OF PENZANCE THE PIRATES
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
28 March – 5 April 2025
His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth
Composer Arthur Sullivan
Librettist William Schwenck Gilbert
Conductor Christopher van Tuinen
Director Stuart Maunder AM
Original Choreographer Elizabeth Hill-Cooper
Revival Choreographer Anna Tsirigotis
Set Designer Richard Roberts
Costume Designer Roger Kirk AM
Lighting Designer Trudy Dalgleish
Sound Designer Noah Ivulich
Repetiteur Tommaso Pollio
The Pirate King Ben Mingay
Major General Andrew Foote
Frederic Alasdair Kent
Mabel Prudence Sanders
Ruth Penny Shaw
Sergeant of Police Brett Peart
Samuel Lachlann Lawton
Edith Emma Pettemerides
Kate Belinda Butler
Isabel Claire Condipodero
West Australian Opera Chorus
West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Production Manager Mandy Farmer
Stage Manager Karen Farmer
Deputy Stage Manager Rose Liggins
Assistant Stage Manager Holly Ballam
Head of Wardrobe Nora Stelter
Cutters Rose Finlay, Nicole Marrington
Wardrobe Assistants Tricia David, Heather Freeman
Dressers Laura Hill, Phoebe Mitchell
Head of Wigs Virginia Vona
Wigs Assistant Christopher Lyons
Head of Make Up Sharon Kyrwood
Senior Technician Aidan Massie-Taylor
Head Electrician Kristie Smith An original production by Opera Australia West Australian Opera
Photo courtesy of State Opera South Australia @ Frankie The Creative.
Vice Regal Patron’s Message
The Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM
Governor of Western Australia
Vice Regal Patron, West Australian Opera
I am proud to be the Vice Regal Patron of the State opera company, one of the State’s leading arts organisations, West Australian Opera. Opera is an artform that tells stories, with big emotions, sweeping music, and high stakes.
I encourage you to continue to support West Australian Opera, in the presentation of world-class performances, education and community programs, regional tours, and young artist development through the Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist Program and Roberts Emerging Artist Program.
Under the stewardship of Carolyn Chard AM and Christopher van Tuinen, West Australian Opera continues to enrich the performing arts in the State.
Executive Director’s Message
Carolyn Chard AM
Executive Director, West Australian Opera
West Australian Opera is proud to present Opera Australia’s production of The Pirates of Penzance directed by Stuart Maunder AM.
Thank you to our friends at both Opera Australia and the State Opera South Australia for making this production available for us to present in Perth for the first time. Thank you to director Stuart Maunder AM, original choreographer, Elizabeth Hill-Cooper, revival choreographer Anna Tsirigotis, set designer Richard Roberts, costume designer Roger Kirk AM, lighting designer Trudy Dalgleish, repetiteur Tommaso Pollio.
Thank you to the cast including Ben Mingay (The Pirate King), Andrew Foote (Major General), Alasdair Kent (Frederic), Prudence Sanders (Mabel), Penny Shaw (Ruth), Brett Peart (Sergeant of Police), Lachlann Lawton (Samuel), Emma Pettermerides (Edith), Belinda Butler (Kate), Claire Condipodero (Isabel), all under conductor Christopher van Tuinen with the West Australian Opera Chorus and West Australian Symphony Orchestra, and thank you stage management, crew, and backstage teams.
At West Australian Opera, our dream is to speak to the heart through the human voice and to unite people through the joy of music. The excitement of taking your seat for a performance, the anticipation of the curtain rising, and the drama that is set to unfold on stage make live performances such a special experience.
Whether this is your first performance with West Australian Opera or a return visit, we hope it is memorable for you and we thank you for supporting West Australian Opera.
Chair’s Message
Andrew Pascoe Chair, West Australian Opera
West Australian Opera is grateful for the continued support of the Federal Government through Creative Australia, the State Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Lotterywest.
We appreciate and acknowledge our valued Principal Partner, Wesfarmers Arts. We thank major partners Feilman Foundation, MM Electrical Merchandising, Healthway, Lotterywest, and JCDecaux.
We acknowledge and appreciate the significant contribution of the Roberts Emerging Artist Program which supports developing young talent in WA. We thank all of our partners, patrons, trusts, foundations, donors, and government funders.
