Programme - New Zealand School of Music

2
A �ight at the �pera
Friday 19 September 2014
Saturday 20 September 2014
Adam Concert Room, Kelburn Campus
Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music
�rpheus in the �nderworld
1
2 �eter �rimes
�ie �auberflöte
3
4 The �ikado
Il �arbiere di �iviglia
5
– Jacques Offenbach
Entrance of the Gods –Finale Act 1.
– Benjamin Britten
‘From the Gutter’ – Quartet - Act 2
– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
‘Padlock Scene’ Quintet – ‘Hmm, hmm’ – Act 1
– Sir Arthur Sullivan
‘Three little maids from school are we’ and ‘So please you Sir!’- Act 1
– Gioachino Rossini
‘Ehi , di casa’ – Finale Act 1
�
�nterval �
6 A �ittle �ight �usic
�on �asquale
7
8 �ie �auberflöte
La �ohème
9
– Stephen Sondheim
‘A Weekend in the Country’ Finale Act 1.
– Gaetano Donizetti
‘Tornami a dir’ – Act 2
– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
‘Suicide Scene’ – Scene 6, Act 2
– Giacomo Puccini
‘Quando m’en vo’ – Finale Act 2
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1
�rpheus in the �nderworld
1858
Music: Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)
Libretto: Ludovic Halévy
Entrance of the Gods – Finale Act 1
Pluto, god of the Underworld – Declan Cudd
Jupiter, King of the gods – Christian Thurston
Juno, wife of Jupiter – Luana Howard
Mercury, messenger of the gods – Brooks Kershaw
Mars, god of War – Luka Venter
Cupid, god of Love – Olivia Marshall
Diana, goddess of Chastity - Alicia Cadwgan
Venus, goddess of Beauty – Tess Robinson
Chorus – miscellaneous gods and goddesses
Jacques Offenbach’s frothy and frivolous Orpheus in the Underworld offers a biting
commentary on the world of 19th century Grand Opera. Famous for introducing the
world to the glories of the can-can, Offenbach’s Orpheus subverts the traditional Greek
myth with saucy delight. In this scene we meet our gods and soon realise that perhaps
Diana is more desperate than pious, Mercury is a bawdy gossip and Jupiter is a killjoy who
denies everyone the naughtier things in life. Once Pluto arrives to tempt us all with more
earthy pursuits, things really get out of hand.
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�eter �rimes
1945
Music: Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Libretto: Montague Slater
‘From the Gutter’ – Quartet – Act 2
Ellen Orford, widow, the Borough Schoolmistress – Katherine McIndoe
Auntie, landlady of The Boar – Olivia Marshall
Niece 1, ‘niece’ of Auntie – Hannah Jones
Niece 2, ‘niece’ of Auntie – Rebecca Howan
In Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, we encounter a complex picture of humanity. Peter
Grimes is a solitary, anti-social fisherman who is persecuted by many, though it is clear that
he is not blameless either. In the quartet, ‘From the Gutter’, Auntie, the Nieces and Ellen
contemplate the nature of men and ask, ‘Do we smile or do we weep or wait quietly until
they sleep?’
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3
�ie �auberflöte
1791
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Libretto: Emanuel Schikaneder
‘Padlock Scene’ Quintet - ‘Hmm, hmm’ – Act 1
Papageno, birdcatcher – Luka Venter
Tamino, Prince – Declan Cudd
Three Ladies, followers of the Queen of the Night
– Shayna Tweed
– Elyse Hemara
– Georgia Fergusson
Mozart’s enchanting The Magic Flute presents otherworldly creatures – a bird catcher,
sage spirits, a queen of the night – in order to explore the boundaries between light and
dark and good and bad. In the Padlock Scene, Papageno, has told one lie too many, and
his mouth has been locked shut. As he despairs at his predicament, the Three Ladies
arrive to release him… on the condition that he no longer stretches the truth. Turning
their attention to Prince Tamino, they encourage him on his mission to save Pamina by
presenting him with a magic flute. They insist Papageno accompanies our hero with the
help of some magic bells. Unsure of their path, three spirits appear to lead the way.
