City of Perth's Opera in the Park 2016

WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA 2016

CITY OF PERTH’S

OPERA IN THE PARK GIANNI SCHICCHI A FREE EVENT supported by Lotterywest and Alcohol. Think Again

LANGLEY PARK 6 February 2016

ENGAGE CHALLENGE EXCITE SURPRISE REFLECT

PROUD SUPPORTER OF WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA Photograph © Courtesy of West Australian Opera

popular annual summertime event, now in its 25th year.

Each year the people of Perth flock to celebrate the passion and performance of live opera under the stars nestled in the picturesque surrounds between the river and the heart of the city.

Opera in the Park’s beautiful outdoor setting offers an accessible platform to experience opera of an international standard. Puccini’s comic opera, Gianni Schicchi, features one of the world’s most popular arias “O mio babbino caro” and is sure to delight you with stunning vocals and mischievous characters. Principal singers are joined by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brad Cohen and directed by Lindy Hume, one of Australia’s leading opera directors.

Our thanks go to the staff, artists and volunteers for their dedicated commitment to this important cultural event and to Lotterywest for extending the experience to audiences in regional Western Australian locations via simulcast as well as the Department of Regional Development, The Community Resource Network and Westlink.

I do hope you enjoy this operatic gift for all ages.

The Right Honourable, The Lord Mayor Lisa - M Scaffidi

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The City of Perth is proud to be a major sponsor of this

Welcome to City of Perth’s ‘Opera in the Park’.

Opera is an extraordinary artform. It makes us feel and it makes us think and most of all it should be shared. We thank the City of Perth for continuing to support this event, allowing thousands of West Australians to access opera each year. We thank Lotterywest who have enabled live regional broadcasts of this event since 2010.

I acknowledge our Principal Partner Wesfarmers Arts and our local, state and federal Government Partners including the City of Perth, the Department of Culture and the Arts and the Australia Council. I acknowledge Healthway who support this event with the message Alcohol. Think Again.

Thank you to all our sponsors who have assisted us to bring the Family Entertainment Area to life.

Please join us in His Majesty’s Theatre throughout the year.

In April we present the award winning new Australian work, ‘The Riders’, based on the novel by Tim Winton and

composed by Iain Grandage.

In July we present Simon

Phillips’ production of ‘The Elixir

of Love’ and in November we

present a new production of

‘The Pearl Fishers’ directed by

Michael Gow.

Tonight is a celebration of the

wonderful singing of Puccini’s

comic opera under the stars

accompanied by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Carolyn Chard General Manager West Australian Opera

It all starts with you.

Thank you for helping us support events and festivals all round WA including Opera in the Park.

Every time you play Lotterywest Games, 34 cents of every dollar goes back to the WA community through our Grants.

Giving you the chance to enjoy events and festivals supported by Lotterywest. So thanks for playing, because it all starts with you. lotterywest.wa.gov.au

Play Responsibly gamblinghelponline.org.au 1800 858 858

Gianni Schicchi

A one act opera by Puccini. Sung in Italian with English Subtitles

Gherardino Lucy Mervik

Production Manager Mandy Farmer

Head of Wigs Virginia Hawdon

General Manager Carolyn Chard

Betto di Signa Mark Alderson

Site Manager Matthew Nankivell

Makeup Sharon Krywood

Accountant Debbie Liebgott

Simone Andrew Collis

Lighting Designer Sean McKernan

Surtitles/Music Librarian Allison Fyfe

Education Manager Terasa Letizia

Marco Sam Roberts-Smith

Sound Engineer James Hewgill

Regional Project Manager Melanie Timms

Artistic Administrator Rebecca Kais

La Ciesca Ileana Rinaldi

Sound Producer Jordan Gibbs

Repetiteur Tommaso Pollio

Marketing Coordinator Danielle Ierace

Rinuccio Virgilio Marino

Maestro Spinelloccio / Ser Amantio di Nicolao Robert Hofmann

Stage Manager Karen Farmer

Italian Language Coach John Kinder

Office Coordinator Marion O’Connor

Gherardo Matthew Lester

Pinellino Paull-Anthony Keightley

Assistant Stage Managers Chad Wetton Hugo Aguilar López

Sales Consultant Rachel Sait

Financial Accountant Sue Hobson

Nella Katja Webb

Guccio Mark Hurst

Head of Wardrobe & Stylist Sue Kerr

Conductor / Artistic Director Brad Cohen Director Lindy Hume Gianni Schicchi Douglas McNicol Lauretta Kiandra Howarth Zita Fiona Campbell

Publicity Lynne Burford

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The Story

Like vultures, family members gather around the bed of recently deceased aristocrat, Buoso Donati, to mourn his passing, while secretly hoping to inherit his great fortune.