The Board, management, company, and artists give thanks to the opera family of supporters and to you, our audience members, who enable us to continue to share the power of music. We acknowledge your support which plays an important role in the life of West Australian Opera within the arts and cultural landscape of Western Australia.
Conductor’s Notes
Christopher van Tuinen Conductor
Sometimes the opera gods save a piece of repertoire or a role for just the right time. In this case, the first time West Australian Opera has presented the masterpiece that is The Pirates of Penzance.
The works of Gilbert and Sullivan have graced many a lyric stage, being as they are, the pinnacle of English Operetta, and this company has done plenty of them. So why so long to perform Pirates? I think the gods wait for the right production, the right director and the right cast.
So, we’re delighted to have Stuart Maunder AM bring his fabulous production to Perth for the first time and have an extraordinary group of singing actors take part. His Majesty’s Theatre is the perfect space to connect with the droll wit and emotional charm of this timeless score.
I trust you’ll have as much fun in the theatre as we will have from the stage and orchestra pit. Tarantara, tarantara!
Director’s Notes
Stuart Maunder AM Director
There is no theatrical phenomenon in the Antipodes with the staying power of Gilbert and Sullivan.
For generations of Australians, the first Gilbert and Sullivan in the theatre is a kind of icon of experience. I have lost count of the number of people who’ve told me “my aunt took me to see Pinafore or Pirates when I was eight” … and how that got them hooked on theatre.
The G&S operettas’ durability is extraordinary but not unexplainable. After all, Gilbert’s dramatic situations are still funny. The way in which plots hinge on apprentices born on the 29th of February, or twins exchanged at birth or ridiculous legal technicalities still delight, but let’s face it, stranger things happen on Home and Away
Sullivan’s music succeeds in providing a kind of romantic foil to Gilbert’s pervasive drollery and cynicism. This kind of friction was very much at the heart of Gilbert and Sullivan’s creative relationship; a perfect marriage, complementary and challenging. And they shared a sense of humour. Nothing Sullivan wrote with others holds a candle to the music inspired by Gilbert’s words.
What Sullivan did to those words was to sabotage them and transform them by encasing them in glorious melody. What other body of work, what other collection of 14 operas reveals such riches, all of a type, a family, yet all different, thrilling, witty, satiric, gossamer thin and with real heart. The Savoy Opera’s fusion of gentle satire alternating with genuine heartfelt emotion, so embodied in The Pirates of Penzance, is a combination that never ages – indeed, perhaps it’s something we need now more than ever.
Synopsis
ACT I
A rocky sea-shore on the coast of Cornwall.
A band of pirates offer a toast to Frederic, their apprentice, as he is 21 years old and his indentures are almost up. Despite dutifully serving his masters, he loathed being a pirate and is looking forward to a more respectable career. The other pirates refuse to join him but do admit they can’t make piracy pay. Frederic tells them they are slaves to their tender hearts, including their refusal to take advantage of anyone they believe to be an orphan.
Meanwhile, Frederic’s former nursemaid, Ruth, who has also joined the band as a piratical maid-of-all-work, wants to leave with him and become his wife. Frederic, who has seen very few women, takes Ruth at her word when she claims to be beautiful and agrees. That is, until he sees the young daughters of Major General Stanley arrive for a picnic. The girls are shocked to learn that Frederic is a pirate and all reject his advances except Mabel.
Her sisters are seized by the pirates and threatened with marriage. The Major General arrives and plays on the pirates’ sympathy by telling them he is an orphan. The pirates release the General and his daughters.
ACT II
A ruined chapel by moonlight.
The Major General broods among the ruins, troubled by the lie he has told and fearing the consequences. His daughters comfort him and Frederic lifts his spirits with a plan to march against the pirates with a squad of police.
The Pirate King and Ruth arrive with news of a technicality concerning Frederic, and to recall him to service. Frederic’s sense of duty is so strong, he agrees to rejoin the pirates and bids farewell to Mabel. And being an obedient young man, he tells the pirates that the Major General is not, in fact, an orphan.
Attempting to attack the General, the pirates find him defended by police. The pirates win the skirmish and the General is taken prisoner. But when the Sergeant of Police commands the pirates to surrender in the name of the Queen, Ruth reveals they are all in fact peers of the realm, noblemen who have gone astray. The General pardons them and grants his daughters’ hands in marriage.
