Vibrant drama at heart of 2010 Opera season

The NBR New Zealand Opera launched its 2010 Season today, revealing a programme rich in drama as two masterpieces of the theatre, The Marriage of Figaro and Macbeth, are brought to New Zealand’s opera stages.

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The Marriage of Figaro (15-22 May: Wellington; 3-13 June: Auckland)

The Marriage of Figaro reveals Mozart at his most daring in setting to sublime music Beaumarchais’ contemporary and highly subversive play. The result is opera at its best.

It is eight years since The NBR New Zealand last staged Mozart’s much-loved opera, so for many, a new production is well overdue. Many also believe that it has been a long wait for the Company’s General Director Aidan Lang to make his New Zealand directing debut. Board Chairman Sir David Gascoigne says, “Aidan has an international reputation as a highly respected and creative director on the opera stage. We’ve had this ace up our sleeves since he joined the Company in 2006 and have been waiting for the perfect opera for him to direct. His interpretation of The Marriage of Figaro will prove the wait has been worth it.”

Alongside Lang, an excellent line-up of New Zealand and international opera singers have been secured for the principal roles including one of the biggest names in opera circles today – Italian soprano Nuccia Focile. “It’s a great coup to have Nuccia Focile in the role of the Countess,” Lang says. “Renowned for her interpretation of Mozart’s heroines, Nuccia is a consummate performer as those who saw her in Simon Boccanegra in 2000 will agree.” Joining her is a strong New Zealand cast led by exciting up-and-coming bass Wade Kernot as Figaro. Renowned opera and orchestral conductor Lionel Friend takes the baton.

The Marriage of Figaro

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

CREATIVE TEAM

Conductor                                             Lionel Friend

Director                                                 Aidan Lang

Set Designer                                        Robin Rawstorne

Costume Designer                              Elizabeth Whiting

Lighting Designer                                David Eversfield

CAST

Figaro                                                   Wade Kernot

Susanna                                               To be announced

Count Almaviva                                    Riccardo Novaro

Countess Almaviva                              Nuccia Focile

Cherubino                                             Wendy Dawn Thompson

Doctor Bartolo                                      Gennadi Dubinsky

Marcellina                                             Helen Medlyn

Don Basilio                                           Richard Greager

Antonio                                                  Richard Green

Don Curzio                                            Derek Hill+

Barbarina                                              Alexandra Ioan*

With the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus

Accompanied by the Vector Wellington Orchestra and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra

* PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist

+ NBR New Zealand Opera Resident Artist

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

Wellington – St James Theatre

15, 20, 22 May (7.30pm), 18 May (6pm)

Auckland – Aotea Centre, THE EDGE®

3, 5, 9, 11 June (7.30pm), 13 June (2.30pm)

Genesis Energy Season of Macbeth (18-25 Sep: Auckland; 9-16 Oct: Wellington)

Verdi’s Macbeth, one of the greatest operas Shakespeare’s work has inspired, is the classic tale of ambition, corruption and bloody revenge.

On deciding to programme Macbeth, Aidan Lang had no doubts that bringing in Opera North’s 2008 production was the ideal option. “Opera North is an award-winning opera company and one of the leading arts organisations in Europe,” he says, “and this is a compelling production. It’s austere, hard hitting and truthful, an uncompromising piece of work that gets to the heart of the tragedy.”

Brought to the stage by internationally acclaimed theatre and opera director, Tim Albery, Lang says he has secured a top national and international cast to make this a captivating production. Welsh baritone Jason Howard, who was thrilling as Enrico in the Company’s 2007 production of Lucia di Lammermoor, is in the title role. Alongside him are Italian soprano Antonia Cifrone as Lady Macbeth, New Zealand-born bass Jud Arthur as Banquo, and returning following his exciting portrayal of Lensky in 2009’s Eugene Onegin, Russian tenor Roman Shulackoff as Macduff. Conducting the orchestras is highly lauded maestro Guido Ajmone-Marsan.

Genesis Energy Season of Macbeth

An Opera North production

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

CREATIVE TEAM

Conductor                                             Guido Ajmone-Marsan

Director                                                  Tim Albery

Associate and Movement Director     Maxine Braham

Set Designer                                        Johan Engels

Costume Designer                               Brigitte Reiffenstuel

Lighting Designer                                 Bruno Poet

CAST

Macbeth                                               Jason Howard

Lady Macbeth                                      Antonia Cifrone

Banquo                                                 Jud Arthur

Macduff                                                 Roman Shulackoff

Malcolm                                                Derek Hill+

Lady-in-waiting                                    Morag Atchison

Doctor                                                  Matthew Landreth

With the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus

Accompanied by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and the Vector Wellington Orchestra

+ NBR New Zealand Opera Resident Artist

GENESIS ENERGY SEASON OF MACBETH

Auckland – Aotea Centre, THE EDGE®

18, 23, 25 September (7.30pm), 21 September (6.30pm)

Wellington – St James Theatre

9, 14, 16 October (7.30pm), 12 October (6pm)

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

ENDS

Media enquiries: Caroline Nelson, ParadisePR Ltd, caroline.nelson@paradise.net.nz 021 244 1299

Further information: www.nzopera.com