Pinchgut Opera presents Orontea by Cesti

PINCHGUT OPERA PRESENTS

WOMEN OF THE PIETÀ

BY VIVALDI

PINCHGUT OPERA PRESENTS

ORONTEA

BY CESTI

An unmissable concert event, featuring star soprano Miriam Allan.

CITY RECITAL HALL 10–11 SEPT MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE 15–16 SEPT

PINCHGUT OPERA PRESENTS

MÉDÉE

BY CHARPENTIER The greatest opera of the French Baroque era.

CITY RECITAL HALL 1–7 DEC

BOOKINGS: PINCHGUTOPERA.COM.AU 02 9318 8300

Orontea 4pp A5 Flyer.indd 1

CITY RECITAL HALL 26 MAY – 1 JUNE 2022

18/5/22 11:45 am

ORONTEA Music ANTONIO CESTI (1623–1669)

Libretto GIACINTO ANDREA CICOGNINI (1606–1651)

With additional music by Biagio Marini (1594–1663), Tarquinio Merula (1594–1665) and Salamone Rossi (1570–1630) Anna Dowsley Orontea

Louis Hurley Tibrino

Constantine Costi Director

Jonathan Abernethy Alidoro

Andrew O’Connor Gelone

Sofia Troncoso Filosofia (voice), Silandra

Ryan Smith Amore

Shannon Burns Choreographer and Movement Designer

Douglas Kelly Corindo

Allie Graham Filosofia, waiter

Jeremy Allen Set Designer

David Greco Creonte

Heath Keating Sailor, waiter

Sabina Myers Costume Designer

Dominica Matthews Aristea Roberta Diamond Amore (voice), Giacinta

SYNOPSIS PROLOGUE Filosofia (Philosophy) and Amore (Love) argue over their respective merits.

Amore declares that he will be the winner and flies to Orontea’s court to win her over to the ways of love.

ACT I Orontea declares that she will never give in to love. She wishes to dedicate herself to her royal duties and to enjoy her liberty. Creonte attempts to convince her to do her duty and marry, but Orontea remains steadfast. Tibrino reports that he has saved the life of a handsome young man. He is brought in front of Orontea by his mother Aristea.

Both are invited to stay at the palace.

Orontea finds out that the wounded guest is Alidoro and that he used to be the royal painter at the Phoenician court. Silandra and Orontea begin to feel a powerful attraction to Alidoro.

ACT II Orontea realises she has strong feelings for Alidoro. Giacinta returns to the court dressed as the young man Ismero – a disguise she had assumed during her recent stay at the court of

Orchestra of the Antipodes

Damien Cooper Lighting Designer

Erin Helyard Conductor

Princess Arnea. Arnea commanded her to kill the court painter, who was out of favour. She tells Orontea that she has managed to wound Alidoro; Orontea reacts angrily. Creonte reprimands Orontea for her unqueenly behaviour. The queen finally admits that she is in love.

INTERVAL Aristea meets Giacinta, still disguised as Ismero, and tries to chat her up.

Silandra is completely under Alidoro’s spell and breaks up with Corindo.

Silandra asks Alidoro to paint her portrait, and he agrees. Orontea catches them in a compromising situation and explodes in a jealous rage. The shock causes Alidoro to faint; Orontea deposits a love letter, containing a marriage proposal, as well as her crown, next to her unconscious beloved.

ACT III Gelone and Tibrino agree that the whole court is in a state of utter disarray. Alidoro has proclaimed himself King of Egypt. Creonte is outraged by the queen’s lack of decorum. Eventually, she agrees to

send Alidoro away. Alidoro tries to return to Silandra but is rejected.

Corindo receives a letter of apology from Silandra, who wishes to win him back. Corindo accepts her apology and declares his intention to kill Alidoro. Aristea gives a medallion to Giacinta (still in her disguise). Giacinta, who has now also fallen in love with Alidoro, thanks to Amore, gives the medallion to him. Gelone and Silandra mistake the medallion for one owned

by Orontea and think that the painter must have stolen it.

