1143:
74:. Through these early years the company made a major contribution to the popularization of Opera through its highly successful schools touring productions of specially commissioned works employing and giving work and experience to younger singers from the company. Another highlight of these years was a production of
385:
As the VSO designed their productions for the State
Theatre, a 2077-seat theatre with one of the largest stages in the world, they were able to make full use of the facilities i.e. revolving stage, hydraulic stages and were able to create imaginative and exciting effects in their productions. Their
97:
567:, Earl of Leicester – David Parker, Lord Talbot – John Bolton-Wood, Lord Cecil – Barry Clark, Ann Kennedy – Janet Dawson; Victorian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Melbourne, 24 July 1976, conductor Richard Divall
477:) and continues to support opera and ballet in the State Theatre. Opera Australia took on the responsibilities of performing opera in both the states of Victoria and New South Wales. More recently, the
69:
Richard Divall instantly made his mark on the company, raising it to a new level of professionalism with a landmark production Of
Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea directed by Rod Anderson and starring
473:
The
Elizabethan Trust Melbourne Orchestra, formed in 1969 to support the Australian Opera and the Australian Ballet, survived the merger. In 1987 it was renamed the State Orchestra of Victoria (now
243:, became Chairman of the Victoria State Opera and was to remain in this position until 1995. It was a fitting appointment as Sir Rupert had been a vigorous supporter of the building of the
54:
An attempt to professionalise the company as the
Victorian Opera Co was made by Alfred Ruskin, foundation chairman and Peter Burch, general manager (1970–1974), who in 1971 appointed Dame
117:
The subsidy from the
Victorian State Government in 1975 was AUD165,000. In 1976 the VSO sought an increase to AUD$ 280,000 with an unchanged Federal Government subsidy of AUD56,000.
110:
on 29 July 1976, saying that the new title had "more prestige" and "a more official cachet." He stated further that, "The State Opera would not seek to emulate the lavishness of
1173:
1183:
1168:
114:
Company productions." It would concentrate on attracting younger audiences with modern and experimental productions combining opera with music and drama.
1178:
251:, part of the Arts Centre Melbourne, where it presented at least four to five operas a year over two seasons, which eventually rivalled those of the
916:
62:
to
Melbourne. Richard Divall was to remain with the company as Music Director until 1996. In 1976 Dame Joan Hammond accepted a position at the
445:
and Murray
Copland, 25 August 1984 (State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne), conducted by John Hopkins; cast included Anthony Roden
46:-oriented Victorian Light Opera Co. The name changed to the Victorian Opera Company in 1964 to reflect the company's broader repertoire.
1163:
822:
676:
470:
cut back the staff in
Melbourne, and, while retaining an office in Melbourne, returned the great majority of its operations to Sydney.
1188:
141:
Ken
Mackenzie-Forbes who joined the company as general manager in 1976. Ken Mackenzie-Forbes was Chief Executive from 1976 until 1995.
178:
1114:
1101:
926:
726:
756:
503:, Elsa – Karen Bureau, Ortrud – Nance Grant, Telramund – Geoffrey Chard, King Henry – Noel Mangin, Herald – David Brennan;
63:
1133:
548:
504:
154:
In 1977 Robin
Lovejoy was appointed Artistic Advisor to the Victoria State Opera. VSO productions he directed include:
478:
168:
131:
104:
In 1976 the new chairman John Day added the word 'State' to its title to become Victoria State Opera. He is quoted in
20:
1033:
458:. In that merger Richard Divall was appointed Principal Resident Conductor of Opera Australia from 1996 until 2001,
481:
has been formed with funding from the Victorian government to provide an opera company for Melbourne and Victoria.
379:
288:
270:
248:
121:
466:. That merger, which was to cover opera in New South Wales and Victoria, was not a success, and the newly named
851:
435:, 30 September 1983 (St Martin's Theatre, Melbourne), conducted by Graham Cox; cast included Lyndon Terracini
88:
conducted by Richard Divall. This was to be the last opera produced under the Victoria Opera Company banner.
885:
262:
Other notable production highlights include appearances by Suzanne Steele, most notably in the lead role of
185:
966:
387:
318:
294:
244:
215:
282:
264:
1010:
396:
in 1984. The curtains remained open during set changes so the audience could marvel at the machinery.
