Opera Double Bill
Das Kleine Mahagonny and Suor Angelica
The goal of the Masters of Opera Performance is to take students on a journey of vocal, musical and theatrical discovery and skills development. The works presented in this double bill achieve these aims in highly contrasting ways, and though created less than a decade apart, the music and singing styles demand quite different approaches. While at the surface the stories are highly contrasting, common themes of social morality, greed and power pervade.
In the first work, we have leaned into the text as it relates to longing, gratification and dissatisfaction, greed, violence, rebellion and final realisation. In Suor Angelica, we have located the story to the 1960s, where the daily practices of the convent resonate with known histories of such places in Ireland, UK, Canada, US, Sweden, and here in Australia. This convent is a place where harsh moral judgement and social control co-exist alongside deep faith and kindness. The score and its libretto offer moments of lightness and joy which serve as counterpoint to the tragedy of the overarching narrative.
The different casts have undertaken their own research to strengthen their interpretations. For both works, we have explored difficult themes with care and ethical diligence. We understand these may be confronting representations that touch individuals and communities, but in telling our versions of these stories, we have aimed to move towards better insights.
As Director, I have been deeply grateful to Andrea Katz and Shauna Beesley for their musicianship, coaching and performance skills. Sophie Woodward and Stephen Hawker have also been wonderful creative colleagues who, alongside the technical staff and other generous contributors including language coaches, have given unerring attention to detail, making the whole project a deeply rewarding collaboration.
- Jane Davidson, Director
CAST
Das Kleine Mahagonny
Jessie
Zoe Lancaster
Bessie
Phoebe Tait
Charlie
Martyn Arends
Billy
Matthew O'Leary
Bobby
Zhuoyang(Sunny) Li
Jimmy
Leyland Jones
Suor Angelica
Tuesday, 24 March 7PM
Sister Angelica
Kate Pengelly
The Princess
Mia Koutsoumidis
The Abbess
Erin Absalom
The Monitress
Brittney Northcott
The Mistress of the Novices
Emma Mueller
Wednesday, 25 March 7PM
Sister Angelica
Emilia Gray
The Princess
Brittney Northcott
The Abbess
Erin Absalom
The Monitress
Mia Koutsoumidis
The Mistress of the Novices
Emma Mueller
Thursday, 26 March 2PM
Sister Angelica
Kate Pengelly
The Princess
Emma Mueller
The Abbess
Brittney Northcott
The Monitress
Mia Koutsoumidis
The Mistress of the Novices
Erin Absalom
Thursday, 26 March 7PM
Sister Angelica
Emilia Gray
The Princess
Mia Koutsoumidis
The Abbess
Erin Absalom
The Monitress
Brittney Northcott
The Mistress of the Novices
Emma Mueller
Supporting Cast
Sister Genovieffa
Lily Flynn
Lay Sisters
Leah Stange and Harriet Johnston
The Nursing Sister
Olive Cullen
The Alms Sisters
Phoebe Tait and Zoe Lancaster
Sister Osmina
Annabel Nelson
Sister Dolcina
Alice Dagwell
Novice
Genevieve Gray
Chorus of Nuns
Madison Adams, Alice Dagwell, Genevieve Gray, Elleni Habibis, Harriet Johnston, Annabel Nelson, Leah Stange, Danielle Zuccala
Laundry Girls
Yujia Du, Eleni Gerostamoulos, Isla Martin, Gabriella Osvath, Jacqueline Pizzo, Tabitha Plummer, Ruby Streit, Lillie Walker
The Lady
Jaqueline Pizzo
The Man
Nicholas Corcoran
Keyboardist (Das Kleine Mahagonny)
Ricardo Roche Idini
Keyboardist (Suor Angelica)
Leyland Jones
CREATIVE TEAM
Director
Jane Davidson
Music Director / Head Repetiteur (Das Kleine Mahagonny)
Shauna Beesley
Music Director / Head Repetiteur (Suor Angelica)
Andrea Katz
Set & Costume Designer
Sophie Woodward
Lighting Designer
Stephen Hawker
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Artistic Operations & Planning Manager
Abe Watson
Senior Producer
Ang Cuy
Production Operations Manager
Andy Turner
Production Stage Manager
Lowana van Dorssen
Deputy Stage Manager
Claudia Howarth
Set Construction
Imported Theatre Fabrics Company
Charlie Craft, Hana Kuhlmann
Production Workshop Coordinator
Alan (Alby) Logan
Production Workshop Technicians
Charlie Craft, Bryn Cullen, Hana Kuhlmann, Mungo McKenzie
Costume Supervisor
Rose McCormick
Costumiers
Chloe Simcox and Lara Barwick
Lighting Technician & Operator
Chris Payne
AV Technician
Rick Reeves
Surtitle Operator
Caitlin Hopwood
Photography (Das Kleine Mahagonny)
Amanda Hitten
Historical Images Sourced by
Dr. Andrew Close
ACADEMIC STAFF
Head of Opera
Jane Davidson
Vocal Teachers
Linda Barcan, Carrie Barr, Anna Connolly, Heather Fletcher, Stephen Grant, Antoinette Halloran, Jocelyn Hickey, Roxane Hislop, Suzanne Johnston, Victoria Lambourn, Dermot Tutty
Language pronunciation
Matteo Dalle Fratte, Victoria Lambourn and Stephen Grant