Biographies
Christopher van Tuinen Conductor
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.
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 and Green Room Awards in the ‘Best Conductor’ category.
During 2008 and 2009 he was a member of the Young Artists Program 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. Previous roles include Perth Festival, WASO, Musica Viva and Lost and Found Opera.
Previous opera credits include, Rusalka, Otello, La bohème, La traviata, Le nozze di Figaro, Cav/Pag, Cosi fan tutte, Iolanta, Elijah, Madama Butterfly, Hansel und Gretel, Don Procopio, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Medeé, La voix humaine amongst others. He has recorded and been broadcast by the ABC.
He is currently the Artistic Director of West Australian Opera.
Stuart Maunder AM Director
Stuart Maunder AM has been directing musical theatre and opera in Australia for 44 years. He joined The Australian Opera as Stage Manager in 1978, becoming a Resident Director in 1981. He returned to Opera Australia as Artistic Administrator in 1999, becoming Executive Producer in 2004. From 2014 to 2018 Stuart was General Director of New Zealand Opera, before joining State Opera South Australia as Artistic Director in 2018. In May 2023 he helmed Australia’s first ever G&S Festival for that company.
In 2023, Stuart became Artistic Director of Victorian Opera. His past productions for VO have included La rondine, English Eccentrics, Mansfield Park, and five Sondheim musicals, most recently Follies.
Stuart’s productions for West Australian Opera include Carmen at the WACA, Macbeth, Tosca, Sweeney Todd, Cunning Little Vixen, The Merry Widow and Opera in The Park productions of La bohème, Rigoletto, The Pearl Fishers.
Biographies
Elizabeth Hill-Cooper Original Choreographer
Elizabeth began her career as a classical ballet dancer with West Australian Ballet. Moving into choreography and directing, she discovered her love of opera. She has created or restaged productions for several state opera companies and Opera Australia.
Her credits include Die Fledermaus, The Gypsy Princess, The Tales of Hoffmann, My Fair Lady, The Pirates of Penzance, Rusalka, Lakmé and Arabella. Elizabeth regularly collaborates with Stuart Maunder AM and Roger Kirk AM.
Joining Victorian Opera in 2012, Elizabeth has directed mainstage productions such as Pelléas and Mélisande and The Pearl Fishers, and was the company’s Executive Producer and Artistic Associate from 2014–2019. She was appointed Victorian Opera’s CEO in May 2019.
Anna Tsirigotis Revival Choreographer
Anna graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor of Arts (Musical Theatre) in 2006. At 16, she made her professional debut in New York, in Dein Perry’s Steel City at Radio City Music Hall. Professional credits include the Australian and New Zealand tour of My Fair Lady (Opera Australia), Irene starring Debbie Reynolds (Peach Productions) The Boy from Oz (Arena Tour) Putting it Together (Riverside Theatre) and Oklahoma (IAJ International). Other highlights include performing in the 100th anniversary of His Majesty’s Theatre and the opening of Heath Ledger Theatre. Roles include: Carol in Shakers, Lorraine in Bat Boy, Gladys in Pal Joey and The School Teacher in the Australian premiere of William Finn’s Elegies. Anna has worked as a choreographer throughout Germany for the Stage School Hamburg, and on productions of Blood Brothers, Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street, and Madama Butterfly, HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance for State Opera South Australia.
Richard Roberts Set Designer
Richard is an award-winning designer and educator. His body of work spans theatre, ballet, opera, musical theatre, and film, across Australia and internationally.
Richard’s designs for opera include: Idomeneo (Opera Australia with Victorian Opera), Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, The Magic Flute (Opera Australia), Die fledermaus (Opera Australia with West Australian Opera); La rondine, The Visitors, Parsifal, Cunning Little Vixen, Nixon in China, The Magic Flute, Baroque Triple Bill, The Marriage of Figaro, The Coronation of Poppea and Don Giovanni (Victorian Opera); Ruddigore (Opera Queensland); Rigoletto (New Zealand Opera, Seattle Opera, Philadelphia Opera).
Other design credits include: Don Quixote, Requiem, Molto vivace, Raymonda (The Australian Ballet); La sylphide, La fille mal gardée (West Australian Ballet, Queensland Ballet).