Alidoro is brought in front of Orontea and protests his innocence. Aristea tells Oronte that she received the medallion from her dead husband; she then admits that her husband, a pirate, had stolen the medallion and also the infant wearing it, whom she had raised as her own child. Creonte realises that the stolen baby – Alidoro – was in fact Floridano, the long-lost son of the king of Phoenicia. Orontea and Creonte are overjoyed: Alidoro’s noble birth means that she can marry him. Orontea blesses the marriage of Silandra and Corindo, and everyone sings of the triumph of Amore.

A gift to us is a gift for many...

When you donate to Pinchgut Opera, your gift goes directly toward creating glorious musical adventures for our audiences and future generations to cherish.

Your support also enables our dedicated singers, instrumentalists and arts workers to flourish in a high-calibre, professional artistic life, here in Australia.

Please consider making a donation toward Pinchgut’s Annual Giving Campaign before 30 June, and support our Australian artists and the music they make.

To donate, visit pinchgutopera.com.au/donate or phone 02 9318 8344 All gifts over $2 are fully tax deductible.

26, 28, 29, 31 May and 1 June There will be an interval of 20 minutes in the middle of Act Two. Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

The performance will finish at approximately 9:45 on Thursday, Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4:45 on Saturday, and 7:45 on Sunday.

Orontea was first performed at Innsbruck on 16 February, 1656. Edition by Erin Helyard.

Orontea is being recorded on 29 and 31 May and 1 June and filmed on 31 May and 1 June for digital release on Pinchgut At Home. Any microphones you observe are for recording purposes only, and not for musical amplification.

These performances of Orontea are dedicated to the memory of Max Riebl.

We acknowledge the traditional owners of this land: the Gadigal people of the Eora nation – the first storytellers and singers of songs. We pay our respects to their elders – past, present and emerging.

Orontea 4pp A5 Flyer.indd 2

18/5/22 11:45 am

ORONTEA Music ANTONIO CESTI (1623–1669)

Libretto GIACINTO ANDREA CICOGNINI (1606–1651)

With additional music by Biagio Marini (1594–1663), Tarquinio Merula (1594–1665) and Salamone Rossi (1570–1630) Anna Dowsley Orontea

Louis Hurley Tibrino

Constantine Costi Director

Jonathan Abernethy Alidoro

Andrew O’Connor Gelone

Sofia Troncoso Filosofia (voice), Silandra

Ryan Smith Amore

Shannon Burns Choreographer and Movement Designer

Douglas Kelly Corindo

Allie Graham Filosofia, waiter

Jeremy Allen Set Designer

David Greco Creonte

Heath Keating Sailor, waiter

Sabina Myers Costume Designer

Dominica Matthews Aristea Roberta Diamond Amore (voice), Giacinta

SYNOPSIS PROLOGUE Filosofia (Philosophy) and Amore (Love) argue over their respective merits.

Amore declares that he will be the winner and flies to Orontea’s court to win her over to the ways of love.

ACT I Orontea declares that she will never give in to love. She wishes to dedicate herself to her royal duties and to enjoy her liberty. Creonte attempts to convince her to do her duty and marry, but Orontea remains steadfast. Tibrino reports that he has saved the life of a handsome young man. He is brought in front of Orontea by his mother Aristea.

Both are invited to stay at the palace.

Orontea finds out that the wounded guest is Alidoro and that he used to be the royal painter at the Phoenician court. Silandra and Orontea begin to feel a powerful attraction to Alidoro.

ACT II Orontea realises she has strong feelings for Alidoro. Giacinta returns to the court dressed as the young man Ismero – a disguise she had assumed during her recent stay at the court of

Orchestra of the Antipodes

Damien Cooper Lighting Designer

Erin Helyard Conductor

Princess Arnea. Arnea commanded her to kill the court painter, who was out of favour. She tells Orontea that she has managed to wound Alidoro; Orontea reacts angrily. Creonte reprimands Orontea for her unqueenly behaviour. The queen finally admits that she is in love.

