Cav & Pag Program 2021

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CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA PAGLIACCI MASCAGNI

LEONCAVALLO

WESF1486 9/2019

CAV&PAG CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Composer Pietro Mascagni Libretto Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci PAGLIACCI Composer Ruggero Leoncavallo Libretto Ruggero Leoncavallo Conductor Christopher van Tuinen Director Andrew Sinclair Assistant Director Margrete Helgeby Chaney Set Designer Shaun Gurton Costume Designer Victoria Rowell Lighting Designer Donn Byrnes, realised by Matthew Nankivell CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Turiddu Santuzza Alfio Lola Mamma Lucia Peasant Woman

Paul O'Neill Ashlyn Tymms Simon Meadows Brigitte Heuser Nicole Youl Alexandra Bak

PAGLIACCI Canio Nedda Tonio Silvio Beppe Peasant #1 Peasant #2

Paul O'Neill Emma Matthews Simon Meadows Christopher Tonkin Matthew Lester Mark Alderson Tom Buckmaster

ACTORS Mary-Attracta Connolly, Jane Sherwood, Danuta Stansall, Ian Bolgia, Alexander Circosta, Joshua Hannah, Lloyd Hopkins, Ryan Mitchell, Fraser Murray, Simon Wood, Morgan James Scarfe, Christopher Sansoni Featuring West Australian Opera Chorus and Children’s Chorus Featuring West Australian Symphony Orchestra Chorus Master Christopher van Tuinen Children’s Chorus Master Hugh Lydon Backstage Conductor Burhan Güner Repetiteur and Organ Tommaso Pollio Production Manager Mandy Farmer Stage Manager Karen Farmer Assistant Stage Manager Jacinta Wajon Assistant Stage Manager Erryn Hanson Head of Wardrobe Sue Kerr Wardrobe Assistant Nora Stelter Dressers Nora Stelter, Sacha Mahboub, Meg McKay and Brooklyn Rowcroft Head of Hair/Wigs Virginia Hawdon Wigs Assistant Christopher Lyons and Rebecca Bank Head of Make Up Sharon Kyrwood Surtitles provided by Opera Australia, prepared by Brian FitzGerald Surtitle Operator Allison Fyfe Head mechanist Ian Studham Child Chaperone Gabriella Ibrahim WAAPA Stage Management secondment student Finlay Pedler Information is correct at the time of publication but may be subject to changes.

This season of Cav&Pag is supported by

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Conductor’s Notes He also didn’t have time to do anything but tell a simple story of real people with enormous passions, in a domestic drama fraught with tension and intrigue, compressed into an hour of exhilarating music.

The idea that one artist, or one work, can shift the focus of a whole artform is ridiculous. And yet, it’s happened often enough for us to move quickly from surprise, to acceptance, to boredom, while waiting for the next artistic event horizon.

Of course the build-up to these events is conveniently ignored, presenting each as a singular stroke of genius rather than minor ripples on an unending stream of progress involving social, economic and political forces.

This is made worse by historians assigning specific dates epoch changing moments in art. It’s amusing to think of the composers leaving JS Bach’s funeral and saying to each other “well I guess that’s the end of the Baroque period, anyone know what the next one is called?”

So what’s the context for the arrival of Cavalleria rusticana and the “birth” of verismo? When the 25 year old Mascagni responded to a one act opera competition run by the publisher Casa Sonzogno (who of course was interested in making money from any potential success) he was standing on the shoulders of those that went before, Rossini and Verdi in particular. He was also responding to the overblown subject matter of grand opera of the last 250 years, especially to things like that enormous 16 hour cycle of gods and monsters happening just over the border in Bayreuth.

And so a new genre began. Verismo is a term often used to describe a particular type of full throated Italianate singing but it really refers to the realism of the action, the connection between what we see on the stage and the (hopefully not) reality of everyday passions. In Pagliacci we see this go a step further with the breaking of the fourth wall in both the prologue and the final line of the opera, directly addressing the audience and informing them that they’re just like us.

Ground breaking and timeless, the genius of both pieces is of course in the music, the constantly unfolding melodic inventiveness that carries and heightens the dramatic momentum. It’s heady stuff and those that come after it have a debt to pay. We hope you enjoy tonight’s performance.

Christopher van Tuinen Conductor

Vice Regal Patron’s Message

Executive Director’s Message

As Vice Regal Patron of West Australian Opera I welcome you to the company’s latest performance at the iconic His Majesty’s Theatre.

We are fortunate to be able to present Cav & Pag during these uncertain times following last year’s cancellation and the recent lockdown which occurred during the rehearsal period.

This showcase pairing of Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci was originally scheduled to be presented in 2020 but was cancelled under COVID19 and we are so fortunate that these gorgeous works have been rescheduled for us.

Each opera explores the powerfully raw depictions of everyday life and are performed by some of Australia’s best singers.

West Australian Opera continues to contribute superbly to the arts in Western Australia by presenting opera on stage at His Majesty’s Theatre as well as offering education and community programs, workshops and regional tours.

