Group and helped to create the award winning performances Lawn and Intimacy. This is the first time he has worked with Victorian Opera.

Nadine is a physical theatre practitioner and dancer based in Melbourne. She trained at Swinburne University followed by two years at the prestigious L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. On returning to Australia in 2013, Nadine founded the physical theatre company Bone Marrow Theatre. Her work there includes Exodus (2013 Melbourne Fringe), La Peste (2014) and Tales from Ovid (2015). She has also facilitated a number of workshops and intensive classes on mask, physical theatre and clowning.

Nadine is currently studying her Masters of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts.

A versatile puppeteer and puppet maker, Hamish has a Masters in Puppetry from Victoria College of the Arts. He has collaborated and worked on a range of productions for ABC TV, Sticky Pictures, Super Studios and companies Windmill Theatre, Arena Theatre, Victorian Opera, Men of Steel, MIFF and Circus Oz. Hamish has toured work to over 25 cities worldwide and collected awards including Best Host at Kidscreen 2012 as Hoot The Owl for ABC TV and the Festival Directors Award as part of Men of Steel at Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He is currently developing some groundbreaking work with Bunk Puppets.

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Biographies The Sleeping Beauty

KAIRA HACHEFA Puppeteer

NEAL HOLMES Puppeteer

French born Kaira is a Butoh dancer, singer and theatre maker. She is the founder and director of Compagnie Articulate, a bilingual puppet theatre company created in 2009.

She performed nationally and internationally at JakArt festival (Indonesia), le Festival International de la Marionette (France), World Puppet Festival (Thailand), in Japan with Dairakkudakan and America with Black Hole Theatre's Les Meduses.

Kaira is a member of the Environmental Performance Authority which creates sitespecific movement based performances. She also performed with IHOs Opera Laboratory (Australia) and tours as a member of Ajak Kwai and band as a singer and percussionist.

In 2009 Neal started his puppeteering career on a show called Walking with Dinosaurs. As a creature puppeteer, Neal brought to life five very large and realistic puppets and spent over four years touring the world as a real-life dinosaur. Neal was part of the creature team on Star Wars: The Force Awakens where his main role was part of a five person beast called the Happoboar.

Neal has also brought to life dragons for How to Train Your Dragon and a camel for a show called Clusters of Light in Egypt.

Along with puppeteering Neal is also a circus performer, specialising in the Cyr wheel and Parkour acrobatics.

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Hear the forest come alive 22 June – 1 July Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse

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Victorian Opera About Us

Victorian Opera is a national leader in the Australian opera scene. The company has established itself with innovative programming, diverse repertoire and exciting new work. We’ve commissioned 17 new Australian operas in our 11 year history and have staged at least one new work every season. Employing hundreds across the arts each year, we recruit the finest local and international singers and collaborate with a wide range of musicians, creative teams and companies from around the country and overseas.

The next generation of talent is developed from the Youth Opera Chorus through to the company’s Developing Artist Program.

Victorian Opera has inspired over 600 young singers through our youth opera program and developed over 30 emerging artists. Victorian Opera is committed to the accessibility of opera through tactile tours, and audio described and relaxed performances. The company annually tours its Education and Community Engagement Programs state-wide with an ongoing commitment to staging opera in Tasmania beginning from 2017.

Join the Chorus Go behind the scenes to learn more about our work. victorianopera.com.au

@VictorianOpera #victorianopera 20

The Princess and the Pea A Fairy Tale Opera for Families 25 March | Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse

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Š Charlie Kinross

Patrons Victorian Opera

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Gold Patrons ($2,500+) Joanna Baevski Ian Baker & Cheryl Saunders Dr Terry Cutler Craig D’Alton & Peter Sherlock Bob Garlick Dr Jennifer George & Rev Matthew Williams Mary-Jane Gething and Joseph Sambrook M Gordon & L Norton Peter & Jenny Hordern Stewart & Denise Jackel Ian Kennedy AM & Dr Sandra Hacker AO Joan & George Lefroy Peter Lovell Ian Merrylees Michael Rigg & Gerard Condon John & Elisabeth Schiller Tim & Lynne Sherwood Lady Southey Felicity Teague Earl & Countess of Wilton Anonymous (1) Silver Patrons ($1,000+) Laurie Bebbington & Elizabeth O’Keeffe Kirsty Bennett The Hon David Byrne Terry & Christine Campbell Deidre Cowan Ernest Dawes OBE & Nola Dawes Bill Fleming John & Gaye Gaylard Brian Goddard Nance Grant AM MBE & Ian Harris Richard & Isabella Green Lesley Griffin Hartmut & Ruth Hofmann Simon L Jackson & Brian Warburton Sean Kelly Rod & Daniele Kemp Alun & Patricia Kenwood Angela & Richard Kirsner John & Lynne Landy

