Val Machin Opera Scenes - Brisbane Program

Val Machin

Peter Luff, Conductor | Lois Redman, Director

3–4 May 2024, Conservatorium Theatre

Val Machin Opera Scenes 2024

Conducted by Peter Luff

Directed by Lois Redman

Lighting Design by Keith Clark

EXCERPTS FROM:

I Pagliacci Leoncavallo IN ITALIAN

Die Zauberflöte Mozart IN GERMAN

L’Italiana in Algeri Rossini IN ITALIAN

Synopses I Pagliacci

Tonio greets the audience, explaining that the performers they are about to observe are real people, with hearts and souls. The curtain opens on a village square, where an excited crowd is gathering to welcome Canio’s Commedia troupe. It is quickly clear that trouble is brewing in Canio’s relationship with his wife Nedda. Whilst Beppe focuses on getting things ready for the performance that evening, the hunchbacked Tonio pays unwanted attention to Nedda. Canio, consumed by suspicion and jealousy, rebukes the villagers for making jokes about his wife’s faithfulness. The awkward situation is diffused by the pipers’ signalling that church is about to begin.

Die Zauberflöte

The setting is Sarastro’s temple, where the gods Isis and Osiris are worshipped. Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, and Papageno, the Queen’s bird catcher, are fleeing the wicked Monostatos, whilst also trying to find Prince Tamino, who wants to rescue Pamina from Sarastro. After Papageno enchants the slaves with the magic bells, a joyful chorus announces Sarastro. It becomes clear that Sarastro is in fact good, not evil as the Queen had made Tamino believe. Sarastro calms Pamina and Papageno, however Pamina is conflicted as Sarastro denounces her mother. Monostatos drags Tamino in. Pamina and Tamino rejoice at the sight of each other, whilst Sarastro condemns Monostatos. Sarastro wishes to welcome Tamino into the brotherhood, but first he and Papageno must pass the tests of initiation, overseen by the two priests.

The Queen’s three ladies suddenly appear and try to derail Tamino and Papageno with the news that the Queen has secretly arrived. Whilst Papageno wavers, Tamino stands firm, and the sudden voices of the brotherhood within the temple cause the ladies to flee. Unaware that the first trial is silence, Pamina arrives and is devastated at Tamino’s supposed rejection of her. The scene ends with the arrival of the sun banishing the gloom of night.

L’Italiana in Algeri

Ali and the rest of Mustafa’s pirate crew celebrate the capture of spoils from a shipwreck on their island. A beautiful Italian girl, Isabella, has been searching for her love, Lindoro, and is also on the ship, along with her lovesick older companion Taddeo. Mustafa has tired of his wife Elvira, and his other female companions, and now desires an Italian girl, so the arrival of Isabella causes much joy amongst the pirates. Isabella is not a woman to be trifled with and is confident that her charms will soon tame all the men. A terrified Taddeo is dragged unceremoniously from the ship, and Isabella cleverly declares that she is his niece. As the pirates depart to tell Mustafa the good news of the Italian girl’s arrival, Isabella and Taddeo first fight, then realise they must work together to survive the situation. They are escorted off to prepare to meet Mustafa. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Isabella, Lindoro, is in fact on this island having been previously captured by the pirates. Mustafa has decided Lindoro must marry his own discarded wife, Elvira. Lindoro and Elvira are very resistant to this plan, despite the pleas of Zulma, Elvira’s confidante. Mustafa arrives to finalise plans for Lindoro and Elvira and sends Lindoro off to talk to the captain of the vessel on which he and Elvira are supposed to depart. Mustafa revels in his own excitement about the Italian beauty, and the pirates set the scene for the big reveal. Ali announces Isabella, she enters, and she and Mustafa each privately share their thoughts of the other.