I join the company in acknowledging the generous support of State and Federal governments, Principal Partner Wesfarmers Arts, Event Partner Perth Exhibition and Convention Centre as well as private donors and corporate supporters.

The Honourable Kim Beazley AC Governor of Western Australia Vice Regal Patron West Australian Opera

We were particularly pleased to be able to welcome the interstate artists who agreed to quarantine for 14 days. And we are grateful to our creative team, singers, actors, the West Australian Opera Chorus, the children’s chorus and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra who have all worked with patience and diligence during difficult times.

I am very grateful to the team who has led the process under ever changing circumstances and I thank Chris van Tuinen, Andrew Sinclair, Margrete Helgeby Chaney and Mandy Farmer.

Thank you for continuing to support West Australian Opera. You are our valued audiences, patrons, donors and stakeholders.

We are proud to share the power of music with you through the emotionally filled stories opera tells.

Please stay connected to your state opera company through the website, newsletter, and social media channels.

Carolyn Chard AM Executive Director West Australian Opera

Chairman’s Message

On behalf of the board and management of West Australian Opera I am proud that we are able present the two short operas, Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci in the beautiful His Majesty’s Theatre.

I would like to thank and acknowledge Principal Partner Wesfarmers Arts for their continued support, along with Major Partners Lotterywest, Healthway, the Minderoo Foundation, Civic Partner the City of Perth and Event Partner Perth Exhibition and Convention Centre.

We are proud of the Wesfarmers Arts Young Artists and the Bendat Scholars, and I would like to acknowledge that this year’s Bendat scholarships have been awarded to Chelsea Kluga and Lachlann Lawton.

We are grateful for the continued support of the Federal Government through the Australia Council and the State Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

We acknowledge the valuable support that our donors, patrons and subscribers provide.

Your support enables West Australian Opera to play an important role within the arts and cultural landscape of Western Australia and it means a great deal to us during these challenging times. We look forward to rewarding your support through the ongoing presentation of world-class productions.

Andrew Pascoe Chairman West Australian Opera

Christopher van Tuinen

Andrew Sinclair

Conductor

Director

Margrete Helgeby Chaney Assistant Director

Christopher graduated with a B.Mus from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2001. In 2005 he completed a Masters in Conducting at the VCA. Experienced in both vocal and instrumental music he was awarded the John Williams Conducting Scholarship for 2004-5. He also holds a B.A. from the University of Queensland, an LLB from Q.U.T. and an A.Mus.A from the AMEB. He has been nominated by the Musical Theatre Guild for Best Music Direction and received a Green Room Award nomination in the ‘Best Conductor’ category.

Melbourne born Andrew Sinclair was Resident Director for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden (1994 - 2019), where he most recently directed revivals of La Traviata, Turandot, Tosca and Werther. He directed the Royal Opera’s semi-staging of Der Ring des Nibelungen (1988) at The Royal Albert Hall and from 1983-1985 was Principal Resident Director of Opera Australia, where his production of La Bohème won a TV Emmy Award. His international credits include Le Nozze di Figaro (Seattle), Lohengrin (Buenos Aires, San Diego), Norma (San Francisco), Salome (Pittsburgh and Singapore), La Bohème, Tosca, La Traviata and Aïda (San Diego and Singapore). His highly successful production of Les Pêcheurs des Perles with designs by British fashion icon Zandra Rhodes has been seen in 15 major U.S. cities (including San Diego, New York, Washington, Chicago).

Current Chair, and a founding board member of Co3 Australia, West Australia’s contemporary dance company, Margrete enjoyed a long career as a dancer in companies within Australia and abroad, including Rambert Dance, WA Ballet and the Chrissie Parrott Dance Company, and as an independent artist. She is a graduate of WAAPA.

Andrew has directed for all the Australian opera companies and most recently directed a new double bill production of Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica for the University of Melbourne. A passionate and committed teacher and coach, Andrew also continues his work with young, developing singers both in Australia and in the United Kingdom.

Her previous engagements with opera have included roles as Assistant Director at Opera Queensland, State Opera of South Australia and West Australian Opera and Director at West Australian Opera.

During 2008 and 2009 he was a member of the Young Artists program as a Conductor with Opera Australia. In 2007 Chris was appointed as the inaugural Conducting Fellowship at the Australian Ballet. He has worked with the WASO, Orchestra Victoria, AOBO and the QSO. His previous roles include WA State Manager for Musica Viva, Classical Music Program Manager for Perth Festival, Chorus Director for WASO, Conductor of UWACS, Musical Director of Fremantle Chamber Orchestra and Artistic Director of Lost & Found Opera.

Chris is currently the Artistic Director of West Australian Opera.

Throughout her career she also held teaching positions at WAAPA, founded the dance project ‘loaded’ with Stefan Karlsson which gained national acclaim, and expanded into administration, advocacy, and project management within the Arts sector. She holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees and recently completed her MBA at UWA. In 2005, she was awarded “Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer” by the Australian Dance Awards.