Dr Paul & Glenys Lejins Dr Anne Lierse Douglas & Rosemary Meagher Jane Morris Greg Noonan Ruth & Tom O’Dea Jillian Pappas Jane Patrick & Robert Evans Lynette Payne Prof Margaret Plant Prof Dimity Reed AM Prof John Rickard Tomasz & Elzbeita Romanowski Graeme Samuel AC & Jill Davies Michael Sassella Andrew Snell Penny Stragalinos Andrea Tappe Hugh & Elizabeth Taylor Caroline Travers OAM Dr Michael Troy Chris & Helen Trueman Liz & Peter Turner Caroline Vaillant David Valentine Catherine Walter AM Russell Waters & Marissa Barter-Waters Ian A Watts Youth Music Foundation of Australia  Anonymous (3) Bronze Patrons ($500+) Jenny Anderson Ines & Dr Don Behrend John & Nancy Bomford Pam Caldwell Dr Jennifer Coghlan-Bell & A/Prof Simon Bell Laurie David Beatrice & Richard Donkin Dr M Elizabeth Douglas Jean Dunn Dennis Freeman Jill & Robert Grogan

Dr Irene Irvine Dr Garry Joslin Angela Kayser I Kearsey & M J Ridley Michael Kirwan Robert & Pamela Knight Jane Kunstler Peter & Susan Martin Jocelyn & Andrew McLeish Gillian Montgomery Carmel Morfuni Ian Morrey & Dr Geoffrey Minter Greg J Reinhardt Aubrey Schrader Dr John & Thea Scott Prof Michael Smith Prof Elsdon Storey Tam Vu & Cherilyn Tillman Anonymous (8) Bequests G Bawden and L DeKievet Lesley Bawden Frank and Danielle Chamberlin Colin Gunther and Richard Laslett Jane Kunstler Tony Wildman and Robert Gibbs Anonymous (3) *Victorian Opera would like to thank the following patrons for their support of our Education and New Work Syndicates: Education Syndicate Hans & Petra Henkell Geraldine Lazarus & Greig Gailey Dr John & Elizabeth Wright-Smith New Work Syndicate Beth Brown & Tom Bruce AM Suzanne Kirkham Siobhan Lenihan Marian & Ken Scarlett OAM

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Š Charlie Kinross

Orchestra Victoria

Orchestra Victoria is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Australian Ballet.

Finance Manager Arnold Gschiel

T: (03) 9694 3600

Government Relations & Strategic Communications Manager Dana Moran

www.australianballet.com.au Management Artistic Director Nicolette Fraillon

Corporate Partnerships Account Manager Fiona Gosschalk

General Manager Julie Amos

External Relations Foundations Manager Jo McEniery

Personnel Manager Sara Pheasant

Patrons Manager Olivia Passmore (03) 9669 2776 oliviap@australianballet.com.au

Operations Manager Fiona Boundy Project Manager Elise Lerpiniere

Orchestra Victoria is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Deputy Orchestra Manager Harriette Blanden Operations Coordinator Mark Lowrey

Orchestra Victoria is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria

Operations Assistant Rachel Owen Orchestra Management Assistant Lucy Barker Orchestra Librarian Glynn Davies HR Consultant Ange Park Marketing Specialist Melissa Ray 26

