Young audiences will go on a fantastical journey through opera’s most memorable music with Alice and the White Rabbit in Victorian Opera’s new production, Alice Through the Opera Glass, at Arts Centre Melbourne on Saturday 15 June 2019.
Alice Through the Opera Glass is a bite-sized treat for the whole family and the perfect introduction to opera for ages 6+. This captivating hour’s entertainment will bring joy to youngsters as they experience to the wonders of opera and live instrumental music.
Alice’s abundant imagination will lead the audience on an adventure that leaps across boundaries of time and space to meet famous characters from everyone’s favourite operas in a wonderfully playful pastiche.
Alice and her friend the White Rabbit are relaxing by the river when they stumble upon a mysterious flute. A note attached to it says that it belongs to the Queen of the Night who lives in a dark and scary castle in Operaland.
The White Rabbit plays a few notes on the flute and immediately starts behaving strangely, a bit like the Mad Hatter. Uh-oh, Alice realises that the flute is cursed. They have only one hour to return it and reverse the curse.
Luckily, they bump into Alfredo, a singer from Operaland, who knows the Queen of the Night and offers to take them to her. On the way they meet friendly, intriguing and flamboyant characters and discover the joys of singing. But can they return the flute in time?
Featured musical numbers include the famous Flower Duet from Delibes Lakmé, the Toreador’s bull-fighting song from Bizet’s Carmen, Mozart’s Magic Flute Quintet and Alfredo’s aria from Verdi’s La traviata.
Unpredictable enchantment will be the order of the day, as well as a chance to hear Victorian Opera’s very best young singers joined by a live chamber orchestra and a chorus of outstanding students from the University of Melbourne. Sidestep Wonderland and come on a magical operatic adventure with Alice Through the Opera Glass.
Director: Brock Roberts Conductor: Simon Bruckard Featuring: Carlos E. Bárcenas, Emily Burke, Esther Counsel, Shakira Dugan, Stephen Marsh, Timothy Reynolds, Georgia Wilkinson, Chorus Students from the University of Melbourne, Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra, Set Designer: Candice MacAllister Costume Designer: Isaac Lummis Lighting Designer: Peter Darby Text: Emma Muir-Smith
Alice Through the Opera Glass
Playhouse – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Performances: Saturday 15 June 2019 – 11.00am, 2.00pm & 5.00pm
Bookings: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
For more information, visit: www.victorianopera.com.au for details.
Image: Alice Through the Opera Glass – courtesy of Victorian Opera