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Is this really the cast for the Melbourne RING ?

May 20, 2012 | Author insider

The proposed complete cast for the Opera Australia production of Wagner’s DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN to be stage in Melbourne later 2013 was recently leaked on ‘The Wagnerian” website.

The supposed cast is listed below, together with the dats of each of the three ‘cycles’.

Das Rheingold

Wotan	Juha Uusitalo
Donner	Warwick Fyfe
Froh	Andrew Brunsdon
Loge	Richard Berkeley–Steele
Fricka	Jacqueline Dark
Freia	Hyeseoung Kwon
Erda	Deborah Humble
Woglinde	Lorina Gore
Wellgunde	Jane Ede
Flosshilde	Dominica Matthews
Alberich	John Wegner
Mime	Graeme Macfarlane
Fasolt	Daniel Sumegi
Fafner	Shane Lowrencev

Die Walküre

Wotan	Juha Uusitalo
Fricka	Jacqueline Dark
Siegmund	Stuart Skelton
Sieglinde	Miriam Gordon-Stewart
Hunding	Jud Arthur
Brünnhilde	Susan Bullock
Gerhilde	Anke Höppner
Ortlinde	Meryln Quaife
Waltraute	Deborah Humble
Schwertleite	Dominica Matthews
Helmwige	Hyeseoung Kwon
Siegrune	Sian Pendry
Grimgerde	Elizabeth Campbell
Rossweisse	Roxane Hislop

Siegfried

Siegfried	Gary Lehmann
Brünnhilde	Susan Bullock
Erda	Deborah Humble
Mime	Graeme Macfarlane
Der Wanderer	Juha Uusitalo
Alberich	John Wegner
Fafner	Shane Lowrencev
Forest Bird	Taryn Fiebig

Götterdämerung

Siegfried	Gary Lehmann
Gunther	Gunther Barry Ryan
Alberich	John Wegner
Hagen	Daniel Sumegi
Brünnhilde	Susan Bullock
Gutrune	Sharon Prero
Waltraute	Deborah Humble
Woglinde	Lorina Gore
Wellgunde	Jane Ede
Flosshilde	Dominica Matthews
First Norn	Elizabeth Campbell
Second Norn	Jacqueline Dark
Third Norn	Anke Höppner

Dates:

Three Cycles:

CYCLE ONE

DAS RHEINGOLD Monday, 18th November 2013

DIE WALKURE Wednesday, 20th November 2013

SIEGRIED Friday, 22nd November 2013

GOTTERDAMMERUNG Monday, 25th November 2013

CYCLE TWO

DAS RHEINGOLD Wednesday, 27th November 2013

DIE WALKURE Friday, 29th November 2013

SIEGRIED Monday, 2nd December 2013

GOTTERDAMMERUNG Wednesday, 4th December 2013

CYCLE THREE

DAS RHEINGOLD Friday, 6th December 2013

DIE WALKURE Monday, 9th December 2013

SIEGRIED Wednesday, 11th December 2013

GOTTERDAMMERUNG Friday, 13th December 2013

http://www.the-wagnerian.com/2012/05/melbourne-ring-2013-cast-dates.html

There is no argument on the quality of the casting of the major roles in the Melbourne RING.

However, the success of any staging of the RING relies on many factors, but paramount amongst them is the vision of the director and designers, the experience and talents of the conductor, and most importantly the depth of quality in casting the smaller roles. The above purported cast (if true) shows a lack of depth in casting the smaller roles. Some regular opera goers and Wagner fans may actually be put off purchasing tickets on the basis of this casting. The May edition of OPERA NOW lists the Melbourne RING as one of the top 5 RING cycles being performed in the Wagner Bicemtenary year of 3013 (the others are the Milan/Berlin, Frankfurt, Seattle and Paris RINGs). This rating may be inappropriate considering the above casting of the smaller roles.

It is inappropriate for tickets to go on sale without the FULL details of the Melbourne RING being released. Potential audience members should be given all the information to allow them to make an informed choice.

