Homegrown: Opera听Carnival茅
, Senior Lecturer in Voice at the鈥疷niversity of Sydney Conservatorium of Music鈥痑nd Rachel Bate, Head of Voice at鈥疻ollongong Conservatorium of Music, head up鈥� Opera听Carnival茅, a production company they started together to provide collaborative performance opportunities for students from both institutions. This year the duo is taking on the much-loved听听with music by鈥疍avid Reeves and lyrics by Peter Yeldham听and John Palmer.听 听
The show is based on Ethel Turner鈥檚 classic tale of the same name,听taken to heart by young and old since 1894. Director Dr Narelle Yeo鈥檚 interpretation will come to life within the antique wood and red canvas of the听Spiegeltent, which is home to Wollongong鈥檚 annual festival performance season. 听
Seven Little Australians听features a cast of 40 and a 15-piece orchestra.鈥�淚 have re-edited and cut the work down鈥痶o a one-act鈥痟ybrid鈥痵how in a new curation that is more opera than musical theatre, with flowing lyrical lines and听鈥榟ead voice鈥� singing,鈥� said Dr Yeo. 听
This is a unique new adaptation of a work that enjoyed great success in its first run in 1988-1989.听Yeo鈥檚听ongoing鈥痳esearch on opera and musical theatre has directly informed this adaptation. The research rewards of running a mentoring program attached to a performance outcome means we can easily reflect on the value and importance of this project.鈥� 听
Over the past three-years,听Dr听Yeo and听Ms听Bate have created three shows with听Illawarra听students and professionals from Wollongong, with support from the Sydney and Wollongong Conservatoriums.听They have cultivated a听positive environment听with听demonstrably听life-changing results for students.听听
鈥淲e are really proud of this program and the young performers we are able to reach,鈥� Dr Yeo said.听鈥淏oth Rachel and I believe in the power of the arts to change outcomes for young people and we are passionate about our product and the process itself.鈥澨� 听
Opera Carnivale鈥檚 is a one-night only performance taking place at 4.30pm on Sunday 14 April at the Speigeltent Wollongong, located at Burelli Street Arts Precinct, Wollongong.
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