2009 Season
The Victorian Opera's 2009 season began on 21 February, with a Gala Concert at Hamer Hall. The programme consisted of Bluebeard's Castle by Béla Bartók, with Grant Smith (Narrator), Andrew Collis (Bluebeard) and Lecia Robertson (Judith); and Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with soloists Joanna Cole (soprano), Tobias Cole (counter-tenor) and Gary Rowley (baritone). The Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra Victoria will be conducted by Richard Gill.
Mozart's Don Giovanni was presented at The National Theatre, St. Kilda, in March, with Richard Gill conducting the first three performances and Nicholas Carter the remaining three. The production was directed by Jean-Pierre Mignon, with baritones Samuel Dundas (Don Giovanni) and Andrew Collis (Leporello); bass baritone Anthony Mackey (Masetto); and bass Steven Gallop (The Commendatore). The opera's lighter-voiced roles were sung by tenor James Egglestone (Don Ottavio) and sopranos Caroline Wenbourne (Donna Anna), Tiffany Speight (Donna Elvira) and Michelle Buscemi (Zerlina). A tour of regional Victoria followed the Melbourne season.
The new Australian work of the 2009 season was the Andrew Ford/Sue Smith chamber opera Rembrandt's Wife, performed at the Merlyn Theatre in April. Directed by Talya Masel and conducted by Richard Gill, the cast consisted of Paul Biencourt (The Pretender); Roxanne Hislop (Geertje Dircx); Jacqueline Porter (Saskia/Hendrickje Stoffels) and Gary Rowley (Rembrandt van Rijn).
The company's first performances at The Arts Centre was between 21–27 July when Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, directed by James McCaughey, was presented at The Playhouse. Richard Gill conducted Orchestra Victoria, with artists Elizabeth Stannard (Prima Donna/Ariadne); Jacqueline Dark (Composer); Theresa Borg (Zerbinetta); Gary Rowley (Music Master); Adrian McEniery (Dancing Master); Samuel Dundas (Harlequin); John Mac Master (Tenor/Bacchus); Paul Hughes (Wig-maker); Roxanne Hislop (Dryad); Jessica Aszodi (Echo); Melanie Adams (Naiad); Paul Biencourt (Brighella); Jacob Caine (Scaramuccio/Officer); and Anthony Mackey (Truffaldino/Lackey).
The much anticipated Melbourne Recital Centre opened in February 2009, and the company performed Handel's Xerxes in its principal space Elisabeth Murdoch Hall in August. In a co-production with The NBR New Zealand Opera directed by Roger Hodgman, early music expert John O'Donnell conducted a specialised baroque orchestra and a cast including counter-tenor Tobias Cole (Xerxes); mezzo-sopranos Roxanne Hislop (Amastre) and Dimity Shepherd (Arsamene); sopranos Tiffany Speight (Romilda) and Jessica Aszodi (Atalanta); baritone Gary Rowley (Elviro) and bass Steven Gallop (Ariodate).
The final production of the 2009 season was Benjamin Britten's opera The Little Sweep, presented by the Victorian Youth Opera in five performances between 2–4 October at Horti Hall in Melbourne.
Read more about this topic: Victorian Opera (Melbourne)
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