Principal Regional Partner

Philanthropy at Orchestra Victoria Endowment Funds Education Lesley & Bob Qualtrough Bequest The Judith & Alasdair McCallum Fund Hamilton and Western District Fund Geoff and Helen Handbury Foundation Estates Mrs Neilma Baillieu Gantner Trusts & Foundations Gandel Philanthropy The William Buckland Foundation Planned Giving G C Bawden & L de Kievit Annual Giving The Conductor's Podium Mr Robert Albert AO RFD RD & Mrs Elizabeth Albert Geoff and Helen Handbury Foundation The Concertmaster's Ensemble Joan and Peter Clemenger Trust Mr Richard Guy OAM & Ms Claire Guy Ms Linda Herd Dr Peter A Kingsbury Avner Klein & Maria Pannozo Prescott Family Foundation Principal Patrons Betty Amsden AO Gaye & John Gaylard Henkell Family Fund Dr Alastair Jackson Judith & Alasdair McCallum Don & Angela Mercer Mrs Margaret S Ross AM Victor & Karen Wayne

Patrons David & Cindy Abbey G C Bawden & L de Kievit Marc Besen AC & Eva Besen AO Tom Bruce & Beth Brown Peter & Ivanka Canet Mr Jim Cousins AO & Mrs Libby Cousins G Croft Ms Jane Edmanson OAM Louis J. Hamon OAM Russell and Jenni Jenkins Peter & Carmel Johnson Dr Nicholas Lis and Mrs Gabrielle Michau Maple-Brown Abbott H.McKenzie Peter McLennan & John Landers Ms Marilyn Meyer Michelle and Ian Moore Prof David Penington Lady Potter AC CMRI Kerryn Pratchett Mr John Redman Adrienne Shaw Peter & Christine Smedley Libby Smith Bruce & Leona Sterling H & EA Van Herk Henry Winters Helen & Wayne Worladge Igor Zambelli & Jenny Lee Anonymous (5)

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Jessica Pratt and Greta Bradman star in Bellini's masterpiece 5 May Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall

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Staff Victorian Opera

Conductor Emeritus Richard Gill AO

Finance & Administration Finance & HR Manager John Orr

Victorian Opera Board Chairman Jane Hemstritch

Finance Assistant Claire Voumard

Deputy Chairman Greig Gailey Roger Box Vivienne Corcoran Francis Ebury, Earl of Wilton Anne Gilby Siobhan Lenihan Penny Stragalinos Megan Waller (Board Observer)

Marketing Marketing, Media & Sales Manager Henri Marron Marketing & Communications Coordinator Alexia Jordan Media & Communications Executive Scott Whinfield CRM & Ticketing Executive Nichole O'Duffy

Executive Artistic Director Dr Richard Mills AM

Development Development Manager Louise O'Loughlin

Managing Director Andrew Snell

Individual Giving Manager Pooja Dutt

Executive Producer & Artistic Associate Libby Hill

Development Executive Meredith Dellar

Artistic, Engagement & Production Head of Music Phoebe Briggs

Events Coordinator/Office Administration Annabel Balicki, Sharni Morter

Repetiteur Phillipa Safey

Victorian Opera 2017 Season Staff Costume Maker Narelle Wilson

Company Manager Kate Stephens

Head Mechanist Tom Howie

Assistant Company Manager Candice MacAllister

Surtitles Tim Mallis

Education Officer Deborah Vanderwerp

Developing Artists Design Candice MacAllister

Production Manager Eduard InglĂŠs Technical & Operations Coordinator Peter Darby Production Coordinator Luke Hales Costume Supervisor Joanne Paterson VOYCE Angus Grant 30

Direction Alastair Clark

Our Partners Victorian Opera

We acknowledge and thank our partners who make our work possible.

Government Partners

Foundation Partner

University Partner

Awards

I N N O VAT I O N AWA R D NOMINEE 2017

Trusts & Foundations William Angliss Charitable Fund

Henkell Family Fund

Gras Foundation

Gailey Lazarus Foundation

Official Partner

Supply Partners

Performance Partners

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Carmen

in Hobart

A WEEKEND WITH VICTORIAN OPERA AND TASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Friday 11 – Sunday 13, August 2017 In 2017 Victorian Opera is teaming up with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra to present a star-studded one-night only concert performance of Bizet’s opera Carmen on the stage of Federation Concert Hall, Hobart.

Be part of an exclusive group in Hobart with Victorian Opera and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy a great night of opera, meet the musicians, visit MONA and discover Tasmania’s booming food and wine scene.

Stay in the lap of luxury at the brand-new (opening mid2017) MACq 01 Hotel on the waterfront.

For detailed information call 1300 727 095, visit renaissancetours.com.au, contact your travel agent or call Louise O’Loughlin at Victorian Opera on (03) 9001 6400.