Richard is currently Head of Design and Production at the Victorian College of the Arts. He has held positions as Head of Design at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Head of Production at The Victorian College of the Arts and Head of Design at The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.
Roger Kirk AM Costume Designer
Roger Kirk AM is a Tony Award-winning set and costume designer for theatre, film and television. His credits include Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind (London), The King and I (London Palladiu), Hugh Jackman’s The Boy from Oz Arena Spectacular, Silver Rose, Le corsaire (Munich Opera House), Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, and Shout! Roger designed the costumes for the film Jesus Christ Superstar. His Broadway credits include The King & I (Tony Award), Jesus Christ Superstar, 42nd Street (Tony Award Nomination) and King Kong. Most recently Follies and Sweeney Todd (Victorian Opera), Miracle City (Luckiest Productions), 42nd Street in London and sell-out shows for Broadway to Oz: Hugh Jackman Live in Concert, World Tour
Biographies
Trudy Dalgleish Lighting Designer
Trudy Dalgleish is one of Australia’s leading lighting designers and a graduate of The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). She has been nominated and won many awards for her work, including a “Mo” Award for outstanding contribution to musical theatre, a Helpmann Award, and seven Greenroom awards.
Trudy has worked extensively with most companies around Australia including Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Dance Company.
She is best known for her work in commercial musical theatre both in Australia and overseas. She has worked in the West End and on Broadway, and extensively in Asia and the Middle East.
Trudy’s latest designs included The World of Wearable Art in Wellington,Grease the Australian tour, Mousetrap and The Odd Couple for Crossroads Live, The Tap Pack on London’s West End, Turn of the Screw, Macbeth and The Pirates of Penzance for State Opera South Australia and Eucalyptus.
Noah Ivulich Sound Designer
Noah Ivulich is a sound engineer and designer with an enthusiasm for audio production. While studying at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, he developed a strong interest in live music and musical theatre, setting the stage for his career in sound. Since graduating, he has worked extensively as a sound operator, technician, and designer across Perth’s theatre and live music scene.
His sound design credits include I and You, The Children, and Blue Orange (Theatre 180), as well as Koolbardi wer Wardong in Concert, Wundig wer Wilura in Concert, and Opera in the Quarry (West Australian Opera). In addition to his design work on productions across Western Australia, he currently works as an Audio Supervisor for the Arts & Culture Trust, overseeing sound for some of the state’s most iconic venues and events.
Ben was originally a construction worker from Newcastle who was dared to audition for the Conservatorium of Music by his mates. He subsequently won a scholarship and went on to train in Opera Voice – a twist of fate that changed his life trajectory forever.
Stage roles include: Papageno in The Magic Flute; Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd; The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance; Shrek in Shrek the Musical; Billy Bigelow in Carousel; The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera; Zack Mayo in An Officer and a Gentleman; Tommy De Vito in Jersey Boys; Billy Kostecki in Dirty Dancing and Berger in Hair. Ben is also a member of the hit singing group Swing On This
Screen roles include: Jim in Frayed; Flip Menelaus in The Twelve; Jim Delaney in Amazing Grace; Alan Bond in House of Bond; Grease Nolan in Hacksaw Ridge; Trystan Powell in Home and Away; Rob Duffy in Wonderland and Buzz Graham in Packed to the Rafters.
Andrew first performed for West Australian Opera in the 1988 production of Eureka Stockade (he insists there is no link to the company closing the following year). For over 40 years he has been a regular guest artist for Western Australian arts companies, a national broadcast artist, a freelance opera principal, a regular recitalist and oratorio soloist, a musical director, an opera director, and a tertiary educator. Like so many colleagues, the pandemic interrupted his performing career, so he rejoices in his return to the stage as the Major General.
Andrew has performed more than 30 operatic roles throughout Australia for Opera Australia, OzOpera and West Australian Opera, and won the Helpmann Award for best supporting male singer in an opera for his acclaimed portrayal of Ned Keene in Peter Grimes in 2010.
Andrew is an Associate Professor of Music and Chair of Vocal Studies at the UWA Conservatorium of Music, and recently retired as Chorus Director of the WASO Chorus.
Ben Mingay
The Pirate King
Andrew Foote Major General
Biographies
Alasdair Kent
Fredric
Australian tenor Alasdair Kent is known for “his evenly produced tenor, refined technique and intense expressiveness” (Opera News), a voice “of great clarity, and of beautiful projection” (Opera Online), and for marrying “striking good looks with delicious sound” (San Francisco Classical Voice).