Shaun Gurton

Victoria Rowell

Set Designer

Costume Designer

Shaun began his career as an actor before becoming a designer in the early 1970s. As a freelance designer he has designed productions for most of the major theatre and opera companies in Australia. He has also designed many international productions.

From 1990-94 he was Associate Director/Designer for the State Theatre Company of South Australia. Shaun received Green Room Awards for Steaming, Masterclass, Rovers of China and Festen. In 2004 he was presented with the John Truscott Award for excellence in design. He has been nominated for the Helpmann Award in design for Inheritance (2004) and King Lear (2005).

Married to the designer and painter the late Kenneth Rowell, Victoria worked as his Design Associate on many Opera and Ballet productions including Aida, Lohengrin, The Pearl Fishers, Samson and Delilah, Fidelio, Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, My Name is Edward Kelly.

Productions include: Otello, Mer De Glace, The Consul, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci (Opera Australia); Fly, The Consul, The Flying Dutchman, Carmen, Cosí fan tutte (Victorian State Opera).

The acclaimed production Richard III, Godzone, Moonlight and Magnolias, Scarlett O’Hara at the Crimson Parrot, Entertaining Mister Sloane, Festen, King Lear, Cheech, Inheritance, Bombshells (Melbourne Theatre Company), Romeo and Juliet (Centaur Theatre, Montreal Canada), Verona (Buenos Aries, Argentina).

Other productions seen in Perth include Equus, Taking Liberty (Perth Theatre Company), Talking Heads (Kay and Tinderbox Productions), Red Dog (Black Swan Theatre Company).

Costume Design credits include several musicals for The Production Company including Follies, Guys and Dolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie.

As a textile artist credits include painted costumes for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Mary Poppins and King Kong and several works for the Australian Ballet among them Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet.

Harvey Nichols, Browns and Joseph in London have all stocked her collections of painted silk and velvet wraps and scarves.

She is now working in her studio painting.

Donn Byrnes

Lighting Designer Donn Byrnes has designed lighting for most of Australia’s theatre and opera companies.

Opera lighting designs have included: Tosca, Peter Grimes, Manon, Lucia di Lammermoor, Lohengrin, Macbeth, Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci, Arabella (Opera Australia) Le Nozze di Figaro, Aida, Madama Butterfly, Adriana Lecouvreur, Dead Man Walking, Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci (State Opera of South Australia) Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci (West Australian Opera) Aida, La Traviata, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, Fidelio, The Mikado (Opera Queensland) Die Frau ohne Schatten (Melbourne International Festival) Awards: Green Room Awards for Die Frau ohne Schatten (Melbourne International Festival and Arabella (Opera Australia)

Paul O’Neill

Ashlyn Tymms

Simon Meadows

Australian tenor Paul O’Neill has forged a compelling international career performing throughout Europe and Australasia. His 2021 engagements include Alfredo (La traviata) for Opera Australia, Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana) and Canio (Pagliacci) for West Australian Opera, and concert appearances with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Ashlyn Tymms most recently performed with the West Australian Opera as Dorabella in the Glyndebourne Festival production of Così fan tutte. In 2020, she also sang Hansel in the WAO production of Hansel and Gretel. Making her debut with the company as Lapák and Mrs Pásková in The Cunning Little Vixen, Ashlyn has also sung Flora in La traviata and Lady-in-Waiting in Verdi’s Macbeth.

Baritone Simon Meadows studied at The Victorian College of the Arts graduating with a BA(Music) and then going on to do a Grad Dip(Opera). He was the recipient of The Armstead singing scholarship for the music lover’s society as well as the Mabel Kent singing Scholarship at VCA.

Turiddu Cavalleria rusticana Canio Pagliacci

Most recently, Paul sang Don José in Carmen for West Australian Opera, Rodolfo (La bohème) and Narraboth (Salome) for Opera Australia, the title role in Faust for Theater Münster, Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) throughout China and Cavaradossi (Tosca) in both Perth and Magdeburg.

He has sung Don José at the Glyndebourne Festival; Laca in Jenůfa for Opéra de Lille; Rodolfo for Halle Opera and West Australian Opera; Elvino (La sonnambula) and Laca with Graz Opera.

Other roles include: The Duke (Rigoletto) with Opera Holland Park, Opera Australia, West Australian Opera, Staatstheater Karlsruhe and Staatstheater Mainz; Turriddu, Cavaradossi, and Carlo VII (Giovanna d´Arco) for Theater Bielefeld; Jason (Médée) for Theater Bielefeld and Staatstheater Mainz and The Italian Tenor (Der Rosenkavalier) for Berlin Staatsoper.

Santuzza Cavalleria rusticana

She sang Rosimonda in Handel’s Faramondo at the London Handel Festival. Other roles include Judith in the world premiere of The Two Sisters with Tête à Tête Opera, La marchande de journaux in Poulenc’s Les mamelles de Tirésias, Euridice in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, the title role in Dido and Aeneas, Eurydice in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld and Berenice in Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro.

