A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

VICTORIAN OPERA PRESENTS

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSICA MUSICAL IN TWO ACTS

27 JUNE – 6 JULY 2019Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse

Original premiere: 25 February 1973, Schubert Theatre, New York

Approximate timings

Act One: 1 hour 25 minutesInterval: 20 minutes

Act Two: 1 hour

Music and Lyrics bySTEPHEN SONDHEIM

Book byHUGH WHEELER

Orchestrations by Jonathan TunickSuggested by a Film by Ingmar Bergman

Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince

Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.

Backstage:Ali McGregor (Desirée Armfeldt)

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MUSICVICTORIAN OPERA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Leader of the Orchestra / Violin I Jo BeaumontViolin II Zoe Black

Viola Shani WilliamsCello Nils Hobiger

Double Bass Shannon BirchallHarp Yuko Tomonaga

Flute / Piccolo / Alto Flute Tamara KohlerClarinet / Flute Stuart Byrne

Clarinet / Bass Clarinet Lachlan DavidsonOboe / Cor Anglais Rachel Curkpatrick

Bassoon Colin Forbes AbramsTrumpet I Tristan RebienTrumpet II Joel Walmsley

Trombone Charles MacInnesHorn I Anton SchroederHorn II William Tanner

Horn III Melanie SimpsonPercussion Kaylie Melville

Piano/Celeste Phillipa Safey

MUSIC STAFF

Principal Repetiteur Phillipa SafeyRepetiteur Jacob Abela

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Victorian Opera acknowledges the support of Opera Australia who have loaned the set, properties, and costumes for this production.

Victorian Opera would like to thank Onset Arts, Ruth Bauer, and Malthouse Theatre.

PRODUCTIONCREATIVE TEAM

Music Director Phoebe BriggsDirector Stuart Maunder AM

Set and Costume Designer Roger Kirk AMLighting Designer Trudy Dalgleish

Choreographer and Assistant Director Elizabeth Hill-CooperSound Designer Jim Atkins

Associate Costume Designer Candice MacAllister

CAST

Mr Lindquist Markus MatheisMrs Nordstrom Michelle McCarthy

Mrs Segstrom Kirilie BlythmanMr Erlanson Paul BiencourtMrs Anderssen Juel Riggall

Fredrika Armfeldt Sophia WasleyMadame Armfeldt Nancye Hayes AM

Frid Tiernan MaclarenHenrik Egerman Mat Verevis

Anne Egerman Elisa CollaFredrik Egerman Simon Gleeson

Petra Alinta ChidzeyDesirée Armfeldt Ali McGregor

Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm Samuel DundasCountess Charlotte Malcolm Verity Hunt-Ballard

PRODUCTION TEAM

Production Manager Eduard InglésStage Manager Marina Milankovic

Deputy Stage Manager Emma Wenlock-BoltAssistant Stage Manager Meg Deyell

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He also had his share of failures – Anyone Can Whistle (1964) ran for nine performances only – and many circumstantially compromised projects, such as Do I Hear a Waltz and The Exception and the Rule – which was a failed second collaboration with Bernstein.

However, Broadway royalty oversaw the young Sondheim from about the age of 10. He became friends with James Hammerstein, son of Oscar Hammerstein II. Oscar became his mentor and through him, Hal Price and Richard Rogers were introduced into Sondheim’s circle. Most interestingly, Sondheim managed to study with Milton Babbitt – probably one of the most ‘advanced’ composers of his time, a devotee of the serial techniques of the second Viennese School and electronic music but, at heart, a great fan of the ‘show tune’.

This unlikely combination of influences formed a unique genius of musical theatre – the consummate craftsman who lived by his maxims ‘Less is more’, ‘Content

dictates form’, ‘God is in the details’, all in the service of the text and drama.

The pacing and musicality of the work are evergreen. But, perhaps most importantly, Sondheim’s prodigious technique and intellect unite to explore the richness, joy, irony, passion and tragedy of the human condition – the geography of the heart, with all its complexities, occasionally assumed duplicities, pain, enthusiasms, disappointments and fulfilments – often in the context of the wry sting of self-awareness and a glimpse of the fine boundary between romantic abandon and the sense in which vulnerability can, at times, border on the ridiculous.

At every corner, art conceals art with a seemingly effortless grace unique in the literature of the genre. Enjoy and welcome to our season of A Little Night Music.

RICHARD MILLS Artistic Director, Victorian Opera

WELCOMEThis is the fourth of the great Sondheim musicals that the company has undertaken since 2013, and finishes a natural progression that began with Sunday in The Park with George and encompassed both Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd – except that we, by and large, worked backwards, A Little Night Music being the earliest work dating from 1973. However, there is nothing of the apprentice in this score – Sondheim’s apprenticeship had been served well with works such as the text for West Side Story and shows like Company (1970) and Follies (1971).