Ring Leaders for the Melbourne RING have already been asked to purchase their tickets. In fact their preferential period for ticket purchases is already closed. It is unfortunate that Ring Leaders who have already invested several thousand dollars for the privilege, and also spent up to $2,000 per ticket have been asked to do so without the full cast being revealed, and without the details of the performance dates for each cycle being revealed. Furthermore, a recent mail out to Patrons and Ring Leaders from the Patrons Manager Melbourne, of Opera Australia offers tour packages for the Melbourne RING which cannot be booked as Ring Leaders have not been informed of the cycle to which they have been allocated seats. Ring Leaders will not be informed of their cycle allocation until the end of 2012.

Posted in Opera Gossip In Australia | 2 Comments »

Further details for the Melbourne RING

March 8, 2012 | Author insider

This week Opera Australia Ring Leaders received their priority booking forms for the 2013 Melbourne RING.

Dates for the three cycles are as follows:

CYCLE ONE

DAS RHEINGOLD Monday, 18th November 2013

DIE WALKURE Wednesday, 20th November 2013

SIEGRIED Friday, 22nd November 2013

GOTTERDAMMERUNG Monday, 25th November 2013

CYCLE TWO

DAS RHEINGOLD Wednesday, 27th November 2013

DIE WALKURE Friday, 29th November 2013

SIEGRIED Monday, 2nd December 2013

GOTTERDAMMERUNG Wednesday, 4th December 2013

CYCLE THREE

DAS RHEINGOLD Friday, 6th December 2013

DIE WALKURE Monday, 9th December 2013

SIEGRIED Wednesday, 11th December 2013

GOTTERDAMMERUNG Friday, 13th December 2013

Ticket prices are as have been previously announced.

Premium Reserve $2,000 per seat

A Reserve $1,600 per seat

B Reserve $1,200 per seat

C Reserve $1000 per seat

Ring Leaders have until the 30th March to submit the ticket applications and pay for the tickets. They can be paid in 2 instalments only by credit card – the first now, and the second on the 1st October 2012 for an additional fee of $40.

Ring Leaders who book now wil be advised of their Cycle and seating reserve by the 14th May 2012, and seat numbers will be advised by the 30th November 2012. Tickets will be mailed in July 2013.

Most surprisingly (no, astoundingly !), payment is expected without any further information on the production or casting being provided. This is hardly the way to treat audience members who have contributed several thousand dollars extra to support the RING project !

Posted in Opera Gossip In Australia | 6 Comments »

KIng Kong – the musical coming to Melbourne

October 22, 2011 | Author insider

King Kong is descending on Melbourne in 2013, and he’s going to be huge. Seven metres tall, in fact!

The larger-than-life ape will storm the Regent Theatre from early 2013, in a brand new musical produced by Global Creatures. The show will only play in Melbourne in Australia (no tour is planned) with the hopes of sending the musical to Broadway soon after.

“King Kong will be made in Melbourne, and exclusive to Melbourne due to its scale. We look forward to welcoming visitors from right around Australia and the region to Melbourne to experience the magic of KING KONG before it transfers to the rest of the world”, said Victoria’s Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Louise Asher.

It is understood that the sheer size of Kong himself (pictured in workshop phase) restricts the movability of the creature, thus the decision to make the Regent Theatre his only home in Australia.

Global Creatures, the company behind King Kong, is a great Australian success story of a pioneering company creating new theatrical productions in Australia and taking them to the world. In addition to KING KONG, Global Creatures has announced a partnership with Bazmark to produce a stage musical adaptation of the first movie of Baz Luhrmann’s ground-breaking Red Curtain Trilogy, STRICTLY BALLROOM. They are also working in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation to develop an arena show based on the hugely successful film HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, which will also premiere in Melbourne in March 2012.

Global Creatures executives joined the Tourism Minister today at Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance, North Melbourne to announce the world premiere season while auditions for the show were taking place at the famed dance school.