Other appearances have included Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music at Buckingham Palace (hosted by The Prince of Wales), a tour to South Korea in recital with the London Cello Orchestra and Verdi’s Requiem at the Sydney Town Hall.

In 2021, Ashlyn Tymms sings Santuzza in West Australian Opera’s production of Cavalleria rusticana and appears as soloist with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Alfio Cavalleria rusticana Tonio Pagliacci

He has performed as a principal artist for Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Melbourne Opera and Chambermade Opera. While living abroad in the UK, he also performed as a soloist in London, Berlin and Wexford Ireland in the prestigious festival held annually.

On the concert stage, Simon has been soloist for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic and Sydney Philharmonic orchestras as well as the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

Career highlights include the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth, Alberich in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen. Mozart roles include both Figaro and the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro and Guglielmo in Cosi fan Tutte.

Brigitte Heuser

Nicole Youl

Emma Matthews

New Zealand born mezzosoprano, Brigitte Heuser began her classical vocal studies at the New Zealand School of Music and furthered her operatic training at the Australian Opera Studio before gaining a Master of Arts in Performance Voice at the Wales International Academy of Voice. Brigitte was an emerging artist for New Zealand Opera where she was awarded the Circle 100 prize.

Nicole Youl made her mark as a soprano in the works of Puccini and Verdi– she has performed the title role in Madama Butterfly (Opera Australia), Mimi in La bohème (Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, Paiz Festival in Guatemala), title role in Tosca (Opera Australia, Victorian State Opera), Liu in Turandot (Opera Australia), Leonora in Il trovatore (West Australian Opera, Opera Australia) and Amelia in Un ballo in maschera (Opera Australia). Other roles include Elsa in Lohengrin (Opera Australia), Leonore in Fidelio (OA), Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana (Opera Australia, West Australian Opera), Micaela in Carmen (Opera Australia, Opera Queensland and West Australian Opera), Diane in Iphigenie en Tauride (Opera Australia), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Victorian State Opera), First Lady in The Magic Flute (Opera Australia), Grimgerde (Die Walküre) and Die Vertraute and Die Vierte Mägd in Elektra (Teatro dell’ opera di Roma).

Australia’s most highly awarded soprano, Emma Matthews has performed all the leading lyric coloratura soprano roles with Opera Australia and all the Australian state opera companies. Equally at home in concert and in recital she has also performed with all the symphony orchestras and major festivals, and is now Head of Classical Voice and Opera Studies at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Perth.

Lola Cavalleria rusticana

Brigitte has performed opera, concert, and cabaret across Europe and Australasia. She has sung with New Zealand Opera, Opernloft Hamburg, Wanderlust Theatre NZ, the International Foundation for Arts and Culture in Japan, and at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She was a founding member of the operatic ensemble The Cast performing in theatres across Europe.

Brigitte’s operatic repertoire includes Hänsel, Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck); Dorabella, Cosi fan Tutte, Cherubino, Le Nozze di Figaro; Annio, La Clemenza di Tito; Idamante, Idomeneo (Mozart); Maddalena, Rigoletto (Verdi); Aloes, L’Etoile (Chabrier); Jenny Diver, Threepenny Opera (Weill); Olga, Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) and Katisha, The Mikado (Gilbert and Sullivan).

Mamma Lucia Cavalleria rusticana

Nicole has sung each of the leading ladies in Puccini’s Il Trittico; Giorgetta in Il tabarro, the title role in Suor Angelica and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi (Opera Australia), and currently teaches classical voice at WAAPA.

Nedda Pagliacci

Emma’s operatic repertoire includes the title roles in The Cunning Little Vixen (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Opera Australia), Lulu, Lakmé, Lucia di Lammermoor and Partenope; Violetta (La Traviata), Gilda (Rigoletto), Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare), Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Marie (La Fille du Regiment), Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Amina (La Sonnambula), the four heroines (The Tales of Hoffmann), Leila (Les Pecheurs de Perles) and Rosina (The Barber of Seville).

In addition to appearing in numerous Opera Australia productions released on DVD, including La Traviata and Lakme, Emma’s solo recordings with orchestra are: Emma Matthews in Monte Carlo (Deutsche Grammophon/ABC Classics), Mozart arias (ABC Classics) and Agony and Ecstasy (ABC Classics).

Christopher Tonkin Silvio Pagliacci

Australian baritone Christopher Tonkin has appeared throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. His major roles include Marcello (La bohème), Silvio (Pagliacci), Il Conte Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Pollux (Castor et Pollux), Anténor (Dardanus), Robert (Iolanta), Ping (Turandot), Albert (Werther), Valentin (Faust), Tarquinius (Rape of Lucretia), Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and Harlekin (Ariadne auf Naxos).

In Australia, Christopher’s performances have included Marcello, the Count (Capriccio) and Novice’s Friend (Billy Budd) for Opera Australia; the Black Minister (Le Grand Macabre) Adelaide Festival; and Guglielmo, Belcore (L’elisir d’amore, Green Room Award nomination), and Chou En-Lai (Nixon in China) for Victorian Opera.