Backstage: Alinta Chidzey (Petra) and

Nancye Hayes (Madame Armfeldt)

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DIRECTOR’S NOTE

What a wise, human, touching show is A Little Night Music.

When I first saw the piece in January 1974, as a 16 year old, I could not believe the beauty of the staging, the theatricality, with music the like of which I had never heard. It was so perfect...and elegant, if that was a word I even knew when I was 16. My love for the piece deepened after acquaintance with excerpts through the compilation show Side by Side by Sondheim and eventually by playing the original cast album to death.

But now as a 60-something I finally understand why the usually caustic New York Times critic Clive Barnes greeted the original production with the cry: ‘Good God! An adult musical’.

It’s hard to grasp that A Little Night Music is 45 years young. The piece remains stylish, intelligent, poignant, joyous, sensual, subtle, full of wit, enchantment, elegance and with a sophisticated, refined, urbane, glamourous and intense humanity. There, I’ve used all my adjectives for the year.

Hugh Wheeler’s book with all its world weary charm and razor sharp insight perfectly matches the matchless sweep of Stephen Sondheim’s bittersweet confection. The whole piece has the form of a traditional operetta – yet the score has the feel of Ravel, Debussy and even a little Richard Strauss. Traditional operetta has heart, of course, but this piece is an operetta with head as well. In the words of the original director Harold Prince, A Little Night Music is ‘whipped cream with knives’.

It is like an Impressionist painting, and for this production we have created a simple, impressionist world; a world of shadows, beauty, stillness, sensuality. We could be standing in a Monet painting, or the seemingly tactile world of a Degas dance studio. The lovers drift through the landscape like pawns on a chess board, out of context. The evening is a series of transitions, a blackout-free zone. All is clean, clear but with blurred edges, lush, magical, bewitching. This is a Scandinavian midsummer night; there is no darkness, there is nowhere to hide.

A Little Night Music is a complete masterpiece, dealing as it does with the whole gamut of human relationships in all their painful, ridiculous and beautiful variety. The opening clarinet passage of the show’s big hit ‘Send in the Clowns’ paints it all; there’s regret, anger, resignation and delicious melancholy. I’m not sure I saw it all at 16, but now…

STUART MAUNDER AM Director

The lawyer Fredrik Egerman, after a night of eye-opening romantic entanglements muses to the wife of his lover’s lover: ‘I’m afraid marriage isn’t one of the easier relationships, is it?’ She replies: ‘Mr Egerman, for a woman it’s impossible!’ His response: ‘It’s not all that possible for men.’

Rehearsal room: Stuart Maunder (Director)

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MUSIC DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Written in 1973 and orchestrated by frequent collaborator Jonathan Tunick, the score is composed almost entirely in triple time. Madame Armfeldt says ‘The Summer night smiles…three times’ and Sondheim has used this theme of the number three in different guises throughout the work. He writes waltzes, (‘Night Music’, ‘Overture’, ‘Soon’), a pompous polonaise (‘In Praise of Women’) and a mazurka (a Polish folk dance with strong accents on the second and third beats – ‘The Glamorous Life’).

The ‘Night Waltz’ – a sumptuous almost filmic waltz accompanied by a meandering chromatic line alternating between the clarinets and bassoon, or celeste and piano, signifies the complexities of the characters’ lives and bookends the work. ‘A Weekend in the Country’, the stunning finale to Act 1 was originally constructed from improvised scenes and culminates in a thrilling double quartet.

A quintet of Liebeslieder act as a Greek chorus throughout, introducing characters’ themes in the overture and then recalling past events as the plot evolves (‘Remember?’).

With shimmering strings and the haunting clarinet solo of ‘Send in the Clowns’ to the brilliance of the celeste and the mournful yet warm sound of the cor anglais in ‘Liaisons’, the score is rich with a broad palette of vibrant colours and textures.

The production period has been such a pleasure – the rehearsal room filled with laughter (and at times tears) from the sheer joy, exhilaration and wonder of bringing such a masterful work to life.

PHOEBE BRIGGS Music Director

Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s gem of a work has a sumptuous and beautiful score and a clever, witty, charming and moving book.

Stage rehearsals:Simon Gleeson (Fredrik Egerman)

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SYNOPSISACT ONE

Thirteen-year-old Fredrika lives with her grandmother, Madame Armfeldt, while her mother Desirée, an actress, is on tour. Madame Armfeldt explains how the summer night smiles at the follies of human beings: first on the young who know nothing; second on the fools who know too little; and third on the old who know too much.

