About turn for “witches, bitches and britches” opera star

New Zealand opera star Wendy Dawn Thompson – now a major name overseas – returns to New Zealand in May to cast aside her usual “witches, bitches and britches” roles for that of Isabella, the feisty heroine in Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers, The NBR New Zealand Opera’s first production for 2009 and a co-production with Scottish Opera.

“It’s true that because of my voice type (mezzo soprano) I usually perform the roles of women who deal with the devil, women with spite in their souls, or young pre-pubescent men, so this departure is exciting for me,” Wendy says. “It’s refreshing to be cast as a strong, independent lady who knows what she wants and how to get it, in addition to her being involved in a plot that’s humorous and light-hearted and slightly mad. It’s also a great pleasure to be making my debut with The NBR New Zealand Opera which invested in me almost 10 years ago when I was a Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist with the Company. This will be a very special production for me and hopefully for audiences too – it’s very entertaining and a lot of fun.”

Wendy is someone New Zealanders can be proud to call their own. A success story of her own making, she hails from a non-musical family, pursued her dream of becoming an opera singer through studies in New Zealand and the UK, went on to win prestigious competitions like the Kathleen Ferrier (and represented New Zealand in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World), and is now performing roles with major opera companies such as the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Scottish Opera, Opera North and Opera Australia.

Wendy is not alone in being a New Zealand opera star returning to these shores to perform in The Italian Girl in Algiers. The irrepressible and eminent bass Conal Coad takes time out from his successful international career to return home and play the lusty Mustafà. Katherine Wiles has a release from her Opera Australia contract to perform the role of Elvira. Kristen Darragh, a young singer whose international career is just taking off, returns to New Zealand to join the cast as Zulma. And Richard Green, a favourite among the home-grown talent regularly gracing opera stages, sings Haly. A sprinkling of top overseas talent also features in the principal line-up – hot young German tenor Christian Baumgärtel makes his NBR New Zealand Opera debut as Lindoro, and established and highly regarded Australian baritone Warwick Fyfe takes the role of Taddeo.

Aidan Lang, General Director of The NBR New Zealand Opera, is quick to point out that the Creative Team is also entirely “New Zealand-made”.

“Director Colin McColl, Set Designer Tony Rabbit, and Costume Designer Nic Smillie are a marvellous example of the wealth of creative talent that New Zealand produces and quite a force to be reckoned with,” he says. “The style they have adopted for this new production has not been seen before in New Zealand, and I have no doubt will be new to many who see it when they travel with it to Scotland later in the year for its Scottish Opera season.”

Modern, sexy, fast and funny – The NBR New Zealand Opera’s daring new production of The Italian Girl in Algiers is sung in Italian with English surtitles and opens in Wellington on 9 May and in Auckland on 28 May.

The Italian Girl in Algiers

Wellington – St James Theatre

Sat 9, Thu 14 and Sat 16 May (7:30pm), Tue 12 May (6:00pm)

Auckland – Aotea Centre, THE EDGE®

Thu 28, Sat 30 May, Thu 4 and Sat 6 June (7:30pm), Tue 2 June (6:30pm)

Single Tickets: $49.50 to $187.50. Concessions available. Service fees apply.

Bookings: The NBR NZ Opera Box Office, Tel (09) 379 4068 or (04) 499 8343, or:

Wellington: Ticketek outlets nationwide, Tel 0800 TICKETEK (0800 842 538) or www.ticketek.co.nz

Auckland: The Edge Box office, Tel (09) 357 3355 or visit www.the-edge.co.nz

Further information at www.nzopera.com

The NBR New Zealand Opera receives core funding from Creative New Zealand

The Italian Girl in Algiers is made possible with major support from Pub Charity

ENDS