On the concert platform, notable performances include Lucerne Festival in Der Tod Jesu (Graun), Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for Melbourne and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) City of Stonnington, Haydn’s Nelson Mass (Victoria Chorale), and Chou En-Lai (The Nixon Tapes) Sydney Vivid Festival.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, and the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Christopher was resident principal baritone at the State Opera in Hannover 20102016.

Matthew Lester Beppe Pagliacci

Matthew is a local tenor who has performed a variety of minor principal roles for WA Opera and has been a member of the Chorus since 1999.

Since 2013 he has performed as Parpignol and Benoit in La Boheme, Roderigo in Otello, Spoletta in Tosca, Gastone in La Traviata, Ruiz in Il Travatore, Goro in Butterfly, Gherardo in Gianni Schicci, Alex in Tim Winton’s The Riders, Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor and Malcolm in Macbeth.

He specialises in operatic roles as thug, ruffian, pimp, scoundrel and generally unpleasant personal assistant/ henchman to some of Opera’s nastiest leading characters. He has sneered, cajoled, arrested, bound, pimped, ravaged and slain his way through operatic classics. When not performing for WA Opera, Matthew works in state government in the area of Public Health. His workplace is accommodating towards his artistic pursuits and his colleagues have developed a strong tolerance to sudden operatic outbursts.

He has a great appreciation of the opportunities WA Opera have offered him to work with esteemed and talented musicians, singers and conductors.

Cavalleria rusticana (Top), Pagliacci (Bottom), West Australian Opera’s production Cav & Pag 2010. Photo by James Rogers.

CELEBRATING OUR ORIGINS AND THE PURITY OF NATURE SINCE 1978

WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA CHORUS SOPRANOS

Alexandra Bak Celebrating over 10 years

Chelsea Burns

Leilah Fox Celebrating over 10 years

Jillian Halleron

Brianna Louwen

Lucy Mervik Celebrating over 10 years

Prudence Sanders

Xiaojia Zhang Celebrating over 10 years

Stephanie Parr

Courtney Pitman Celebrating over 15 years

Joshua Mitting

Tim Schoenmakers Jason Kroll Celebrating over Celebrating over 30 years 5 years

Lachlann Lawton

David Penco Celebrating over 10 years

MEZZO SOPRANOS

Helen Brown Celebrating over 15 years

Ruth Burke

Morgan Halket

Sophie Herbert

Chelsea Kluga

TENORS

Jonathan Brain Celebrating over 10 years

Tom Buckmaster

Ry Charleson Celebrating over 5 years

David Jones Celebrating over 15 years

Perry Joyce

BASSES

Mark Alderson Celebrating over 25 years

Callen Dellar Celebrating over 20 years

Matthew Dixon

David Dockery Celebrating over 20 years

Theodore Murphy-Jelley

CHILDREN’S CHORUS

Ariel Brain

Dior Chai

Liam Fitzpatrick

Isabella Giuffre

Eilidh Mulroy

Charlotte O’Hara

Thomas O’Neill

Luka Patak

Saieshaa Reddy

Sebastian Robinson-Cook

Dashiel van Ingen

Grace Torre

Steve Sherwood

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (RUSTIC CHIVALRY) SICILY, EASTER DAY The prelude draws on three themes associated respectively with the peace of Easter Day, Santuzza’s reproach to Turiddu, and her impassioned plea to him not to abandon her.

Between the second and third of these we hear Turiddu serenading Lola, a former lover now married to the wealthy merchant Alfio.

Lola had married Alfio while Turiddu was away on military service. Returning to find Lola had become Alfio’s wife, Turiddu seduced Santuzza, a girl in the town, and left her pregnant. Santuzza appeals to his mother, Mamma Lucia, to know his whereabouts.

They are interrupted by the arrival of Alfio. His business keeps him away from home much of the time but he has returned to spend Easter with Lola.

He asks Mamma Lucia for a glass of her special old wine but she tells him there is none. Turiddu has gone to Francofonte to buy more. Alfio says she must be mistaken as Turiddu was seen earlier that morning near his own house. Santuzza signals Lucia not to ask further questions. The Easter ceremonies begin and Alfio goes home to join Lola. The Easter Hymn is sung. The excommunicated Santuzza remains in the piazza imagining the church service she can no longer attend.

Santuzza sees his arrival as a sign from God. In her anger and sorrow, she tells Alfio of his wife’s infidelity. He vows revenge.

Santuzza is left alone. The famous intermezzo begins, which recapitulates what has gone before and foreshadows the impending tragedy. She contemplates her future. Suicide flashes across her mind but that would be a mortal sin. Her only remaining choice is to leave town and have her baby elsewhere.

After the Mass, Turiddu invites the townspeople to join him in a glass of wine. A boisterous drinking song follows during which Lola and Turiddu flirt openly. Alfio returns and refuses the wine offered to him by Turiddu. The townspeople realise the situation and hurry from the piazza. A terrified Lola is taken away by Alfio’s men to meet her fate.