An internationally-acclaimed interpreter of Rossini and Mozart, his high tenor repertoire also encompasses the Romantic music of Bellini, Donizetti and Bizet, as well as the Baroque and early-Classical music of Rameau and Gluck.
Recent engagements include performances with the Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro Real Madrid, the Bayerische Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zürich, the Rossini Opera Festival and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.
His 2024-25 season highlights include his house debut at Teatro alla Scala as Marzio in Mitridate, re di Ponto, Narciso in Il turco in Italia at the Opéra national de Lyon, Idreno in Semiramide with Opéra de Rouen, and and in concert with the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, and Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Opéra de Montréal.
Prudence Sanders Mabel
Prudence Sanders is a principal artist with West Australian Opera, making her role debut in 2020 as Fiordiligi in the Glyndebourne Festival production of Così fan tutte. Other roles for WAO include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Madame Herz (Der Schauspieldirektor), Eleonora (Prima la musica poi la parole), Michaëla (Carmen) and Rapunzel (Into the Woods).
A graduate of WAAPA and the Guildhall School of Music, Prudence performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall and Royal Albert Hall. She has recorded and performed with the BBC, London Voices, Opera Rara and was a member of the chorus at the Royal Opera House and Opera Australia.
Since returning to Perth, Prudence has appeared as a soloist with WASO, Perth Symphony Orchestra and Australian Baroque. She made her Perth Festival debut in 2021, singing the title role in an adaptation of Dvořák’s Rusalka with Freeze Frame Opera and more recently was nominated and awarded a PAWA for most outstanding performer in a supporting role for Opera/ Musical Theatre.
Penny Shaw has been singing professionally since 1993, performing as a principal artist with English Touring Opera, Holland Park Opera, and Pimlico Opera before moving to Fremantle in 1999. Penny has appeared in over 20 productions with the West Australian Opera; as Despina in West Australian Opera’s acclaimed 2020 production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte and was MC for Opera in the Park’s 25th Anniversary in 2021.
As part of the comic opera duo DivaLicious, Penny reached the finals of Australia’s Got Talent, performed at the Sydney Opera House, and toured internationally. In addition to performing she hosts Arts Collage on Radio Fremantle and produces the comedy podcast Diary of a (Teenage) Diva which she recently turned into a cabaret. Penny has also directed five operas for Freeze Frame Opera, earning a Best Director nomination at the 2024 PAWA Awards.
Penny’s first ever operatic role was Edith in The Pirates of Penzance, (in 1985!), and she is delighted to be back.
Perth-born Brett Peart, a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Music in classical vocal performance, is a Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist at WAO for 2024 and 2025. He has been described by The West Australian as “full of braggadocio but also beguiling charm” and by Seesaw Magazine as “especially successful in getting into his vocal stride.”
Regularly performing with WAO and Freeze Frame Opera (FFO), Peart also has training in musical theatre and contemporary musical performance. His WAO roles include The Mayor (Our Little Inventor), Montano (Otello), Benoit/Parpignol (La bohème), and The Hunter (Rusalka). With FFO, he has performed Ashby/ Jim Larkens (La fanciulla del west), The Prince (Adriana Lecouvreur), The Businessman (The Little Prince), and the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni
Peart has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Rosario La Spina, Rachelle Durkin, and Paul O’Neill.
Penny Shaw Ruth
Brett Peart Sergeant of Police
Biographies
Lachlann Lawton
Samuel
Australian/British lyric baritone Lachlann Lawton was a 2022 and 2024 Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award Finalist and John Wegner Award recipient. He is a 2024 and 2025 Young Artist with Opera Queensland, and is a former Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist, Bendat Scholarship winner, and proud recipient of the Roberts Emerging Artist Fund at West Australian Opera.
He is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music’s Master’s program as a Waverly Scholarship recipient and studied with Quentin Hayes. He completed a Graduate Diploma and Bachelor of Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
Recent engagements include Anthony Hope (Sweeney Todd) for Victorian Opera and Dubai Opera. Sailor and Aeneas cover (Dido and Aeneas) for Opera Queensland. Samuel (The Pirates of Penzance), Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas), Station Master (Eucalyptus), Schaunard (La bohème), Cinderella’s Prince and the Wolf (Into The Woods), Morales (Carmen), Marchese d’Obiney (La traviata), Duke Robert (Iolanta) for West Australian Opera.