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The �ikado1885
Music: Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)
Libretto: W. S. Gilbert.
‘Three little maids from school are we’ and ‘So please you Sir!’ – Act 1
Yum-Yum – Hannah Jones
Pitti-Sing – Katherine McIndoe
Peep-Bo – Rebecca Howan
Pooh-Bah – Jamie Henare
Chorus of Schoolgirls
Gilbert and Sullivan’s delicious The Mikado is set in Japan, though it reveals much more
about late 19th century Britain, parodying its strictures and bureaucracies. In the ladies
chorus, ‘Comes a little train of ladies’, school has finished and a flock of young women are
returning home. Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing and Yum-Yum emerge from the throng and introduce
themselves in the sparkling and frivolous ‘Three Little Maids’ trio. When the stuffy
Poo-Bar attempts to put a stop to such youthful games, he is soon taught a lesson.
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5
Il �arbiere di �iviglia
1816
Music: Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
Libretto: Cesare Sterbini
‘Ehi , di casa’ – Finale Act 1
Count Almaviva – William McElwee
Figaro, barber – Christian Thurston
Don Bartolo, doctor of medicine, Rosina’s guardian – Brooks Kershaw
Rosina, rich pupil in Bartolo’s House – Alicia Cadwgan
Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher – Jamie Henare
Berta, old governess in Bartolo’s house – Tess Robinson
Official – Daniel Sun
Chorus, soldiers and townsfolk
Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is one of the great masterpieces of the repertoire. Light,
playful and fiercely virtuosic, this opera packs a punch.
In the Act 1 Finale, Count Almaviva is madly in love with Rosina – the young and
beautiful ward of Dr Bartolo. Disguising himself as a drunken soldier, he attempts to
move into Dr Bartolo’s home as a billet. When Bartolo denies the ruse by presenting a
certificate absolving him from such duties the pair both begin to bristle.
While they argue, Almaviva slips Rosina a note who quickly replaces it with a laundry list
when Bartolo demands to see the piece of paper. Feeling hard done by, she complains of
her mistreatment, and Almaviva and Bartolo again begin to battle, before Figaro, Berta and
Don Basilio enter the fray.
Drawing the attention of the police and nosy neighbours, Almaviva reveals his identity to
the Official and is duly pardoned, much to Bartolo’s surprise.
�
�nterval �
6
6
A �ittle �ight �usic
1973
Music: Stephen Sondheim (b.1930)
Libretto: Hugh Wheeler
‘A Weekend in the Country’ – Finale Act 1
Frederik Egerman, lawyer – William McElwee
Anne Egerman, his wife – Emma Carpenter
Henrik Egerman, Frederick’s son – Luka Venter
Petra, Anne’s maid – Alicia Cadwgan
Desiree Armfeldt, actress – Hannah Jones
Frederika Armfeldt, her daughter – Rebecca Howan
Count Carl-Magnus Malcom, Desiree’s lover – Christian Thurston
Charlotte Malcom, Carl-Magnus’s wife – Tess Robinson
Sondheim’s A Little Night Music captures the intricacies of adult relationships in a work
that is honest and irresistible. In this scene, the young and naïve Anne is sent an invitation
to spend a weekend in the country. The only problem is that such a weekend would be at
the residence of Desiree Armfeldt, the actress her husband is clearly in love with.
Anne asks for Charlotte’s advice who then makes the fatal mistake of telling her husband,
Carl-Magnus. He happens to be Desiree’s latest lover and insists they invite themselves
along as well. So it’s a weekend in the country for everyone, whether they like it or not.
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�on �asquale1843
Music: Gaetano Donizetti ( 1797-1848)
Libretto: Giovanni Ruffini
‘Tornami a dir’ – Act 2
Ernesto – Declan Cudd
Norina – Olivia Marshall
In the sublimely lovely duet ‘Tornami a dir’, Norina and Ernesto have finally found
a moment alone together. Expressing their sincere love, this music is filled with close
harmonies and elegant runs and turns that illuminate the nature of their relationship.
This is an evocative snapshot of Donizetti’s wonderful Don Pasquale.