Betto, Donati’s estranged brother-in-law, mentions a rumor that Donati has left his entire fortune to a monastery.

The family begins to frantically search for Donati’s will.

It is finally found by Rinuccio, the son of Donati’s cousin, Zita, who asks for permission to marry Lauretta, the daughter of Gianni Schicchi. Zita tells him that he can marry whomever he pleases once he gains his inheritance. Rinuccio sends a note inviting Schicchi and his daughter Lauretta.

When the will is read their fears are confirmed. Donati has left them nothing. Schicchi, and Lauretta arrive and are treated poorly by the family. Rinuccio thinks that Schicchi can help recover Donati’s wealth. Schicchi insulted by the family’s behaviour, refuses to help. When Lauretta begs him (singing the famous “O mio babbino caro”), he finally changes his mind.

The family moves Donati’s lifeless body into another room and call upon the doctor. Schicchi hides behind the bed curtains when the doctor arrives. Believing Donati has recovered, the doctor departs boasting of his admirable skills unaware that he has been duped. Schicchi now has paperwork documenting that Donati is still alive.

Disguising himself as Donati, he sets about creating a new will.

When the notary arrives, Schicchi begins to dictate the new will. He lists the items each family member has bribed him to include, which delights each one. However, when he states that the house, mill, and mule have been left to his “good friend, Gianni Schicchi” the family become furious, but are unable to say a word. If they speak up, the notary will discover their plot and void the will. After the new will is notarized and the official leaves, a huge argument erupts. Schicchi kicks them all out of the house, which he now owns. Rinuccio and Lauretta remain and Schicchi approves their union.

WASO on stage tonight VIOLIN Laurence Jackson Concertmaster Graeme Norris Assoc Concertmaster Rebecca Glorie A/Principal 1st Violin Zak Rowntree* Principal 2nd Violin Kylie Liang Assoc Principal 2nd Violin Sarah Blackman Fleur Challen Stephanie Dean Beth Hebert Christina Katsimbardis Ellie Lawrence Shaun Lee-Chen* Akiko Miyazawa Melanie Pearn Graham Pyatt Jolanta Schenk Jane Serrangeli Kate Sullivan David Yeh

VIOLA Alex Brogan Kierstan Arkleysmith Alison Hall Rachael Kirk Allan McLean Helen Tuckey

FLUTE Andrew Nicholson Chair partnered by Quadrant Energy Mary-Anne Blades

BASSOON Jane Kircher-Lindner Chair partnered by Sue & Ron Wooller Adam Mikulicz

CELLO Louise McKay Chair partnered by Penrhos College Shigeru Komatsu Oliver McAslan Nicholas Metcalfe Tim South Xiao Le Wu

PICCOLO Michael Waye OBOE Elizabeth Chee Stephanie Nicholls^

HORN David Evans Robert Gladstones Principal 3rd Francesco Lo Surdo Doree Dixon^

DOUBLE BASS Andrew Sinclair* Joan Wright Louise Elaerts Andrew Tait

COR ANGLAIS Leanne Glover CLARINET Allan Meyer Catherine Cahill^ BASS CLARINET Alexander Millier Chair partnered by Altegra Property Group

TRUMPET Brent Grapes Chair partnered by Conoco Phillips Evan Cromie Peter Miller TROMBONE Joshua Davis Liam O’Malley

BASS TROMBONE Philip Holdsworth CIMBASSO) Cameron Brook TIMPANI Alex Timcke PERCUSSION Troy Greatz Assoc Principal Percussion and Timpani Robyn Gray Paul Tanner HARP Sarah Bowman CELESTE Graeme Gilling PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL GUEST MUSICIAN^ *Instruments used by these musicians are on loan from Janet Holmes à Court AC.

Supporters of West Australian Opera’s Opera in the Park

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body

Tonight’s performance is simulcast to: Albany Entertainment Centre • Sun Pictures Broome • New Lyric Theatre Bunbury• Carnarvon Civic Centre • Esperance Civic Centre • QEII Seniors and Community Centre Geraldton • Goldfields Arts Centre Kalgoorlie • Margaret River Cultural Centre • Cummins Theatre Merredin • Moora Performing Arts Centre • Multi-Purpose Centre Onslow • Matt Dann Theatre and Cinema Port Hedland • Northbridge Piazza • Community Resource Centres throughout the state • Westlink Regional Satellite TV Channel 602 The regional simulcast is supported by Lotterywest, The Department of Regional Development, The Community Resource Network and Westlink