Victorian Opera and the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program have announced the cancellation of its season of Otto Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor at Melbourne Recital Centre’s Elisabeth Murdoch Hall on 3 – 4 December.
A hilarious romp based on Shakespeare’s Falstaff (Henry IV – Parts 1 & 2), The Merry Wives of Windsor was to be presented in partnership with the Brisbane-based Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program – the co-production offering important training for developing artists from across Australia.
With increased uncertainty regarding border restrictions, ongoing national lockdowns and a high proportion of the cast and creative team travelling from interstate, the production has become impractical to present.
Victorian Opera and the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program continue to explore opportunities to collaborate in future years.
Following the earlier postponement of Richard Mills’ new opera, The Butterfly Lovers, Victorian Opera’s Quarter 4 will now consist of Schubert’s The Friends of Salamanca. Tickets to this Youth Opera production go on sale on Thursday 19 August. For more information, visit: www.victorianopera.com.au for details.
Image: The Merry Wives of Windsor – courtesy of Victorian Opera