Henrik Egerman has returned from the seminary and is teased by his stepmother Anne, who is one year younger than him. Henrik’s father, Fredrik, comes home from a busy day at court, surprising his wife with theatre tickets.

At the theatre, Desirée makes her grand entrance and spots Fredrik in the audience. Anne notices the look Desirée gives Fredrik and, filled with jealousy, flees the theatre.

Fredrik visits Desirée and they reminisce about their love affair fourteen years ago.

Desirée’s jealous lover, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm arrives unannounced and catches Fredrik wearing his robe. Fredrik and Desirée attempt to fool him into thinking that nothing untoward is going on.

Over breakfast, Carl-Magnus tells his wife Countess Charlotte about the encounter and encourages her to visit Anne to inform her of her husband’s dalliance. The two women bond over the behaviour of men.

Desirée returns home and convinces Madame Armfeldt to invite Fredrik and his family for a weekend at her country manor, in the hope of rekindling their love. Anne is outraged to receive an invitation from Desirée, but Charlotte convinces her to accept. On hearing about the invitation, Carl-Magnus decides that he and Charlotte will also arrive uninvited.

ACT TWO

Everyone arrives at the Armfeldt estate and there is tension in the air. Fredrik and Carl-Magnus compete for Desirée’s attention. Charlotte tells Anne of her plan to win back her husband by seducing Fredrik. Henrik confesses to Fredrika that he is hopelessly in love with his stepmother.

Over dinner, Charlotte flirts with Fredrik, Carl-Magnus is furious, and Henrik finally denounces the party’s inappropriate behaviour.

Fredrika reveals Henrik’s feelings to Anne, who is surprised and flattered. Petra and Madame Armfeldt’s butler, Frid, share an encounter in the gardens. Desirée admits to Fredrik that she was hoping to rescue him. Although he loves Desirée, Fredrik can’t bear to part with Anne.

Anne finds Henrik trying to hang himself. She is overwhelmed by his love for her and realises that she loves him too.

Charlotte confesses her deception to Fredrik, and while they discuss the impossibilities of marriage, they see Anne and Henrik run off together. From Desirée’s bedroom Carl-Magnus spots

his wife with Fredrik and rushes off to challenge him to a duel. Charlotte finally realises that Carl-Magnus really cares for her.

Carl-Magnus and Charlotte together decide to leave. Fredrik declares his love for Desirée.

Madame Armfeldt and Fredrika watch the moon and contemplate the three smiles promised by the long summer night.

For a simplified guide to these loves, links and liaisons, see page 35.

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TRUDY DALGLEISH Lighting Designer

Trudy Dalgleish is one of Australia’s most sought-after lighting designers. She has received many prestigious awards including a Helpmann Award (White Devil), ENTECH Award (Best Lighting Designer Live Events), John Truscott Award (Design Excellence), and two Green Room Awards (Eureka and Hairspray). Recent lighting designs include Cunning Little Vixen (Victorian Opera, West Australian Opera and State Opera of South Australia), Macbeth (West Australian Opera), Saturday Night Fever (Gordon Frost Organisation), In the Heights at Hayes Theatre and Sydney Opera House, Cat Stephens’ Cat in an Attic in New Zealand and Melba at Hayes Theatre.

ELIZABETH HILL-COOPER Choreographer and Assistant Director

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: Fledermaus, The Gypsy Princess, The Tales of Hoffmann, My Fair Lady, The Pirates of Penzance, Rusalka, Lakme and Arabella. Elizabeth regularly collaborates with Stuart Maunder and Roger Kirk.

Joining Victorian Opera in 2012, Elizabeth has directed mainstage productions such as Pelleas and Melisande and was the company’s Executive Producer from 2014 - 2019. She was appointed Victorian Opera’s CEO in May.

JIM ATKINS Sound Designer

Jim Atkins designs and mixes sound for a host of live, installed and recorded situations nationally and internationally. Recent highlights include One Infinity (Melbourne, Sydney and Perth Festivals); The Black Rider (Victorian Opera/Malthouse) and Lorelei (Victorian Opera); En Masse (National Sawdust New York); Pleasure Garden (Sydney Festival, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, City of London Culture Mile), Armand Van Helden (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra); 24 reasons to Party (Kate Ceberano /Adelaide Symphony Orchestra); Setan Jawa (AsiaTOPA/ Humboldt Forum Kultur, Berlin); Between 8&9 (Chamber Made, Castlemaine Festival, Chengdu China); Sweeney Todd (Victorian Opera/New Zealand Opera).

