Stars come out for opera of our time

29 July 2013

Stars come out for opera of our time

New Zealand Opera’s production of Mozart’s masterpiece, Don Giovanni, comes to life in Christchurch in three weeks, heralding the rebirth of fully staged opera in the city.

Aidan Lang, General Director of New Zealand Opera, says the feedback from people in Christchurch is that they can’t wait to get back into the theatre for the thrilling musical and theatrical experience that opera is. “To that end, he says, we are pulling out all the stops to make this an opera audiences won’t forget. We’ve lined up a terrific cast, with Britain’s acclaimed Mark Stone in the title role and Australia’s star soprano Lisa Harper-Brown as Donna Anna. We’ve also brought back leading New Zealand singers Jonathan Lemalu (bass baritone) and Anna Leese (soprano), along with Scottish tenor Nicky Spence, who was such a hit in last year’s Hohepa.”

Cantabrians will also play a big part in the production he says. “From singers in the Christchurch-based Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus, to musicians in the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the artistic community of Canterbury is well represented.”

Christchurch-born Director Sara Brodie has also brought the opera into the present. “I have set it in the Spain of today,” she says, “its current economic climate enhancing the questions of social convention and morality that are thrown up by the storyline. That story – of a thoroughly hedonistic womaniser who will stop at nothing in the pursuit of pleasure – is intriguing territory to be working with, and it’s shaping up to be a psychologically complex and thrilling production.”

Don Giovanni is New Zealand Opera’s first mainstage production in Christchurch since Southern Opera joined the company last year. The production is dedicated to Christopher Doig, who initiated the move to become part of the national company.

DON GIOVANNI

An opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

Presented by New Zealand Opera in association with the Christchurch Arts Festival

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

CREATIVE TEAM

Conductor WYN DAVIES

Director SARA BRODIE

Set Designer JOHN VERRYT

Costume Designer ELIZABETH WHITING

Lighting Designer JEREMY FERN

CAST

Don Giovanni MARK STONE

Leporello JONATHAN LEMALU

Donna Elvira ANNA LEESE

Donna Anna LISA HARPER-BROWN

Don Ottavio NICKY SPENCE

Commendatore RICHARD GREEN

Masetto ROBERT TUCKER

Zerlina AMELIA BERRY

Accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra

Featuring the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus

DON GIOVANNI

CBS Canterbury Arena, Christchurch

Wed 21, Thu 22 August – 7:00pm, Sat 24 August – 1:00pm

Single Tickets: $49.50 to $124.50. Concessions available for benefactors, senior citizens, students and group bookings. Service fees apply.

Bookings: NZ Opera Box Office, Tel 0800 NZOPERA/696 737 or Ticketek, Tel 0800 TICKETEK (0800 842 538) or www.ticketek.co.nz

--ENDS--

© Scoop Media