Left alone, Alfio and Turiddu make a formal challenge. Suddenly frightened, Turiddu admits his guilt and says Alfio has every right to kill him – but if he does, poor Santuzza will be left alone.

Unmoved by this cowardly attempt to avoid their confrontation, Alfio leaves to wait for Turiddu in the orchard. Consumed by fear and the effects of the wine, Turiddu bids Mamma Lucia an emotional farewell. He begs her to take care of Santuzza should he not return and rushes off.

After the hymn is sung, Mamma Lucia questions Santuzza. She pours out her heart over her situation, her love for Turiddu, and his affair with Lola. Mamma Santuzza watches him go. The distraught Mamma Lucia, much disturbed, goes to church to pray.

Lucia rounds on Santuzza for betraying her son.

Voices are heard in the distance and then a woman’s Santuzza remains behind resolving to get Turiddu to scream: “Turiddu has been killed!” come back to her. Turiddu crosses the piazza with his friends and attempts to ignore Santuzza. He tells her he has been to Francofonte but she calls him a liar. He accuses her of spying on him but she reveals that Alfio had seen him near his house at dawn.

Lola enters the piazza. Santuzza and Lola confront each other. Turiddu attempts to escape into the church with Lola but Santuzza begs him to remain, saying that they need to talk. With a false show of piety, Lola goes into the church. Turiddu turns angrily on Santuzza. She implores him not to abandon her. Unmoved, he goes to join Lola in church.

As he leaves Santuzza screams a curse after him. Alfio returns looking for Lola. She was not at home when he arrived – perhaps she is in church?

Sarah Brittenden as Santuzza and Angus Wood as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana, West Australian Opera’s production Cav & Pag 2010. Photo by James Rogers.

PAGLIACCI (THE PLAYERS) A TOWN IN SOUTHERN ITALY The Feast of the Assumption During the orchestral introduction, Tonio appears before the audience. He stresses that the story the audience is about to see is a glimpse of real life and they will see how real people behave. The audience should consider that the performers behind the costumes and make-up are real people, flesh and blood like themselves. The story begins.

PART I It is late afternoon. A band of strolling players arrive. They are popular in this town and have been here before. Canio, the leader of the troupe, invites the townspeople to a performance to be given at eleven o’clock that evening. He becomes angry when his ‘wife’, Nedda, receives too much attention from the misshapen Tonio. He warns the local men to keep away from her. A jealous husband may take a thrashing on the stage, he says, but such a story in real life would have a very different ending. Some of the villagers head off to Vespers, others go with Canio and Beppe to drink at the tavern. Left alone, Nedda dreams of a better and less troubled life. She envies the freedom of the birds that dart overhead. Tonio returns and takes advantage of Canio’s absence to make advances to her. She scornfully rejects him and, when he tries to force himself upon her, she strikes him with a whip. Tonio retreats, muttering furious and vindictive threats.

Silvio, a young man from the town and Nedda’s lover, arrives. He tries to persuade her to leave Canio and elope with him after the performance that evening. Tonio overhears part of the conversation and goes to fetch Canio from the tavern. Nedda gives way to Silvio’s passionate entreaties and promises to go away with him.

Canio returns in time to hear Nedda promise “tonight and forever I am yours”. Silvio manages to get away unrecognised. Canio threatens to kill Nedda but she is defiant and refuses to give her lover’s name. Beppe prevents Canio from taking further action. Canio is left alone to contemplate his miserable situation. Even though his heart is broken, he must don costume and make-up and make the audience laugh.

In the intermezzo, Nedda faces reality. Her life has been the troupe but she can no longer cope with Canio’s alcoholism and physical abuse. She hopes that Beppe will understand if she leaves.

PART II Night has fallen and the townspeople arrive for the performance. Silvio takes his place among the audience. The play begins. Tonio, who acts the role of the half-witted servant, Taddeo, makes comic advances to Columbine (played by Nedda) who repulses him to the amusement of the audience. He embellishes his part with references to what has already taken place that afternoon.

Harlequin (played by Beppe) arrives and pays court to Nedda but is forced into a hasty retreat when Pagliaccio (Canio) returns. Canio attempts to play his role but breaks down under the influence of alcohol and his violent emotions.

Reality takes over and he furiously demands the name of Nedda’s lover.

Nedda tries to continue in the role of Columbine and the audience, failing to grasp the danger of the situation, is moved by the force of such realistic acting. Nedda struggles to bring Canio to his senses by taking up the lines of the play, but passion overwhelms him. When Nedda refuses to reveal the name of her lover, he stabs her. She calls out for Silvio who rushes forward from the audience and is savagely stabbed by Canio. The comedy, Tonio announces, is over.

Roberto Abate as Beppe and Elisa Wilson as Nedda in Pagliacci, West Australian Opera’s production Cav & Pag 2010. Photo by James Rogers.