BIOGRAPHIES

PHOEBE BRIGGS Music Director

BMus (University of Melbourne). Opera Australia music staff 2002 – 2012, Head of Music at Victorian Opera since October 2012. For Victorian Opera, Phoebe has conducted Sunday in the Park with George, Play of Herod, Sweeney Todd, Cendrillon, Four Saints in Three Acts (Green Room nomination), The Sleeping Beauty (Green Room nomination), Lorelei and Black Rider (Helpmann nomination, Victorian Opera/Malthouse). Other companies: Opera in the Paddock (Opera Northwest), assistant/cover conductor Don Pasquale (IFAC/OA, Tokyo), The Magic Flute, Merry Widow, Fledermaus, The Pearlfishers, Così fan tutte, A Little Night Music, The Mikado (OA), Guys and Dolls (Ambassador Group).

STUART MAUNDER AM Director

Stuart made his Victorian Opera debut with Sunday in the Park with George in 2013, returning for Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd and Cunning Little Vixen.

For the last thirty years he has been directing musical theatre and opera. He was Artistic Administrator of Opera Australia from 1999 - 2003 and Executive Producer 2004 -2008 where he directed A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, Tales of Hoffmann, Manon, Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, Trial by Jury, Gypsy Princess, Don Pasquale, Iolanthe and Romèo et Juliette. From 2014 -2018 Stuart was General Director of New Zealand Opera where his productions included Tosca, The Mikado, Sweeney Todd and Candide. Stuart is Artistic Director of State Opera of South Australia.

ROGER KIRK AM Set and Costume Designer

Roger Kirk 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 Palladium), 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 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 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.

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CANDICE MACALLISTER Associate Costume Designer

Candice is an emerging designer and a graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts.

She made her professional debut in 2016 as a production designer on Victorian Opera’s Cinderella and The Pied Piper, and as costume designer for Four Saints in Three Acts. She became the company’s inaugural Developing Artist (Design) in 2017 and subsequently designed The Princess and the Pea and The Snow Queen. She designed her first mainstage production for Victorian Opera in 2018, Debussy’s Pelleas and Melisande.

Candice has interned with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, The State Theatre of South Australia and will design Madeline Lee for State Opera of South Australia in October.

MARKUS MATHEIS Mr Lindquist

Born in Frankfurt, Markus performed as a boy-treble for Opera Frankfurt and Alte Oper Frankfurt.

He has since been engaged by Kammeroper Frankfurt, singing Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Dancairo and Morales (Carmen) and Danilo (The Merry Widow) and appearing as Falke in Die Fledermaus for Theater Lübeck, Leporello (Don Giovanni) at the Belgrade Festival and Zurga (The Pearlfishers) for Neukölner Oper, also Guglielmo for Gertrude Opera.

He has appeared as soloist for the Deutsche Radiophilharmonie, Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, Klassikphilharmonie Hamburg and the Karlsruher Barockorchester.

A Little Night Music marks his debut with Victorian Opera.

MICHELLE MCCARTHY Mrs Nordstrom

Michelle is a graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and a former member of Victorian Opera’s Developing Artist Program.

Michelle has performed principal roles with Opera Australia School’s Company, Gertrude Opera and Victorian Opera. Notable roles include Cenerentola (La Cenerentola), La Fée (Cendrillon), The Snow Queen (The Snow Queen), Taumännchen (Hansel und Gretel) and The Williamson Girl (The Difficulty of Crossing a Field). On the concert platform Michelle has performed as a soprano soloist in Carmina Burana, Mozart Requiem, Handel Dixit Dominus and Kodaly Missa Brevis.

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KIRILIE BLYTHMAN Mrs Segstrom

A former Developing Artist with Victorian Opera, Kirilie is a graduate of Melbourne Conservatorium’s Masters of Music (Opera Performance) program. Performances for Victorian Opera include Cinderella (Cinderella), Annina (La Traviata), Soloist (Opera on a White Night), Narrator (The Magic Pudding - The Opera), Mother (Hansel and Gretel), A young man/Photographer (Sunday in the Park with George), Princess (Puss in Boots). In 2015 Kirilie was a member of Opera Australia’s Victorian Touring and Outreach production of Hansel and Gretel, performing the roles of Gretel/Witch/Mother/Fairy. Kirilie has performed the Australian National Anthem at the MCG and Adelaide Oval as part of the Cricket Australia Commonwealth Test series.