Lachlann is a member of the 2025 ensemble at Grange Park Opera, Surrey UK.
Emma Pettemerides
Edith
Emma is a British-Australian soprano who has established herself as a versatile performer of both Opera and Musical Theatre. She has performed a wide variety of roles; most recently for West Australian Opera, Frasquita in Carmen at the WACA as part of the Perth Festival, Florinda Into the Woods, Madame Silberklang Der Schauspieldirektor and Tonina Prima la voce e poi le parole. Emma performed the role of Johanna in Stuart Maunder’s acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd and Valencienne in the world premiere of Graham Murphy’s The Merry Widow. Other recent roles include; Zerlina Don Giovanni (Freeze Frame Opera), Mademoiselle Jouvenot Adriana Lecourvreur (Freeze Frame Opera) Genovieffe Suor Angelica (Freeze Frame Opera), Laurey Oklahoma and Carlotta Phantom of the Opera amongst many others.
Emma has performed as a soloist with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Perth Symphony Orchestra, is a regular guest artist for Australian Baroque and performs for events around Australia as The Perth Soprano. Corporate events have taken Emma interstate to sing for companies such as Mitsubishi and she has performed at all major performance venues in WA.
Butler
After graduating from WAAPA in 2015 with a Graduate Diploma of Classical Voice, Belinda has been steadily working her way through the Gilbert and Sullivan canon with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA.
You may have seen her as the Fairy Queen (Iolanthe), Little Buttercup (HMS Pinafore), the Duchess of Plaza-Toro and Doña Alhambra (The Gondoliers), Lady Jane (Patience), Pitti-Sing (The Mikado), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance), Julia Jellicoe (The Grand Duke), and Mad Margaret (Ruddigore) which earned her the Independent Theatre Association’s Finley Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical in 2024.
Other operatic roles include the Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas, West Australian Opera), Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, WAAPA), Dryade (Ariadne auf Naxos, OperaBox), Pallas (The Judgement of Paris, Sarabande Early Music Ensemble) and Rosette (Manon, OperaBox). Belinda has been a member of the West Australian Opera chorus since 2017.
Soprano Claire Condipodero is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the Wales International Academy of Voice, studying under the tutelage of Dennis O’Neill CBE and Nuccia Focile.
Roles performed include Donna Bettina (Don Procopio), Countess (The Marriage of Figaro), Bianca (The Taming of the Shrew), and role preparation of Líu (Turandot, WIAV). Oratorios performed include The Widow (Elijah), Soprano Soloist in Stabat Mater and Vivaldi’s Gloria Claire has been a member of the West Australian Opera Chorus since 2018. She also featured as a soloist in the 2018/19 WAO Schools Tours.
A highlight of Claire’s career was her performance of the Australian National Anthem at the opening ceremony of CHOGM, where she had the honour of singing for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A sought-after soloist and freelance artist, Claire continues to captivate audiences with her voice and artistry, performing at a diverse array of prestigious events and concerts, most recently taking the stage at Carols in the Domain 2024 in Sydney, broadcast live across Australia.
Claire is thrilled to be making her role debut as Isabel with West Australian Opera.
