Victorian Opera celebrates ten years in 2015 with two Wagnerian legends at the Palais Theatre, cabaret sensation Meow Meow, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street and more new works than ever before, with some of the greatest singers in the world joining the company in the milestone 2015 season.
Opera returns to St Kilda’s historic Palais Theatre with The Flying Dutchman. Presented in partnership with the Australian Youth Orchestra, it will be directed by Roger Hodgman and feature renowned Wagner singers Vitalij Kowaljow and Petra Lang. Deakin Motion.Lab join the team to provide state-of-the-art 3D digital scenery.
Following its recent sell-out success with Into The Woods, the final instalment of Victorian Opera’s Sondheim trilogy will see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – A Musical Thriller at Arts Centre Melbourne. Starring Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Sweeney Todd and Victorian Opera favourite Antoinette Halloran as Mrs Lovett, it will be directed by Stuart Maunder and conducted by Victorian Opera’s Head of Music Phoebe Briggs.
In an examination of Australia’s capital cities as Seven Deadly Sins, cabaret legend Meow Meow, will headline a new commission supported by Symphony Australia and the Composer Development Program of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. It will be accompanied by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s operetta Die sieben Todsünden.
Drawn together by a narrative detailing the Australian experience of World War I, Victorian Opera’s new work Remembrance willcommemorate the ANZAC Centenary. Featuring songs and poetry from 1914-1918 arranged by Richard Mills and Rodney Hall, the work features archival material from Museum Victoria, the National Library and National War Memorial – with a special focus on Victorians at War.
A Bellini extravaganza in the gala concert I Puritani, will herald the return of Australian soprano Jessica Pratt following her triumph in 2014’s La traviata, and showcase the remarkable voice of Spanish tenor Celso Albelo, the greatest current exponent of this repertoire.
From one of Australia’s most successful children’s writers Finnegan Kruckemeyer and award-winning composer Joe Twist, comes a new commission and family opera, The Grumpiest Boy in the World, while young audiences will be treated to a new take on a classic with Alice’s Adventures in Operaland.
With arias, costumes and colourful characters to capture the imagination of young opera-goers, a Tenth Birthday concert marks the return of Victorian Opera’s popular family package, while a free performance of Opera for the Earth will be presented in partnership with community-minded media outlet Dumbo Feather during the global ‘lights out’ initiative Earth Hour.
“2015 is a landmark year, and with this in mind the season embodies our unique spirit as a company, while extending the boundaries of the art form,” says Artistic Director, Richard Mills.
“As is tradition, we’ll be showcasing young talent, including the Masters students who will have more responsibilities than ever before. However, the year also demonstrates rapid growth, with our biggest artistic undertaking and extensive touring program.”
In addition to the productions that make up Victorian Opera’s tenth anniversary season, Artistic Director, Richard Mills will host The Art of Opera – an evening in conversation that is open to subscribers, who has had his contract with the Company renewed through to 2017.
The 2015 season will be available on subscription from Friday 8 August 2014, while single tickets will be available in November. For more information, visit: www.victorianopera.com.au for details.
Image: Teddy Tahu Rhodes will star in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – A Musical Thriller