PAUL BIENCOURT Mr Erlanson

Paul’s roles for Victorian Opera include Rodolfe in William Tell, Brighella in Ariadne Auf Naxos, Tmolus in Phoebus & Pan, and all-six tenor roles in Rembrandt’s Wife.

For Melbourne Opera, Rodolfo (La Boheme), Basilio (Marriage Of Figaro), St Brioche (Merry Widow), Remendado (Carmen), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Goro (Madam Butterfly) and Pedrillo (Abduction From Seraglio) and Ralf (HMS Pinafore).

Music theatre credits include Noel Weiderberg in the national production of Shout -The Musical for Jacobsen Entertainment and eight seasons for The Production Company.

His recent concerts include City of Stonningon 2017 Christmas In The Park.

JUEL RIGALL Mrs Anderssen

Juel holds a BMus/BArts from Melbourne University. Roles include Flower Maiden (Parsifal) for Victorian Opera, Flora Bervoix (La Traviata) for Melbourne Opera, The Green Fairy (The Sleeping Beauty) for Victorian Opera as well as Turnspit (Rusalka), and Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel).Recent engagements also include performing as a guest soloist with Jiangsu Symphony Orchestra in Nanjing as well as a concert tour of China and Singapore with Melbourne Opera, and performing in Victorian Opera’s productions of William Tell and Pelléas et Mélisande.Juel has been a participant in the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School and has also been the recipient of the Acclaim Awards Chief Justice’s Award.

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Stage rehearsals:Cast of A Little Night Music

SOPHIA WASLEY Fredrika Armfeldt

Australian singer Sophia Wasley commenced vocal lessons in 2013.

In 2016, Sophia auditioned and was accepted for VOYCE (Victorian Opera’s Youth Chorus Ensemble). During the same year, Sophia performed the principal role of Saint Teresa for Victorian Opera’s Youth Opera, Four Saints in Three Acts. In 2017, Sophia performed the roles of Cricket, Pepik and Fox Cub for Victorian Opera’s Cunning Little Vixen. Following this, in 2018, Sophia performed Yniold for Victorian Opera’s production of Pelléas et Mélisande.

Presently, Sophia is studying for a Bachelor of Music in Classical voice at WAAPA, Perth, where she is studying voice with Emma Mathews.

NANCYE HAYES AM Madame Armfeldt

Nancye Hayes AM is an accomplished actor, dancer, singer, choreographer and director. She began her career with J.C. Williamson Theatres as a chorus member in My Fair Lady. She went on to star in many major musical productions including Sweet Charity, Chicago, Sweeney Todd, Guys and Dolls and 42nd Street. Nancye has performed for The Production Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, STCSA, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, GFO, and The Hayes Theatre, which is named in her honour.

Nancye has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Green Room Awards, The Sydney Theatre Awards and The Helpmann Awards. Nancye was honoured with an OAM in 1981 and an AM in 2014.

TIERNAN MCLAREN Frid

Tiernan is a 19-year-old bass-baritone with VOYCE (Victorian Opera’s Youth Chorus Ensemble). Tiernan has been taking vocal lessons since 2014, presently with Angela Wasley. While attending St Michael’s Grammar school, he participated in two European choir tours and many productions, including the title role in Bye Bye, Birdie!. Tiernan undertook acting training at 16th Street Actors Studio. He works as a casual stage mechanist with Victorian Opera and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and is an Engineering and Commerce student at Monash University. Tiernan’s most recent performance was as Romeo in Monash Shakespeare Company’s production of Romeo and Juliet (2019).

MAT VEREVIS Henrik Egerman

Mat Verevis is an Australian actor/singer/songwriter. Graduating from WAAPA in 2012 (Music Theatre), he is best known for his performance as Barry Mann in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical which earned him a 2018 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and a Green Room Award nomination. Other credits include Lazarus - The Production Company, Torch Song Trilogy - Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Down Under - Abe Forsythe, Aladdin - State Theatre, The Voice (Top 12) Season 3, and Boys in the Band - SMA prod.

Mat is thrilled to be joining the cast of A Little Night Music.

ELISA COLLA Anne Egerman

A graduate of the Australian Institute of Music, Elisa’s professional musical theatre credits include Nessarose in the Australian and international tour of Wicked (GFO), Understudy Cosette in Les Misérables (Cameron Mackintosh/Michael Cassel Group), Maria in West Side Story (Packemin Productions) and most recently Cinderella in Into The Woods (Bloom Creative Productions).

In 2017 Elisa was chosen by Dame Julie Andrews to play the role of Eliza Doolittle for the remainder of the Melbourne season of My Fair Lady (Opera Australia/GFO) after previously understudying the role. Elisa was a 2013 finalist in the prestigious Rob Guest Endowment Award.

