Reported by National Arts Writer,  Michaela Boland in today’s AUSTRALIAN, Opera Australia is considering mounting an opera season in Brisbane again after an absence of 24 years.

The Queensland Arts Minister, Rachel Nolan says her Government is eager to bring Opera Australia to Brisbane. The re-introduction of opera seasons  by the national opera company would underscore the state government’s ambitions for a greater cultural footprint in Australia and internationally, and  build on its growing reputation as a cultural destination. Neither Ms Nolan or Opera Australia’s Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini will confirm the rumours at this time.

Mr  Terracini is quoted as saying, “It would be fantastic for Opera Australia to go to Brisbane and, yes, we have had discussions.”

The NSW and Victorian governments match OA’s federal funding, and a similar arrangement with the Queensland Government may be required to secure the deal. Mr Terracini says he is awaiting confirmation of funding from “a couple of parties” before he can announce which opera or operas will be staged.

The rumoured Opera Australia season is slated for May 2012, when the Queensland Opera would normally be performing in the QPAC Lyric Theatre. The season is said to consist of:

the Baz Luhrman production of Britten’s A MIDSUMMER  NIGHT’S DREAM, and the Julie Taymor production of Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

The Luhrman DREAM had been said to be ‘retired’ following the performances in Sydney and Melbourne in 2010 and has never been seen in Brisbane. It is great news that this production is still around and may yet be re-staged. Julie Taymor, who also directed the LION KING and SPIDERMAN – THE MUSICAL on Broadway, directed the then new production of THE MAGIC FLUTE for the Metropolitan Opera in 2004. It is highly regarded and has been staged annually in the Met seasons since then. Mr Terracini has said he is keen for Opera Australia to stage it for Australian audiences.

What of the Queensland Opera? Opera Queensland  has been dislodged from its regular May slot in the QPAC Lyric Theatre to accommodate the proposed Opera Australia Season, and is now grappling with how to deliver a full program next year. Opera Queensland Artistic Director, Chris Mangin says the company will make up for its lost season with an additional program in early April, “but it will be a different type of programming”. It is not known whether this will affect the planned Australian Premiere of Stephen Schwarz’ opera SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON planned for production by Queensland Opera in 2012 (as previously reported by the Opera Insider on the 15th January 2011).

The planned season also puts pressure on the diminishing stock of lyric theatres in Brisbane. The QPAC Lyric Theatre is now the sole venue in Brisbane for large scale productions of opera, ballet and musicals requiring a large lyric theatre . The problem is even more dire than in Sydney. Already the suggestion has been made that Brisbane needs another Lyric Theatre with a capacity of 1,500 to 1,600 seats to meet the demand. The Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council may yet regret allowing the demolition of the SGIO Theatre in 2007 and the glorious Hoyt’s Picture Palace – the Regent Theatre (capacity 2,600 seats) scheduled to commence demolition last month.

Opera Australia is certainly on the move with quite radical changes to the nature and breadth of it’s operations under the stewardship of it’s visionary impresario, Lyndon Terracini. In 2 years we have seen an almost magical transformation in the quality of productions, excellent tutelage of the company’s younger singers in appropriate roles so they shine, the engagement of truly great International guest artists, a planned production of Wagner’s RING, the planned Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, muoted opera seasons in Parramatta and now Brisbane. Let’s hope the resources and finances of the company are not being spread too thin.

In the meantime, Brisbane is on track to really earn it’s title of Bris Vegas !