Isabella proceeds to bait Mustafa with feigned adoration, he in turn falls into her trap. Taddeo bursts in, Mustafa declares he must be impaled, Isabella declares Taddeo is her uncle, Mustafa reneges. Lindoro, Elvira and Zulma come to take their leave of Mustafa, and Isabella and Lindoro joyfully recognise each other. Isabella asks Mustafa who Elvira is, and he declares she was his wife, but she must now marry Lindoro. Isabella berates Mustafa and says he must keep his wife and let Lindoro be her own slave. Everyone sings of the craziness of the situation and how their brains just aren’t coping at all.

Artists

Peter Luff Conductor

Peter Luff is Head of Performance at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and Associate Professor in Horn and Brass studies. He holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium and a Master of Music specialising in Instrumental conducting from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU). As a conductor, Peter has extensive experience in a diverse array of performance disciplines which include symphonic repertoire, chamber music, brass band and opera. Peter has conducted many orchestras and ensembles including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensemble, Bangalow Festival Orchestra, Brisbane Philharmonic, Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Conservatorium Symphony and Opera Orchestras, the Brisbane Excelsior Band and Brisbane Brass. During his time as a professional Horn player Peter has performed with orchestras and ensembles across Australia and Hong Kong.

Lois Redman Director

Lois Redman has been teaching Movement and Stagecraft to the classical voice students at the Queensland Conservatorium since 2018, upon the retirement of Anna Sweeny HonRAM. Anna has trained Lois in Movement for Singers and they have enjoyed a long association for over twenty-five years. Lois choreographed Dido and Aeneas for the Queensland Conservatorium in 2020 and was responsible for movement and choreography in the Val Machin Opera Scenes in 2019 and 2021. She has taught classes in Period Dance and Movement to the Bachelor of Acting students at QCQU and in 2021 supplied Movement Support and Choreography to their production of The Rover. Lois was assistant director and choreographer for QCGU’s production of Iolanthe in 2022, and directed the Val Machin Opera Scenes in 2022 and 2023. In 2023 and 2024 she mentored and directed Melba Opera Trust Artists. Lois directed Voxalis’s production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel in April 2024.

Keith Clark Lighting Designer

Keith Clark’s lighting design work includes Single Asian Female (La Boite Theatre Company), Boy Girl Wall and Packed (The Escapists), Handle with Care (Joymas Creative), De-Generator, Opposite of Prompt, Angel-Monster and The Machine that Carries the Soul (Phluxus Dance Collective), Moon Spirit Feasting (Elision Music Ensemble), Juice (The Crash Collective), Kazka and Legend (Lehenda Dance Company), The Laramie Project (Forward Movement), The Wind in the Willows (La Boite Theatre Company)

Die Opernprobe and Der Häusliche Krieg (Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program) and Tarnished (La La Parlour). At the Queensland Conservatorium his lighting designs include Grease, Street Scene, Beatrice and Benedict, Iolanthe, Dido and Aeneas, and 42nd Street. Improvised designs have been for such artists as The Necks, Jeff Lang, The Ordinary Fear of God, Aaron Goldberg, Kate Miller-Heidke, and Nakhane. Keith’s designs for various productions have toured nationally and internationally to Europe and America. He is also a member of the award-winning independent theatre group The Escapists.