SIMON GLEESON Fredrik Egerman

Helpmann Award winner, Simon Gleeson is best known for his acclaimed portrayal of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables and has credits that span the main stages of Australia and London’s West End.Theatre credits include: An Ideal Husband, Hay Fever and Rupert (MTC); Oklahoma!, Curtains and Chess (The Production Company); Les Misérables – West End, London and Australia (Cameron Macintosh); Harbour and The Republic of Myopia (STC); Love Never Dies (Gustave Stage Productions); Imagine This (West End); The Far Pavilions (West End); Certified Male, Three Sides and The Silver Lake; Shoes (Sadler’s Wells) and Southwark Fair (Royal National Theatre, London).

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VERITY HUNT-BALLARD Countess Charlotte Malcolm

As one of Australia’s most versatile leading ladies, Verity is best known for her Helpmann Award winning performances as Mary Poppins and Charity Hope Valentine in Sweet Charity, for which she also won a Sydney Theatre Award and two Green Room Awards. Verity’s other stage credits include: The Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Funny Girl in Concert; Vivid White (MTC); Hello Dolly!, Guys and Dolls (TPC); The Last Five Years; Shane Warne the Musical Concert; Jersey Boys, The Rocky Horror Show; Eureka; Virgins; and Metro Street, winning a Theatre Critics Award for Best Female Performance. Verity is featured on many cast recordings and has appeared on television in The Doctor Blake Mysteries.

ALINTA CHIDZEY Petra

Alinta is a captivating leading lady – and a multi award winner. She will soon play Velma Kelly in Chicago (Gordon Frost Organisation).

Well known for her sassy portrayal of Anita in West Side Story, Alinta also starred in Hugh Jackman: Broadway to Oz, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Show Boat, Singin’ in the Rain, Chess, Cats and Mamma Mia!

Television credits include Wentworth, Winners & Losers, The Dr Blake Mysteries and Neighbours.

A songwriter/recording artist, Alinta has released albums with Alinta and the Jazz Emperors and Hook Turn Orchestra.

ALI MCGREGOR Desirée Armfeldt

Ali McGregor started her career as a principal soprano with Opera Australia performing over 25 roles and winning a Green Room Award in 2004. She then ran away with the circus in the form of hit Spiegeltent show La Clique and has since performed everywhere from Glastonbury to Carnegie Hall. Her children’s album Jazzamatazz was nominated for an ARIA award in 2014 and in 2015 she was awarded a Green Room Award for her contribution to cabaret.

Artistic Director for Adelaide Cabaret Festival from 2016 to 2018, she recently debuted her show Yma Sumac: The Peruvian Songbird at the Sydney Opera House. In 2018, Ali conceived and starred in Victorian Opera’s critically acclaimed new work Lorelei.

SAMUEL DUNDAS Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm

A graduate of the Melba Conservatorium of Music Melbourne, Samuel Dundas made his opera debut with Opera Queensland, before joining Victorian Opera’s Artist Development program and subsequently Opera Australia’s Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist program. Samuel has since performed many leading roles with Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, West Australian Opera, New Zealand Opera and Lost and Found Opera. In concert, he has sung with the Adelaide, Melbourne, Tasmanian, West Australian and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Auckland Philharmonia. Samuel was the recipient of the 2013 Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship and the inaugural Dame Heather Begg Award in 2014.

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Backstage:Verity Hunt-Ballard

(Countess Charlotte Malcolm)

Reimagining the potential of opera, for everyone.

Based in Melbourne, Victorian Opera is a national leader in presenting unforgettable opera experiences. As the state opera company of Victoria, we are committed to making creative and accessible opera for everyone, and evolving the art form in adventurous ways.

From opera diehards to first-timers, over 30,000 people experience our work annually through live performances and streamed events throughout Victoria. We premiere at least one new Australian work each year and have staged 22 new works since the company formed in 2005.

While we do not have our own opera house, we do perform in Victoria’s best theatres and concert halls, choosing our venue to suit the scale of each production and to give our audiences the best possible experience. Some of our wonderfully characteristic venues include Arts Centre Melbourne, Palais Theatre, Melbourne Recital Centre and The Coopers Malthouse.

We employ hundreds of people across the creative industries, recruit some of the finest singers from Australia and

around the world, and collaborate with Australia’s leading companies, venues and learning institutions. The next generation of talent is developed from the ground up through the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble (VOYCE) and our innovative Access All Areas: Livestream Program. As part of our commitment to developing the art form, we also stage opera annually in Tasmania.