WEST AUSTRALIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA VIOLIN

DOUBLE BASS

TRUMPET

Riley Skevington Assoc Concertmaster Semra Lee-Smith Assistant Concertmaster Graeme Norris Principal 1st Violin Zak Rowntree* Principal 2nd Violin Kylie Liang Assoc Principal 2nd Violin Rebecca Glorie Beth Hebert Alexandra Isted Sunmi Jung Christina Katsimbardis Lucas O’Brien Louise Sandercock Jane Serrangeli Bao Di Tang Cerys Tooby

John Keene Louise Elaerts Christine Reitzenstein Andrew Tait

Brent Grapes Jenna Smith Peter Miller Zac Ogden^

FLUTE

TROMBONE

Andrew Nicholson Mary-Anne Blades

Joshua Davis Liam O’Malley

PICCOLO

BASS TROMBONE

Michael Waye

Philip Holdsworth

OBOE

TUBA

Liz Chee A/Principal Oboe Annabelle Farid°

Cameron Brook

VIOLA Alex Brogan Nik Babic Benjamin Caddy Elliot O’Brien Helen Tuckey

CELLO

Shigeru Komatsu Oliver McAslan Nicholas Metcalfe Fotis Skordas Tim South

COR ANGLAIS Leanne Glover

CLARINET Allan Meyer Lorna Cook

BASS CLARINET Alexander Millier

BASSOON Adam Mikulicz Linda Charteris^

TIMPANI Alex Timcke

PERCUSSION Brian Maloney Francois Combemorel Assoc Principal Percussion & Timpani Tom Robertson^

HARP

Yi-Yun Loei^ Will Nicholls^

CONTRABASSOON Chloe Turner

HORN David Evans Robert Gladstones Principal 3rd Horn Julia Brooke Francesco Lo Surdo

James Clayton as Tonio in Pagliacci, West Australian Opera’s production Cav & Pag 2010. Photo by James Rogers.

Principal Associate Principal Assistant Principal Contract Musician° Guest Musician^

Pagliacci was premiered at Milan’s Teatro dal Verme in May, 1892 under the baton of the twenty-five year old Arturo Toscanini, and was successful with both audiences and critics. Verismo opera now became an accepted and popular art form.

CAV & PAG: VERY VERISMO Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci initiated a new style in Italian opera called Verismo or realism. These works focused on the lives of the lower classes living in the towns of southern Italy and dramatically portrayed jealousy, rage, violence, abuse and murder, as well as passionate love.

One of the most famous writers of the verismo style was the Sicilian Giovanni Verga, whose short story Cavalleria Rusticana or Rustic Chivalry was adapted into a play. This was premiered in Turin on 14th January 1884 and a young, struggling musician, Pietro Mascagni, saw it the following month in Milan.

However, Mascagni did not consider turning this story of crime and passion into an opera until June 1888 when he learnt that the music publisher Sonzogno was running a competition for a one-act opera.

Mascagni’s melodrama won and was successfully performed at Rome’s Teatro Constanzi in 1890. Set on Easter Sunday, the opera vividly depicts life in a Sicilian village where love, betrayal and honour become ingredients for tragedy. It literally ushered in the age of verismo in opera.

I Pagliacci or The Players was written in direct response to the outstanding success of Cavalleria Rusticana. Ruggiero Leoncavallo, who was both composer and librettist, discarded the single act formula stipulated by Sonzogno and extended his opera into a prologue and two acts before submitting to the rival house of Ricordi.

During the orchestral prologue, the clown Tonio appears before the curtain and stresses to the audience that they are about to see a glimpse of real life and how people behave and react. This is not mere playacting, and the audience should consider that the performers behind the costumes and make-up are real people: Flesh and blood like themselves.

No aria typifies the verismo style more effectively than ‘Vesti la giubba’ when Canio bitterly laments the irony of playing the comic fool onstage opposite his wife Nedda, while in real-life his heart is breaking because of her infidelity. Singers and audience alike participate in his grief.

The comparative dramatic and musical restraints of Cavalleria Rusticana are not observed in Pagliacci. The floggings, lovemaking and eventual double murder are all upfront and emphasised by Leoncavallo’s music. There is definitely no chivalry in this opera, only the rage of the tragic clown and the ironic victory of Tonio.

Together the double-bill of Cav & Pag continues to thrill and chill audiences with their stories of love, jealousy, betrayal and murder, as well as producing some of the most evocative and dramatic music in the operatic repertoire.

Verismo works were first performed in Australia when Cav & Pag were paired at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre in 1893. Now, over a century later, Perth audiences are still enthralled with these timeless operas.