Belinda
Kate
Claire Condipodero
Isabel
West Australian Opera Chorus
* Celebrating over 10 years ** Celebrating over 20 years
Alexandra Bak* Soprano
Jessica Blunt Soprano
Claire Condipodero Soprano
Brigitte Heuser Mezzo Soprano
Caitlin Cassidy* Mezzo Soprano
Belinda Butler Mezzo Soprano
Jason Kroll Tenor
Audrey Lombardi Soprano
Ben Del Borrello Bass
Emma Pettemerides* Soprano
Vin Trikeriotis Tenor
Courtney Pitman** Mezzo Soprano
Kohsei Gilkes Tenor
Rachel Singer Mezzo Soprano
Noah Humich Tenor
Keaton Staszewski-Hose Tenor
David Penco* Bass
Kyle Garces Bass
David Dockery** Bass
David Valsamidis Bass
Robert Hofmann** Bass
Stuart Laing Tenor
West Australian Symphony Orchestra
VIOLIN
Laurence Jackson
Concertmaster
Semra Lee
Assistant Concertmaster
Zak Rowntree
Principal 2nd Violin
Kate Sullivan
Assistant Principal 2nd Violin
Stephanie Dean
Amy Furfaro
Beth Hebert
Emma Hunt
Christina Katsimbardis
Sera Lee
Akiko Miyazawa
Samantha Wickramasinghe
VIOLA
Daniel Schmitt
Benjamin Caddy
Alison Hall
Helen Tuckey
CELLO
Fotis Skordas
Andrew Leask
Oliver McAslan
DOUBLE BASS
Andrew Sinclair
Robin Brawley
FLUTE
Mary-Anne Blades
PICCOLO
Sonia Croucher
OBOE
Liz Chee
Acting Principal Oboe
CLARINET
Allan Meyer
Som Howie
BASSOON
Chloe Turner
Acting Associate Principal Bassoon
HORN
Eve McEwen
Francesco Lo Surdo
TRUMPET
Darcy O’Malley°
Peter Miller
TROMBONE
Liam O’Malley
Jeremy Alderson
TIMPANI
Alex Timcke
PERCUSSION
Brian Maloney
Principal
Associate Principal
Assistant Principal
Contract Musician°
Guest Musician^
His Majesty’s Theatre
Arts and Culture Trust
Board
Morgan Solomon (Chairperson)
Zoë Atkinson
Shane Colquhoun AM
Nadia van Dommelen
Lisa Montgomery
Michelle Tremain
Melvin Yeo
Robert Taylor
CEO
Janis Carren
Administration
Venue Manager
Helen Stewart
Acting Manager Venue Operations
Marlaina Darmody
Event Operations Coordinator
Jenny Lee
Administration and Accounts Assistant
Dean Pruden
Administration Assistant
Fiona McNiece
Stage Door Keepers
Emily Dowden, Karl Galin
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Jenny Franklin
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Ivan King OAM
Technical
Acting Director of Technical Services
Matthew Nankivell
Acting Deputy of Technical Services
Kerrie Wilshusen
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Levi Caddy
Head of Audio and AV
Dylan Crosbie
Head of Lighting
Paul Parkes
Head of Staging
Harry Dunbar
Audio Supervisor
Noah Ivulich
Staging Supervisor
Radek Rubinski
Head Flyman
Morgan Caddy
Lighting Supervisor
Reev Coonan
West Australian Opera
Vice Regal Patron
The Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM
Governor of Western Australia
Board
Andrew Pascoe (Chair)
Darren Lewsen (Deputy Chair)
Alison Gaines
Anthony Gianotti
Christiaan Heyning
Jan Stewart
Gina Williams AM
Honorary Life Members
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Richard Bonynge AC CBE
Hon Julie Bishop
Terry Bowen
Frank Cooper AO
Catherine Ferrari
Erich Fraunschiel
Colin Goddard
Warwick Hemsley AO
Francis Landels
Bruce Martin AM
Margaret McManus
Dr Richard Mills AO
Annie Patrick
Marilyn Phillips OAM
Wesfarmers Arts Young Artists
Patron – Emma Matthews AM Jessica Blunt
Benjamin Del Borrello
Ruth Burke
Kohsei Gilkes
Brett Peart
WAO Staff
Executive Director
Carolyn Chard AM
Artistic Director
Chris van Tuinen
Production Manager
Mandy Farmer
Accountant
Debbie Byrnes
Artistic Administrator
Kate Larkins
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Terasa Letizia
Philanthropy Manager
Jane Campbell
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Dharshini (Dee) Murugiah
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Administration and Special Projects
Ginny van Tuinen
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Kris Adrian
