Club Opéra L'art de vivre à pleins poumons !
| VERDI – Il Trovatore
Jul 2007 Tue 3rd to Aug 2007 Sat 4th
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Il trovatore is set in fifteenth-century Spain but the composer was living through the chaotic Italian politics of the late 1840s. Elke Neidhardt’s production, updated to the Spanish Civil War, demonstrates how opera speaks the language of revolution, whatever the era.
Welsh-born tenor Dennis O’Neill is the troubadour Manrico, Michael Lewis is Di Luna, his challenger, and Leonora is sung by Nicole Youl. Finally, Bernadette Cullen returns to recreate her magnificent portrayal of the mysterious gypsy Azucena. This production was originally commissioned by the State Opera of South Australia, West Australian Opera and Opera Queensland.
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| ROSSINI – Barber of Seville
Jun 2007 Tue 26th to Aug 2007 Thu 30th
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Antonio Gaudi meets the Marx brothers in this new production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, created by Leon Krasenstein and directed by John Milson.Rossini’s masterpiece, which set the standard for a golden century of Italian opera, finds itself here in a 1930s health spa where the rich and famous come to lick their wounds and smooth their wrinkles.
José Carbà³ made his Australian debut as the dapper Figaro in 2004. He returns for this new production to lead an outstanding cast while Rossini’s sparkling score is brought to life under the baton of the inimitable Richard Bonynge.
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| MOZART – The Abduction from the Seraglio
Jul 2007 Fri 13th to Aug 2007 Fri 10th
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With a clash of cymbals Mozart’s breathless overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio races out of the pit. This is the work that launched Mozart’s operatic career, packed full of virtuosic arias and dramatic ensembles. To bring this youthful masterpiece to the stage is playwright and director Michael Gow, whose irreverent interpretation sets the brilliant young composer’s tale of East meets West in that most contemporary of cultural melting pots, the airport lounge. After his debut in the 2006 season of La clemenza di Tito, conductor Jonathan Darlington returns to lead an exciting cast. Emma Matthews takes up the challenge of heroine Konstanze, singing one of the most demanding soprano arias Mozart ever wrote. The charming Natalie Jones steps into the role of Blonde, Jamie Allen is the wily Pedrillo, and after his glorious debut as Fenton in Falstaff, Andrew Goodwin takes on the role of Belmonte. Finally, in the role of the evil Osmin, we welcome the outstanding lyric bass, Peter Rose. |