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8
�ie �auberflöte
1791
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Libretto: Emanuel Schikaneder
‘Suicide Scene’ – Scene 6, Act 2
Pamina – Katherine McIndoe
Knaben 1, boy-spirit – Olivia Sheat
Knaben 2 – Luana Howard
Knaben 3 – Rebecca Howie
Returning to The Magic Flute, in this scene, our three spirits pause to offer a hymn to
the rising sun and reflect on both the strengths and frailties of humans. They soon spy a
distraught Pamina. She has fallen in love with the Prince Tamino, but he will not talk to
her. Unable to cope with his cold rejection, nor carry out her mother’s instructions to kill
Sarastro, she has decided to take her own life instead. As she lifts the blade, the spirits stop
her and reveal that Tamino does love her after all. If she will follow them, they will take her
to her beloved.
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La �ohème1896
Music: Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Libretto: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
‘Quando m’en vo’ – Finale Act 2
Musetta, a singer – Tess Robinson
Marcello, a painter – Christian Thurston
Mimi, a seamstress – Hannah Jones
Rodolfo, a poet – William McElwee
Schaunard, a musician – Luka Venter
Colline, a philosopher – Jamie Henare
Alcindoro, a state councillor – Nino Raphael
Chorus - half the population of Paris
We finish our scenes programme in the Christmas Market of Puccini’s La Bohème. Musetta
has tired of her wealthy yet overbearing lover Alcindoro. Spying Marcello, she sings of
her own irresistible nature, and flirts shamelessly. To get Alcindoro out of the way, she
insists he replace her broken shoe, and as he grudgingly leaves Marcello and Musetta are
reconciled. All the while Mimi and Rudolfo watch on, falling more and more in love. The
bill soon arrives and our bohemians are caught short. Musetta adds the bill to Alcindoro’s,
and as the military band arrives, everyone marches off triumphantly.
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Director: �rances
�oore
Music Director: �ark
�orrell
Designer: �lexandra �uillot
Lighting Designer: �isa
Operator: �enna
�elly
�aule
NZSM Classical Performance: Voice teaching staff
�argaret �edlyn
�ichard �reager
�enny �ollerman
�isa Harper-�rown
�imon �’�eill
�eather �asting, Student repetiteur, accompanying: Peter Grimes Quartet, Magic Flute
Ensembles, Donizetti Duet and Puccini La Bohème excerpt.
NZSM Classical Performance: Voice students
4th Year, PGDip Students 2nd Year Students
Tess Robinson
Jamie Henare
William McElwee
Christian Thurston
3rd Year Students
Alicia Cadwgan
Rebecca Howan
Hannah Jones
Olivia Marshall
Katherine McIndoe
Declan Cudd
Emma Carpenter
Georgia Fergusson
Elyse Hemara
Luana Howard
Rebecca Howie
Brooks Kershaw
Olivia Sheat
Daniel Sun
Shayna Tweed
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1st Year Students
Katrina Brougham
Priya Makwana
Joseph Haddow
Aulapei Kolopeaua
Nino Raphael
Director: �rances �oore
Frances Moore trained as a classical singer under Emily Mair and Margaret Medlyn and
graduated from the New Zealand School of Music with a first class honours degree. She
then changed her focus and went on to complete a Master of Music with Distinction in
Musicology at NZSM under the guidance of Dr Inge van Rij. In 2012 Frances received a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to undertake research at
New York University with Dr Suzanne Cusick and Dr Michael Beckerman. In New York
Frances also had her first experience of working as an assistant director to Linda Brovsky
for the Manhattan School of Music’s Summer Voice Programme. Having returned home,
Frances is now working towards her Master of Theatre Arts at Toi Whakaari in order to
pursue her dream of working as an opera director. Recent credits include co-director for Victoria University of Wellington’s Mystery Play
(2013), assistant director for the NZSM production of Verdi’s Il corsaro (2013), director
for Hans Krasa’s Brundibar (2014). This year she also launched her experimental operatheatre company, UnstuckOpera, with an initial workshop called The Echo Project.