Recognised for our unique voice and contribution to the country’s operatic landscape, Victorian Opera became an Australian Major Performing Arts company in 2019.

Victorian Opera inspires eclectic audiences with an imaginative approach to opera, and we invite you to join us.

Visit victorianopera.com.au to discover more about the company through blogs, videos and podcasts.

@VictorianOpera #VictorianOpera

ABOUT US

© Photography: Charlie Kinross for Victorian Opera pp 2, 7, 9, 10, 18-19, 23© Cover illustration: Julien Pacaud for Victorian Opera

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FOUNDING MUSIC DIRECTORRichard Gill AO

VICTORIAN OPERA BOARDChairman Genevieve OverellRoger Box, Vivienne Corcoran, Siobhan Lenihan, Selina Lightfoot, Stephen McIntyre, Grant Powell, Anna Pitt (Board Observer)

EXECUTIVEArtistic Director Dr Richard Mills AMChief Executive Officer Elizabeth Hill-Cooper

ARTISTIC, ENGAGEMENT & PRODUCTIONHead of Music Phoebe BriggsRepetiteur Phillipa SafeyCompany Manager Luke HalesAssistant Company Manager Candice MacAllisterEducation Officer Ioanna SalmanidisProduction Manager Eduard InglésTechnical and Operations Coordinator Peter DarbyProduction and Music Coordinator Carlos E. BárcenasVOYCE Director Angus Grant

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATIONInterim Finance Executive Stephen Sweeney

Finance Assistant Claire VoumardOffice Administrator Silvana Vaxelaire

MARKETING & TICKETINGMarketing, Media and Sales Manager Henri MarronMarketing Content Producer Beata BowesMedia and Communications Executive Scott WhinfieldCRM and Ticketing Executive Nichole O’DuffyGraphic Designer Sharni Morter

DEVELOPMENTDevelopment Manager Louise O’LoughlinPhilanthropy Executive Peter GarnickDevelopment Coordinator Rhylla Mitchell

SEASON STAFFHead Mechanist Rowena DaviesHead LX Peter DarbyCostume Supervisor Kate Glenn-SmithWardrobe Staff David Anderson, Lara Barwick, Jan Hooper, Emma Ikin, Amelia Peace, Jillian WilsonMillinery Phillip Rhodes Hats Wigs Trent Whitmore, Silvan Mitrovski, Andrew Dressman

OUR TEAM

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PATRON-IN-CHIEFThe Hon. Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria

FOUNDING BENEFACTORSThe Late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch ACLady Potter AC

LEADERSHIP SYNDICATE ($40 000+)Jane HemstritchHans & Petra Henkell

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($10 000+)John & Diana FrewJane HemstritchSuzanne KirkhamPeter & Anne LaverSiobhan LenihanSimone LoureyHans & Petra HenkellDon and Angela MercerMaureen Wheeler AO & Tony Wheeler AODr John & Elizabeth Wright-Smith

PLATINUM PATRON ($5 000+)Beth Brown Peter and Jenny HordernKaye E. MarionRuth & Tom O’DeaGrant Powell & Sally McCutchanMichael Rigg & Gerard Condon AMMarian & Ken Scarlett OAMJoy Selby SmithGreg Shalit & Miriam Faine

GOLD PATRONS ($2 500+)Joanna BaevskiSusan BrownriggAlan Chuck & Wendy Hughes ChuckEarl of Wilton

Bob GarlickJohn & Gaye GaylardDr Jennifer George & Canon Matthew WilliamsMary-Jane Gething & Joseph SambrookDaniel Goodfellow & Matthew BurgessMurray Gordon & Lisa NortonLinda HerdDr Garry Joslin & Prof. Dimity Reed AMIan Kennedy AM & Dr Sandra Hacker AORichard Laslett & Colin GuntherPeter Lovell & Michael JanIan MerryleesTomasz & Elzbeita RomanowskiIan Baker & Cheryl SaundersJohn & Elisabeth SchillerPhillip & Sue SchudmakCraig D’Alton & Peter SherlockLynne SherwoodLady Southey ACDavid ValentineDiana and Robert WilsonSecret Admirers (3)

SILVER PATRONS ($1 000+)Judith AugustineRussell Waters and Marissa Barter-WatersLaurie Bebbington & Elizabeth O’KeeffeKirsty A BennettNancy BomfordBox FamilyStuart BrownAnthony Buzzard & Dr Pamela CraigPam CaldwellBeatrice & Richard DonkinDr M Elizabeth DouglasDr Helen M FergusonBill FlemingBrian GoddardNance Grant AM MBE & Ian HarrisHartmut & Ruth HofmannDr Alastair Jackson AMSimon L Jackson & Brian Warburton

