A monthly newsletter about all things new opera & opera adjacent in Australia.
Winter has truly set in now and there are some fantastic opportunities to see some new work and celebrate the industry.
HAMLET
Opera Australia
SYDNEY
We really should have shouted loudly about this in our previous edition but it is not too late to catch one of the most successful contemporary operas by an Australian composer. Brett Dean's Hamlet was first commissioned and premiered by Glyndebourne Festival, and has been performed at the Metropolitan Opera of New York and the Adelaide Festival to great acclaim.
Dean has composed an expansive score that literally bounces off the walls and incorporates electronic sound design which appears like ephemeral musical memories.
One of Australia’s great Shakespearean directors, Neil Armfield created this “viscerally physical” (Sydney Morning Herald) production for Glyndebourne, collaborating with Australian designers Ralph Myers and Alice Babidge to produce a slick royal court with darkness at its heart.
The tenor who originated this role to great acclaim and has performed the demanding role at every season thus far, Allan Clayton makes his Sydney Opera House debut and word is he won't reprise this role again so a good opportunity to see his lauded performance. Lorina Gore reprises her “spellbinding” Helpmann Award-winning performance as Ophelia alongside an outstanding cast that includes some local audience favourites in Catherine Carby, Jud Arthur, Kanen Breen and Sam Dundas. Contemporary opera specialist Tim Anderson conducts.
DATE: until 9 August
TIME: 7:30pm
PLACE: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
See https://opera.org.au/productions/hamlet-sydney for more information.
THE CHILDREN'S BACH
LYRIC OPERA
MELBOURNE
"Set on the banks of Merri Creek in suburban Melbourne in the 1980s, The Children’s Bach centres on Dexter and Athena Fox, their son, and the insulated world they’ve built together. When a friend from Dexter’s past resurfaces and introduces the couple to the city’s bohemian underground, Athena begins to wonder if life might hold more for her, and the tenuous bonds that tie the Foxes together start to fray. It is a piece about love in its many forms.
This opera was commissioned and premiered in 2008 by Chamber Made. This will be the second full production of the work
The Children’s Bach features a cast of some of Victoria’s finest established and emerging opera artists including Kate Amos, Michael Honeyman, Adrian Li Donni, Juel Rigall, Lucy Schneider, Chloe Taylor and Ben and Chris Touzel, directed by Katy Maudlin, designed by Jacob Battista and conducted by Patrick Burns.
DAY; 30th August - 7th September
TIME: 7:30 pm
PLACE: Theatreworks, St Kilda Melbourne
See https://www.theatreworks.org.au/2024/the-children's-bach for more information
STRAIGHT FROM THE STRAIT
Opera Queensland
BRISBANE
A Torres Strait Island Musical presented by OQ with Yumpla Nerkep Foundations and QPAC for Brisbane Festival.
On 8 May 1968, a group of remarkable Torres Strait Islander workers on the vast expanse of the Mount Newman railway construction project shattered a world record as they laid down an astonishing 7km of track in a single day, an unparalleled feat that still stands unchallenged. At the heart of their extraordinary achievement is the power of song – songs that are unique to Australia, that tell a passionate and inspiring story.
Straight from the Strait pays homage to the stories of these Torres Strait Islander men and women who ventured far from their homes in pursuit of employment on the mainland. Amid the gruelling labour, they discovered a sense of camaraderie that transcended boundaries. Their sweat and toil laid the foundation for Australia’s emergence as an industrial nation.
This production reverberates with the power of song, a harmonious fusion of traditional Torres Strait music and contemporary melodies. Through the vibrant ancestral languages of Meriam Mir, Kala Lagaw Ya and Torres Strait Creole combined with English and the backbeat of a contemporary band, it tells a tale that pulses with passion and inspiration.
Developed through collaboration and consultation with the Yumpla Nerkep Foundation and Torres Strait Islander artists, Elders, and communities, this project is led by a team of First Nations creatives, performers, musicians, and cultural advisors.
Performed in Meriam Mir, Kala Lagaw Ya, Torres Strait Creole and English with English surtitles.
DAY: 28th - 31st August
TIME: 7 pm - 1:30pm
PLACE: QPAC, Brisbane
See https://www.oq.com.au/whats-on/straight-from-the-strait/for more information.
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN MUSIC AWARDS
National
Very cool to see opera getting its own section in this year's AWM awards with the debut of the Opera Australia Impact Award. Congratulations go to composer Andreé Greenwell, producer and director Linda Thompson and composer/soprano Jess O'Donahue on their nominations for this important award.
Please, as always, let us know of any recitals, productions, developments or performances that we should know about and we will include in future blog posts and on our instagram account.
This blog is in no way sponsored by any of the companies mentioned* and is created by FLUXUS to celebrate contemporary Australian Opera.
*OPEN TO OFFERS
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