Set in 1933 in New York City at the height of the Depression, King Kong will feature a cast of more than 40 actors, singers, dancers and puppeteers.

Part of the Government’s Major Events Strategy, KING KONG is set to attract thousands of interstate and international visitors to Victoria, creating jobs and generating economic benefits for Victoria, as well as adding to the liveability and vibrancy of Melbourne.

“As Minister also responsible for the state’s film and innovation industries, I am thrilled with the opportunities the project will bring to Melbourne’s creative practitioners, as King Kong will also build on the state’s reputation as a powerhouse in technical innovation”, Minister Asher added.

Expanding on Global Creatures’ approach to entertainment, Producer of KING KONG , Carmen Pavlovic, added:

“This show continues the innovative direction of Global Creatures in creating world class productions in Australia and then taking them to the world. In this regard, KING KONG is in a class all of its own in terms of scale, vision, ambition and technical advancement, and we can’t wait to see it come to life in Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. We have been impressed by the entrepreneurial vision of the Victorian Major Events Company in securing KING KONG for Melbourne and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with them through to the opening in 2013.”

It is understood that the show will be workshopped in mid 2012, presumably to work with the seven-metre anamatronic creature (Kong) in Melbourne and to place the finishing touches on an already workshopped show.

The most recent workshop took place in July 2011, and this full year break will allow the writers to iron out any kinks in the story and fully prepare what promises to be a beautiful production.

Produced by Global Creatures (the company which brought us Walking With Dinosaurs), the show is scheduled to be workshopped again in mid 2012, and rehearsals for the main stage production are set to begin sometime in 2013. The most recent workshop took place in July 2011, and this full year break will allow the writers to iron out any kinks in the story and put the finishing touches on what promises to be a beautiful production.

The show will feature both original and period (1930) music. Original score from Marius de Vries. Directed by Daniel Kramer and choreographed by John O’Connell, the King Kong is sure to be a feast for the eyes, ears and imagination.

http://aussietheatre.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2083:king-kong-is-coming-to-melbourne-2013&catid=43:general&Itemid=57

Posted in Opera Gossip In Australia | No Comments »

Opera Australia announces 2012 Melbourne Season

August 9, 2011 | Author insider

Yesterday morning, Artistic Director of Opera Australia announced his first season of opera for Melbourne for 2012.

The Autumn Season operas are:

Puccini’s TURANDOT director – Graeme Murphy

Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE director – Julie Taymor (NEW PRODUCTION)

Rossini’s BARBER OF SEVILLE director – Elijah Moshinsky

Lehar’s THE MERRY WIDOW director – Giles Havergal (NEW PRODUCTION)

The Spring Season operas are:

Strauss’ SALOME director Gale Edwards (NEW PRODUCTION)

Donizetti’s LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR director – John Doyle (NEW PRODUCTION)

Puccini’s MADAME BUTTERFLY director – Moffat Oxenbould

Rogers and Hammersteins’ SOUTH PACIFIC director – Bartlett Sher (NEW PRODUCTION)

Lyndon Terracini finally breaks the mould of a formulaic season of tired old revivals padded with Gilbert and Sullivan with this program, with 5 productions new to Melbourne, all with something new and exciting to offer.

The new MAGIC FLUTE is a production first staged by the Metropolitan Opera, New York in 2004 to great critical acclaim and will be sung in English (again breaking with recent tradition) hoping to entice a new and younger potential audience.

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR will star Emma Matthews as Lucia in a co-production with La Fenice Venice and Houston Grand Opera. The modernistic production features minimalistic sets with atmospheric clouds and lighting.

After a planning process of several years, and waiting for the availability of Teddy Tahu Rhodes, SOUTH PACIFIC will be seen in the Bartlett production from the Lincoln Centre in New York.

The 3 revival operas are amongst the best staged and entertaining operas in the OA repertoire, and highly regarded by the Public. All in all, a season of excitement , drama, and great flair.

Posted in Opera Gossip In Australia | 5 Comments »