Music Director: �ark �orrell
Mark Dorrell graduated from Cambridge University, the Royal College of Music and the
National Opera Studio After four years on the Music Staff of Scottish Opera he returned
to London where he enjoyed a busy freelance career as conductor, accompanist and vocal
coach. His extensive theatre credits as Musical Director at the National Theatre include A Little
Night Music with Dame Judi Dench, Oklahoma with Hugh Jackman, Peter Pan with Sir
Ian McKellen as well as performances of Guys and Dolls, Sweeney Todd, Candide, Lady in
the Dark and Singin’ in the Rain. The original London productions of Sondheim’s Into The
Woods, Assassins and Passion were conducted by Mark.
Mark has long been involved in music education, including Head of Keyboard Studies
at the Bermuda School of Music from 2000-2003. In 2004 he returned to London to
become Head of Music for ARTS-ED, the UK’s leading musical theatre college.
Since moving to New Zealand in 2007 he has worked at Toi Whakaari as Music Director
for various productions and has recently completed 3 years as Music Director for the
Orpheus Choir of Wellington. He is currently Director of Music at St Barnabas, Roseneath
and a full-time member of staff at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music.
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Designer: �lexandra �uillot
Alexandra Guillot is a passionate designer who began training in special effects makeup
and expanded her creative capacity to costume design and art department. She was born
in Hong Kong with a French father and a Danish/Norwegian mother. Her attention to
detail and experience abroad is evident and enriches her work. She has always been drawn
towards working in groups, building something that is much larger than the individuals
inside it.
Alexandra started working in events in Hong Kong in 2011 and has gained experience
working in theatre: (As You Like It 2014, Sky Dancer 2013, Macbeth 2009, Guys and
Dolls 2009); opera (Noye’s Fludde 2014, Il corsaro 2013); web series (Woodville 2013); film
(Mirage 2013, Unnatural History 2013, Shopping 2012); and dance (AGE 2013).
Lighting Designer: �isa �aule
Lisa Maule is a critically acclaimed lighting designer including receiving several awards
and nominations at the Chapman Trip Theatre Awards. Lisa has extensive professional
practice in the performing arts sector as part of the core creative team and management.
Professional companies she has worked with include Taki Rua Productions, Armstrong
Creative, Kowhiti Productions and the New Zealand International Arts Festival. Lisa’s
most recent outside projects are lighting design for Michael James Mania by John
Broughton and production coordinator on Masi by The Conch both premiering in the
2012 New Zealand International Arts Festival.
Alongside her passion for light Lisa is committed to building new New Zealand work and
is co-producer of Eko Theatre, a socially engaged arts practice. Lisa holds a Bachelor of
Arts in Art History and a Bachelor of Design from Victoria University of Wellington and
is a current student of the Maori language with Te Ataarangi. Lisa’s working questions
include: finding the balance as a mentor to allow autonomy in students on productions;
and the role of AV in creative lighting design.
Acknowledgements:
Our grateful thanks, for support, assistance and resources, to Toi Whakaari – National
School of Drama and the Victoria University Film and Theatre Department.
We would like to thank Jeremy Sams for the use of the Orpheus in the Underworld libretto.
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�pcoming �vents at ����
Jazz Trio �usic
NZSM Lunchtime Concert
Friday 26 September 12:10-1:00pm
NZSM Concert Hall, Mt Cook Campus
Norman Meehan (piano),
Blair Latham (saxophone / clarinet) and
Paul Dyne (bass) perform music
composed by 1950s saxophonist
Jimmy Giuffre and
(more recently) by Norman Meehan
Free entry
School of Music
NZSM Comp Comp 2014 Te Kōkī New Zealandhosts
the annual
NZSM Composer Competition
Saturday 27 September 7:00pm
Adam Concert Room, Kelburn Campus
Nine compositions and an installation
vying for the title and prizes
supporteed by the Lilburn Trust
Free entry
From Geneva to Knoxville
NZSM Orchestra
Thursday 2 October 7:30pm
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hill Street
Brahms: Tragic Overture
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
– soloist Xin (James) Jin
Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915
– soprano soloist – Amelia Berry
Bartok: Dance Suite
conductor – Kenneth Young
Tickets: $19/$10 through Eventfinder
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