Cast

I Pagliacci

Tonio Jake Lyle

Canio Kevin Gomez

Beppe Elliott Beauchamp

A Villager Nicholas Massouras

Another Villager Ryan Lawrence

Nedda Charlotte Wright

Die Zauberflöte

Tamino Liam Jackson

Pamina Tashana Hardy

Papageno Harrison Hammett

Monostatos Liam Waldock

Sarastro Vikram Goonawardena

1st Priest David Upcher

2nd Priest Nicholas Russell

1st Lady Zoe Catchpoole

2nd Lady Charlotte Wright

3rd Lady Lauren Towns

L’Italiana In Algeri

Ali Harrison Hammett

Isabella Morgan Rosati

Taddeo Jake Lyle

Zulma Lauren Towns

Lindoro Liam Jackson

Elvira Gianna Guttilla

Mustafa Vikram Goonawardena

Chorus

Sopranos

Zoe Catchpoole

Johanna Collins

Isabelle Dunstan

Rebecca Goobanko

Monique Grima

Philomena Hoger

Stephanie Horsfall

Sienna Jak

Bridgette Kelsey

Claire McCann

Olivia Munro

Erin Power

Amelia Price

Louise Whittaker

Mezzo Sopranos

Xanthe Allen

Georgia Butland

Emily Davies

Jasmine Kaye

Monica Ruggiero

Aylish Ryan

Lauren Towns

Caitlin Wans

Tenors

Elliott Beauchamp

Kevin Gomez

Ryan Lawrence

Nicholas Russell

Liam Waldock

Basses

Vikram Goonawardena

Harrison Hammett

Nicholas Massouras

Gabriel Shaw

David Upcher

Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra

Concertmaster

Haneulle Lovell*

Violin 1

Lydia Hwang

Violin 2

Emily Ampt*

Sophia Di Lucchio

Viola

Ella Pysden*

Jasmine Smith

Violoncello

Milo Duval*

Stirling Hall

Contrabass

Sophia Buchanan*

Flute

Neve Randall*

Thomas Mallet

Oboe

Shana Hoshino*

Liam Robinson

Clarinet

Nathanael Duffy*

Liberty Prentice

Bassoon

Georgina Sinclair*

Mairin Thompson

French Horn

Thomas Ferreira-Montague*

Hannah McLellan

Trumpet

Megan Barber*

Timpani

Jaymee Homeming*

Percussion

Matthew Conway*

Piano/Keyboard

Jillianne Stoll*

* Principal

Music credits

Chorus Master, Vocal Coach & Repetiteur

Jillianne Stoll

Italian Language Coach Teresa Desmarchelier

German Language Coach Gabriele Ratzke

Assistant German Language Coach Johanna Collins

Assistant Conductor Isabella Gerometta

Surtitle Preparation Jillianne Stoll & Lois Redman

Surtitle Technicians Buck Outdoor Pty Ltd

Surtitle Operator Mark Connors

Production credits

Production Manager Len McPherson

Stage Manager Isabelle Markham

Orchestra Manager Daniel Fossi

Assistant Orchestra Manager Jen Pittock

Lighting Operator Stu Cochrane

Flys Operator Dylan Smith

Costumes Conservatorium Wardrobe and students

Conservatorium staff

Director Professor Bernard Lanskey

Deputy Director (Learning & Teaching)

Associate Professor

Donna Weston

Deputy Director (Research)

Dr Alexis Kallio

Conservatorium Manager

Stuart Jones

Open Conservatorium Manager

Jason Budge

Head of Ensembles

Professor Peter Morris

Executive Officer (Engagement)

Dr Natalie Lewandowski-Cox

Front of House

Operations Manager

Michael Hibbard

Technical Team Leader

Cameron Hipwell

Operations Administrator

Clare Wharton

Program Coordinator (Ensembles)

Daniel Fossi

Technical Officers

Keith Clark, Amy Hauser, Len McPherson

Venues Officers

Grace Royle, Joshua White, Joseph Gale-Grant

Administration Officer

Liz Tyson-Doneley

Special thanks

Special thanks to Dr Glenda Powell AM, whose long-standing support of the Val Machin Opera Scenes, named in memory of her mother, has continued to provide our emerging opera students with invaluable experiences at the Conservatorium.

Philanthropy plays a vital role at Queensland Conservatorium. Only through your support can our students experience valuable learning opportunities through productions such as this one. To invest in the future of music and performance in Queensland, contact us on +61 (0)7 5552 7218 or email giving@griffith.edu.au.

Queensland Conservatorium thanks our generous donors and supporters. We would like to acknowledge our instrument bank donors supporting the students in tonight’s performance.

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Correct at time of publication.

Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work. We pay respect to the Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.