West Australian Opera Ghost Light Brochure | Quarter 3

JULY - OCTOBER 2020

WESF1486 9/2019

Pia Harris, Soprano

WE HAVE ALL FACED MANY CHALLENGES, AND CHANGES THROUGHOUT SEVERAL MONTHS OF PANDEMIC. WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA REMAINS DEDICATED TO SHARING THE MAGIC OF OPERA AND WHILE WE’RE AWAY FROM THE STAGE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE GHOST LIGHT TO CONNECT THROUGH MUSIC. In this third quarter of the year we are proud to announce the Wesfarmers Arts Commission of Koolbardi wer Wardong. While the theatre is dark we have the opportunity to nurture creativity and we are very grateful to Principal Partner, Wesfarmers Arts, for supporting this commission from Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse.

The power of the arts has been evident during these months of isolation and social distancing and I would like to thank you for staying connected with your state opera company while we navigate these times together.

Carolyn Chard AM Executive Director West Australian Opera

GINA WILLIAMS GUY GHOUSE

A WESFARMERS ARTS COMMISSION

West Australian Opera’s dream is to present opera that moves and enchants you through stories that are relevant and diverse.

In a celebration of language, music and culture we are proud to announce the Wesfarmers Arts Commission of Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse to write Koorlbardi wer Wardong.

This is the story of the koorlbardi (magpie) and the wardong (crow).

To be written and performed in Noongar language, this is a Nyittiny (creation) story about two birds who gave in to jealousy and competition, lost their pure white feathers and became the magpies and the crows we know today.

a comic opera by Gian Carlo Menotti

COMPOSER / LIBRETTIST GIAN CARLO MENOTTI MUSIC DIRECTOR CHRIS VAN TUINEN DIRECTOR KATT OSBORNE DESIGNER

A story of love and digital connection in a COVID19 world and being present in the moments that matter.

In this adaptation of Menotti’s one-act opera the telephone is substituted with a laptop while ‘working from home’

TYLER HILL

Ben wants to propose to his girlfriend

BEN

Lucy however a comedy of errors ensues

LACHLANN LAWTON

as he fights to take her attention away

LUCY

from her computer screen.

CHELSEA BURNS

Will he get his girl?

PAM BERNADETTE LEWIS

Available online Thursday 9 July

The Telephone will be available on West Australian Opera’s Youtube Channel.

Sung in English | Duration 25 minutes

PRESENTED BY

From the Tosca cake to Pasta alla

VISIT PERTH

Norma many culinary delights were

HOSTED BY DANIELE FOTI-CUZZOLA CREW & KING HERITAGE PERTH BALTHAZAR CHICHO GELATO

inspired by great operas and composers.

West Australian Opera and Visit Perth present Cooking with Opera, a six-week series to inspire you to cook, eat and listen.

GARUM

Some of the City’s well-known chefs will

MARY STREET BAKERY

take you behind the scenes into their kitchens to learn the story of the recipes.

Available online from Sunday 14 June

Each Sunday a video will be released to WAO and City of Perth social channels.

Each week one kitchen will make these special menu items available for you to purchase and enjoy.

WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA ARTISTS

West Australian Opera and

AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE BALLROOM

Standing Room Only.

Government House present

A series of micro recitals by Western Australian singers, celebrating live

10, 17, 24, 31 July

performance in socially distanced times.

Each recital is 15 minutes long and will feature one singer, a pianist and opera’s greatest arias. This is ‘standing room only’ where you are invited into the ballroom to stand for a beautiful opera moment.

This is a free event but registrations are essential and numbers are limited.

Registrations at waopera.asn.au

GHOST SPOTLIGHTS

Ghost Spotlights give you an opportunity to find out what goes on behind the

Available online

scenes.

Each week a company member blog will be released. Each blog will give you an insight into what happens ‘out of the ghost light’ and ‘behind the scenes’ as the bloggers share their stories of working in the ghost light, how they’ve adapted and what they’re most looking forward to post COVID-19.

EMMA MATTHEWS

Ghost Light Opera celebrates five

FIONA CAMPBELL

outstanding Western Australian artists

PAUL ONEILL

performing gorgeous arias spot lit on

JAMES CLAYTON

a darkened stage.

TOMMASO POLLIO

Available online

We are grateful to our partners, donors and government who continue to support us in this time of crisis.

Thank you to the state government Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, the Australia Council, Perth Theatre Trust, His Majesty’s Theatre, Wesfarmers Arts, Lotterywest, City of Perth, Minderoo Foundation and Healthway.

HOSTED BY

Listen to West Australian Opera’s Music

CHRIS VAN TUINEN

Director Chris van Tuinen and his guests

Available online

From ‘behind the scenes’ moments to

on Podcast opera discussions.

‘meet the artists’ spotlights enjoy hearing from special guests including Wesfarmers Arts Young Artists and director of The Telephone, Katt Osborne.

Available at waopera.asn.au and on WAO’s social media platforms.

A COMPILATION

In the Playlist Series West Australian

OF FAVOURITE

Opera artists and special guests will

ARIAS, COMPOSITIONS

share a playlist of their favourite arias

AND PIECES

and compositions, pieces that inspire

THAT INSPIRE.

them and the all-time classics that they’re listening to now.

Available online

Accompanying each playlist is an explanation on why each piece was chosen and the special memory attached to it.

Listen to the Playlist Series on WAO’s website, Spotify channel and social media platforms.

JAKE BIGWOOD

West Australian Opera is committed

JONATHAN BRAIN

to supporting singers during this time

BRIGITTE HEUSER

of uncertainty.

PIA HARRIS NAOMI JOHNS BRIANNA LOUWEN SARA MACLIVER EMMA PETTEMERIDES TOMMASO POLLIO

Many artists around the world have been filming musical moments out in the community, on a balcony, in driveways, outside schools, houses and nursing homes.

SAM ROBERTS-SMITH

The company created a quick response

PRUDENCE SANDERS

grant to support artists to create work

PENNY SHAW

within their communities.

ASHLYN TYMMS MATT REUBEN JAMES WARD

You can see this work by visiting WAO social channels and searching the #ghostlightopera

THANK YOU

Ari Antonovsky

Sue Joubert

FOR HELPING

Tom Aram

Leon & Maureen Levy

US KEEP THE

Arshan Bhathena

Helen Metcalf

GHOST LIGHT

Prof Colin Binns and Dr Mi Kyung LEE

Roger Munt

BURNING

Carolyn Chard AM Joanne Cruickshank Susan Cutler Christopher Downey Michelle Edwards Shirley Egan Denise Fairclough Catherine Ferrari Thea Fisher Sue Foster The James Galvin Foundation Mindy Green & Steve McDonald Catherine Henwood Jill Higgins Infinite Consulting Group Pip & Bob Jarvis Irene Jarzabek H. Jekabsons

Tony & Beverley Noakes Barbara Pelly Jennifer Rankin Gay Reid Naomi Rhyne G.S Roberts Ann Robinson Alicia Robinson The Sherwood Family C. Stallard Margaret Stockton Claire Taylor Arthur Tideswell Vitarica Pty Ltd Margaret Waller Lee Wedderburn Pat Whalen The Wright Burt Foundation Anonymous (53)

WEB waopera.asn.au FACEBOOK WestAustralianOpera YOUTUBE WestAustralianOpera INSTAGRAM WestAustralianOpera STREET ADDRESS West Australian Opera Level 3, His Majesty’s Theatre 825 Hay Street Perth WA 6000 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 7052 Cloisters Square Perth WA 6850 CONTACT US 08 9278 8999 administration@waopera.asn.au