INTERVAL Aristea meets Giacinta, still disguised as Ismero, and tries to chat her up.

Silandra is completely under Alidoro’s spell and breaks up with Corindo.

Silandra asks Alidoro to paint her portrait, and he agrees. Orontea catches them in a compromising situation and explodes in a jealous rage. The shock causes Alidoro to faint; Orontea deposits a love letter, containing a marriage proposal, as well as her crown, next to her unconscious beloved.

ACT III Gelone and Tibrino agree that the whole court is in a state of utter disarray. Alidoro has proclaimed himself King of Egypt. Creonte is outraged by the queen’s lack of decorum. Eventually, she agrees to

send Alidoro away. Alidoro tries to return to Silandra but is rejected.

Corindo receives a letter of apology from Silandra, who wishes to win him back. Corindo accepts her apology and declares his intention to kill Alidoro. Aristea gives a medallion to Giacinta (still in her disguise). Giacinta, who has now also fallen in love with Alidoro, thanks to Amore, gives the medallion to him. Gelone and Silandra mistake the medallion for one owned

by Orontea and think that the painter must have stolen it.

Alidoro is brought in front of Orontea and protests his innocence. Aristea tells Oronte that she received the medallion from her dead husband; she then admits that her husband, a pirate, had stolen the medallion and also the infant wearing it, whom she had raised as her own child. Creonte realises that the stolen baby – Alidoro – was in fact Floridano, the long-lost son of the king of Phoenicia. Orontea and Creonte are overjoyed: Alidoro’s noble birth means that she can marry him. Orontea blesses the marriage of Silandra and Corindo, and everyone sings of the triumph of Amore.

A gift to us is a gift for many...

When you donate to Pinchgut Opera, your gift goes directly toward creating glorious musical adventures for our audiences and future generations to cherish.

Your support also enables our dedicated singers, instrumentalists and arts workers to flourish in a high-calibre, professional artistic life, here in Australia.

Please consider making a donation toward Pinchgut’s Annual Giving Campaign before 30 June, and support our Australian artists and the music they make.

To donate, visit pinchgutopera.com.au/donate or phone 02 9318 8344 All gifts over $2 are fully tax deductible.

26, 28, 29, 31 May and 1 June There will be an interval of 20 minutes in the middle of Act Two. Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

The performance will finish at approximately 9:45 on Thursday, Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4:45 on Saturday, and 7:45 on Sunday.

Orontea was first performed at Innsbruck on 16 February, 1656. Edition by Erin Helyard.

Orontea is being recorded on 29 and 31 May and 1 June and filmed on 31 May and 1 June for digital release on Pinchgut At Home. Any microphones you observe are for recording purposes only, and not for musical amplification.

These performances of Orontea are dedicated to the memory of Max Riebl.

We acknowledge the traditional owners of this land: the Gadigal people of the Eora nation – the first storytellers and singers of songs. We pay our respects to their elders – past, present and emerging.

Orontea 4pp A5 Flyer.indd 2

18/5/22 11:45 am

PINCHGUT OPERA PRESENTS

WOMEN OF THE PIETÀ

BY VIVALDI

PINCHGUT OPERA PRESENTS

ORONTEA

BY CESTI

An unmissable concert event, featuring star soprano Miriam Allan.

CITY RECITAL HALL 10–11 SEPT MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE 15–16 SEPT

PINCHGUT OPERA PRESENTS

MÉDÉE

BY CHARPENTIER The greatest opera of the French Baroque era.

CITY RECITAL HALL 1–7 DEC

BOOKINGS: PINCHGUTOPERA.COM.AU 02 9318 8300

Orontea 4pp A5 Flyer.indd 1

CITY RECITAL HALL 26 MAY – 1 JUNE 2022

18/5/22 11:45 am