Annie Patrick July 2021

UWA CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC Proud Tertiary Education Partner of the West Australian Opera As one of Australia’s leading music programs, in one of the world’s leading universities, we create the future leaders of the Arts community. music.uwa.edu.au CRICOS Provider Code: 00126G DCS 659809900

FEEL AT HOME AT QUEST EAST PERTH

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Visit www.questeastperth.com.au or call (08) 6210 6000

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($10,000+) Warwick Hemsley AO Dr Robert Larbalestier Anonymous (1) PRINCIPAL PATRON ($5,000+) Dr Jack Bendat AM CitWA Charmaine Cameron Catherine Ferrari David Glance Dr Dennis Hayward The Robert Kimpton Family Annie & Neil Patrick Dr Peter Simpson OAM Richard Tarala & Lyn Beazley AO Anonymous (2) BENEFACTOR ($2,500+) Neil Archibald & Alan R. Dodge AM Dr. Maria Kailis Eleanor John Tessa La Mela Francis Landels Patrick Lilburne Dr Bryant Macfie Lisa Stewart Michael & Helen Tuite Joyce Young Anonymous (2) SUPPORTER ($1,000+) Gaysie Atkinson Betty Barker Dr Colin Binns & Dr Mi Kyung Lee Dr Peter & Mrs Rae Breidahl Joan Carney Helen Carroll Frank Cooper AO Michael Cowie Peter and Christene Dalla Riva Michelle Edwards Lorraine Ellard T & E Gerner Kathryn Hogan and Graham Droppert Ulrich & Gloria Kunzmann Simon Landers Ross and Fran Ledger Yuko Lucas Karen Parfitt Bill Reid Kerry Sanderson Glenice Shephard Kim & Keith Spence Stephen & Janet Thackray Agatha Van Der Schaaf Karen Venard Yannis Vrodos Dr Chris and Mrs Vimala Whitaker Diana Warnock and the late Bill Warnock Anonymous (10)

FRIEND ($500+) Tom Aram Cathy Bardon and Bob Cassie David Black Christine Burson Carolyn Chard AM Dr Douglas Clifford Dr Graham Douglas and Brian Lindberg Peter Eadington Sue Foster Rosemary Grigg & Peter Flanigan Dr Rosalind Hampton Cecilia Hastings Dr Penny Herbert Sue Joubert Jock & Jennifer Laurie Cathy and Cian Noonan Liane Papaelias Wendy Powles Jennifer Rankin Kay Ripp Wayne Robinson Elizabeth Shelton The Sherwood Family Margaret Stockton Warren and Katharina Surtees Dr Peter Winterton Alison Woodman Anonymous (5) TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS Bendat Family Foundation Crown Resorts Foundation Packer Family Foundation Wright Burt Foundation The James Galvin Family Foundation Stan Perron Charitable Trust ANDREW AND NICOLA FORREST AO The generous gift of FMG shares is testament to the Forrest’s commitment to a strong and vibrant arts sector in Western Australia.

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Join our cast of supporters by donating online at waopera.asn.au. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

VENUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PERTH THEATRE TRUST Chair Morgan Solomon Board Nadia van Dommelen Julian Donaldson Michelle Tremain Rob Didcoe Ex officio Councillor Sandy Anghie Councillor Di Bain Councillor Clyde Bevan Director General, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and General Manager, Perth Theatre Trust

Lanie Chopping

VENUE ADMINISTRATION Venue Manager Helen Stewart Manager Venue Operations Madeline Joll Event Operations Coordinator Jenny May Administration and Accounts Assistant Fiona McNiece Administration Assistant Julianna Noonan Stage Door Keeper David Bell Box Office Supervisor Jenny Franklin Archivist Ivan King OAM VENUE TECHNICAL Deputy Director Technical Services Matthew Nankivell Production Manager Amelia Dymond Head of Sound & Audio Visual Dylan Crosbie Head of Staging Eoin O’Brian Head Flyman Matt Power Head of Lighting Michael Rippon Sarah Brittenden as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, West Australian Opera’s production Cav & Pag 2010. Photo by James Rogers.

WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA BOARD

WAO STAFF

Chairman Andrew Pascoe Deputy Chair Catherine Ferrari Christiaan Heyning Darren Lewsen Ingrid O’Brien Jan Stewart Janet Barnes Anthony Gianotti

Executive Director Carolyn Chard AM Artistic Director Christopher van Tuinen Production Manager Mandy Farmer Artistic Administrator Kate Larkins Accountant Debbie Byrnes Education Manager Terasa Letizia Development Manager Coralie Bishop Development Coordinator Catherine Noonan Marketing Manager Danielle Barlow Acting Marketing Manager Alison Rodrigues Marketing Coordinator Holly Langford-Smith Media Coordinator Daniele Foti-Cuzzola CRM Coordinator Rachel Sait Financial Accountant Trish Wyn-Jones Music Librarian Allison Fyfe

VICE REGAL PATRON The Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia PATRON Dr Jack Bendat AM CitWA HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Dario Amara Julie Bishop Richard Bonynge AC CBE Terry Bowen Frank Cooper AO Erich Fraunschiel Colin Goddard Warwick Hemsley AO Francis Landels Bruce Martin AM Margaret McManus Dr Richard Mills AM Annie Patrick Marilyn Phillips Vincent A Warrener AM KHS

Elisa Wilson as Nedda in Cavalleria rusticana, West Australian Opera’s production Cav & Pag 2010. Photo by James Rogers.

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