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Karen Farmer
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Thank you, donors
Visionary Circle
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Bruce & Charmaine Cameron
Leadership Circle ($10,000+)
Jock & Kate Clough
Dr Robert Larbalestier AO
Ken & Yuko Lucas
Margaret & Rod Marston
Dr Peter Simpson OAM
Leanne & Sam Walsh AO
Anonymous (1)
Principal Patron ($5,000+)
Stewart Candlish & Bianca Panizza
Warwick Hemsley AO
The Estate of Robert Kimpton
Francis Landels
Annie & Neil Patrick
Anne Seghezzi & Gene Tilbrook
Helen & Michael Tuite
Benefactor ($2,500+)
Gaysie Atkinson
Neil Archibald & Alan R Dodge AM
Lorraine Ellard
Catherine Ferrari
Thomas Gerner
The Goodlad Family
Christiaan Heyning
Eleanor John
Dr Maria Kailis
Ross & Fran Ledger
Patrick Lilburne
Andreas W Merk
Marie Mills & Anthony Crocker
Mark & Fiona Newman
John S Paterson
Bill & Barbara Reid
Kerry Sanderson
Ruth Thorn
Joy Wearne
Anonymous (3)
Supporter ($1,000+)
Dr Carol Anderson
Cathy Bardon & Bob Cassie
Prof Colin Binns AO & Dr Mi Kyung Lee OAM
David & Lois Black
Christine Burson
Joan Carney
Helen Carroll
Frank Cooper AO
Peter & Christene Dalla Riva
Tim & Wendy Davis
John & Ann Dawson
Brian Lindberg & Graham Douglas
Michelle & Bill Edwards
Peter Edwards
Robyn Edwards
Dr Barry Green
Dr Rosalind Hampton
Steven Heath & Andrée Horrigan
Dr Penny Herbert
Luke Hoare
Kathryn Hogan & Graham Droppert
Peter Ingram
Ulrich & Gloria Kunzmann
Kay Lee & Richard Murphy
Karen Parfitt
Mary Petrie
Jennifer Rankin
Wayne Robinson
Kim & Keith Spence
Gail Spiers
Jan & Alan Stewart
Ruth Stratton
Robyn Tamke
Clare Thompson SC & Brad Power
Tessa Tieleman
Agatha van Der Schaaf
Yannis Vrodos
Dr Chris & Mrs Vimala Whitaker
Peter & Hilary Winterton
Anonymous (12)
Friend ($500+)
Tom & Mary-Anne Aram
Ron & Sue Bates
Sue Boyd AM
Carolyn Chard AM
M & K Chester
Douglas Clifford
Robert Clifton
Prudence Cowan
Janina Ivy Cusack
Peter Eadington
Judy Evans
Peter Flanigan & Rosemary Grigg
David Hanly
V Harvey
Enid Hopps
Jessica Iannello
Dr Susan M Joubert
Jock & Jennifer Laurie
Warren & Gillian Lilleyman
Allison Low
Dr Hamish McGlashan
Anthony Munro
Liane Papaelias
Roger Paterson
Steve & Jane Sherwood
Lindsay & Suzanne Silbert
Diane Smith-Gander AO
Margaret Stockton
Warren & Katharina Surtees
Richard Tarala & Lyn Beazley AO
Sue Thomas
Leonard Walker
Diana Warnock & the late Bill Warnock
Alison Woodman
Anonymous (8)
Donors ($200+)
Thank you to all our donors who support us and help us create and present the highest quality of opera in Western Australia.
Trusts and Foundations
Bendat Family Foundation
supporting Jessica Blunt, Ruth Burke, Ben Del Borrello, Kohsei Gilkes, Brett Peart
The James Galvin Family Foundation
Stan Perron Charitable Foundation
Wright Burt Foundation
Lifetime Recognition Donors
Neil Archibald & Alan R Dodge AM
Bruce & Charmaine Cameron
Warwick Hemsley AO
The Kimpton Family
The Kailis Family
Dr Robert Larbalestier AO
Annie & Neil Patrick
Helen & Michael Tuite
The Roberts Emerging Artist Program
Leanne & Sam Walsh AO
Anonymous (1)
Andrew Forrest AO
Nicola Forrest AO
The generous gift of FMG shares supports a strong and vibrant arts sector in Western Australia.
Bel Canto Fund
Thanks to the leadership donors of the Bel Canto Fund.
Bequest Circle
Cassandra Charlick & Stepan Libricky
Anita & James Clayton
Lorraine Ellard
Shane Pavlinovich
Ailsa West
Anonymous (5)
Estates
The Estate of Wendy Scanlon
The Estate of Clive Wannell
The Estate of Joyce E Young
The Estate of Noreen Riordan
Listing correct at time of publication.
Join our cast of supporters by donating online at waopera.asn.au. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