THANK YOUDavid JosephGraham McCallum & Mary KehoeThe Hon Rod Kemp & Daniele KempAlun & Patricia KenwoodAngela & Richard KirsnerProf Kathy LasterPaul & Glenys LejinsDr Anne LierseDouglas & Rosemary MeagherGillian MontgomeryGreg NoonanJillian Pappas & George Pappas AOJane Patrick & Robert EvansKeith Chivers & Ronald PeelProf John RickardVivienne & Dr Richard ReedJohn & Thea ScottDush ShanJames SymeAndrea TappeProf Hugh Taylor AC & Dr Elizabeth Dax AMChris & Helen TruemanCaroline Travers OAM and Richard Travers OAMIan Watts OAM & Rex SwansonIgor Zambelli and Jenny LeeSecret Admirers (6)

BRONZE PATRONS ($500+)Seonaid AlexanderProf Dennis Altman AMJenny AndersonLesley BawdenInes & Dr Donald BehrendPhilip Benjamin & Sandy Benjamin OAMStephen & Maura BestMs Shirley BreeseDr Jennifer Coghlan-Bell & A/Prof Simon BellBrian & Kaye DempsterDennis FreemanAngela KayserIrene KearseyJocelyn & Andrew McLeish

Jill Page OAM & Roy Page Dr Fay PearlGreg J ReinhardtRalph & Ruth RenardDr Nigel SimpsonMichael Smith & Sonia FuentesecaNeil TwistCaroline VaillantCatherine Walter AMKen and Merle MorrisSecret Admirers (3)

BEQUESTSJenny AndersonGraeme Bawden & Len de KievitLesley BawdenFrank & Danielle ChamberlinRichard Laslett & Colin GuntherJane KunstlerTony Wildman & Robert GibbsSecret Admirers (4)

If you are interested in becoming a Victorian Opera Patron, or having a confidential discussion about leaving a gift to Victorian Opera in your Will, please contact Louise O’Loughlin, Development Manager on (03) 9001 6405 or email louise@victorianopera.com.au

Current at time of printing.

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We acknowledge and thank our partners who make our work possible.

OUR PARTNERS

OFFICIAL PARTNER

For over 50 years, Odgers Berndtson has helped some of the world’s biggest and best organisations find exceptional senior talent to drive their agendas.

We deliver executive search, assessment and development to businesses and organisations varying in size, structure and maturity. We do that in more than 50 sectors, whether commercial, public or not-for-profit, and draw on the experience of more than 250 partners and their teams in 30 countries.

Odgers Berndtson’s strength lies in the partnerships we develop to address that need. We form strong relationships with the most talented people, with those seeking them and between our own teams globally to bring both sides together. It is because of our deep, and lasting partnerships that our clients can acquire, develop and retain outstanding leaders.

www.odgersberndtson.com.auSYDNEY | MELBOURNE | BRISBANE

ODGERS BERNDTSON EXECUTIVE SEARCH

We stand out for our deep client relationships, a refreshing focus on candidate care, and a fresh thinking, collaborative culture.

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Government Partners

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Official Partners Media Partners

Major Partners

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UPCOMING EVENTSHeroic Bel CantoThe best of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini

Celebrate the inimitable art of bel canto with superstars Jessica Pratt and Daniela Barcellona. Experience an evening of vocal prowess with a mix of rare gems and favourites.

14 July 2019 | Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall

5 Fridays in AugustFriday night wine, cheese and music

Join us at Horti Hall, the home of Victorian Opera, for a series of relaxed, intimate Friday night performances, recitals and cabarets. Socialise with fellow music lovers over wine and cheese.

2, 9, 16, 23, 30 August 2019 | Horti Hall, Hemstritch Studio

The Selfish GiantCharming melodies bring Oscar Wilde’s fairy tale to life

This beautiful new opera, featuring a cast of emerging artists, will touch the hearts of audiences of any age with its subtle humour and real musical substance.

17, 18, 19 October 2019 | Gasworks Theatre, Albert Park

The Barber of SevilleThe funniest night you can have at the opera

Prepare for an evening of laughs with Rossini’s most popular opera. This madcap masterpiece is a paean to impertinence that will make you beam with joy and grin with delight.

12 and 14 December 2019 | Melbourne Recital Centre

Costume Circle AppealTo bring the charming new work The Selfish Giant to the

stage, we need your generous support.

Your gift will contribute to the making of The Giant’s garb and the Children’s enchanting costumes.

To donate, visit victorianopera.com.au/costumecircle

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