38:, Australia, was founded in Melbourne in 1962. The company, founded by Leonard Spira, was a move into
365:
43:
240:
800:
474:
158:
71:
416:, 2 October 1979 (Grant Street Theatre, Melbourne), conducted by Richard Divall; cast included
1110:
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330:
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126:
75:
536:
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500:
455:
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369:
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given in the same space. At its height, the VSO had over 13,000 season subscribers. In 1985
252:
147:
111:
96:
1037:
547:(Anna), Richard Greager (Iopas/Helenus), Noel Mangin (Priam/Narbal), John Wood (Panthée);
524:
467:
442:
361:
324:
654:
462:
was appointed Associate Artistic Director with overall control, remaining in Sydney with
734:
520:
508:
496:
432:
227:
173:
59:
967:"State Theatre – Arts Centre Melbourne – the home of the performing arts in Melbourne"
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85:
80:
942:
764:
1147:
1071:
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312:
276:
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236:
55:
944:
Theatregold Memorabilia - VSO Ruddigore Programme 1995 (starring Rhonda Burchmore)
588:
1049:
636:
540:
515:
413:
347:
39:
988:
459:
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163:
84:
in July 1976, directed by Robin Lovejoy with a cast including Nance Grant and
374:
35:
1126:
198:, starring Australian tenor, Ronald Dowd (1978) Princess Theatre, Melbourne
918:
A Place Across the River: They Aspired to Create the Victorian Arts Centre
704:
1031:
336:
190:
614:
106:
1142:
551:, Melbourne Chorale & Victoria State Opera Chorus, Richard Divall
655:"Australia Day Honours list | Australian Youth Music Council"
95:
893:
856:– The Victoria State Opera (Literature & Culture Collection)"
306:
247:
complex. From 1984 the company performed in the newly built
795:
793:
563:
sung in English; Elizabeth – Nance Grant, Mary Stuart –
137:
Significant appointments in these early years include:
346:(the traditional production by Andrew Sinclair or the
66:
and was replaced as chairman by John Day (1976–1982).
1131:
1050:"CD91241 LOHENGRIN Remedios, Bureau, Melbourne 1985"
583:
581:
511:. Australian Radio Broadcast November 1985. CD91241
100:
1996 Company letterhead of the Victoria State Opera
947:. Powered by BigCommerce © 2023 Theatregold. 1995
699:
697:
210:, John Truscott (1979) Princess Theatre, Melbourne
727:"Meet the TPC Team | the Production Company"
144:Jeffrey Sher QC became chairman from 1979 to 1982
705:"CD5954 Donizetti Maria Stuarda 1976 Melbourne"
231:, for which he also adapted the dialogue (1981)
130:, starring Margaret Field, which opened at the
120:The first production under the new banner was
386:first opera in the State Theatre was the new
8:
803:. Liveperformance.com.au. 14 December 1985
441:, an opera in two acts and four scenes by
150:AC KCMG ED was chairman from 1982 to 1995
1138:
577:
845:
843:
454:The company decided to merge with the
1174:Musical groups disestablished in 1996
7:
866:(1). Search.informit.com.au: 123–128
591:The Encyclopedia of Melbourne Online
50:Early years Victoria Opera 1962–1976
16:Opera company in Victoria, Australia
1184:1996 disestablishments in Australia
350:production in 1986, as part of the
1169:Musical groups established in 1962
757:"The Victorian Bar - Oral History"
219:(1980) Princess Theatre, Melbourne
182:(1977) Princess Theatre, Melbourne
58:to the board. In 1972 she brought
14:
1102:The New Grove Dictionary of Opera
450:Merger with Australian Opera 1996
1179:1962 establishments in Australia
1141:
259:was appointed as Head of Music.
731:www.theproductioncompany.com.au
657:. Aymc.org.au. 26 January 2011
92:Victoria State Opera 1976–1995
1:
1076:, etc. – Gala: GL100630 (CD)"
886:"Brian Stacey Memorial Trust"
850:Hince, Kenneth (March 1984).
827:– Google News Archive Search"
681:– Google News Archive Search"
499:sung in English; Lohengrin –
64:Victorian College of the Arts
549:Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
505:Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
431:, opera by Brian Howard and
134:, St Kilda on 30 July 1976.
169:Princess Theatre, Melbourne
21:Victorian Opera (Melbourne)
1205:
1164:Australian opera companies
292:(which toured to Sydney),
18:
1189:Music in Victoria (state)
1013:. Australian Music Centre
372:star in a production of
271:Orpheus in the Underworld
641:www.apersonalhistory.com
19:Not to be confused with
1036:12 October 2004 at the
991:. AusStage. 13 May 2008
969:. Arts Centre Melbourne
921:. Macmillan. p. .
364:. Acknowledging their
1011:"Victoria State Opera"
915:Vicki Fairfax (2002).
890:www.staceytrust.com.au
412:) by Brian Howard and
390:production of Verdi's
354:) and a production of
101:
425:by Neil Clifton, 1982
319:The Barber of Seville
295:The Tales of Hoffmann
245:Arts Centre Melbourne
216:The Return of Ulysses
99:
366:Gilbert and Sullivan
179:Pelléas et Mélisande
44:Gilbert and Sullivan
42:by the then amateur
28:Victoria State Opera
595:. Emelbourne.net.au
368:heritage, 1995 saw
268:and as Eurydice in
241:premier of Victoria
1078:. Presto Classical
1052:. Operapassion.com
707:. Operapassion.com
475:Orchestra Victoria
274:. There were also
127:Orfeo and Eurydice
102:
72:Marilyn Richardson
801:"Robin Lovejoy 4"
761:www.vicbar.com.au
589:"Opera – Entry –
561:Gaetano Donizetti
523:sung in English;
464:Moffatt Oxenbould
289:The Pearl Fishers
207:The Pearl Fishers
1196:
1146:
1145:
1137:
1127:Official website
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892:. Archived from
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763:. Archived from
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737:on 26 April 2014
733:. Archived from
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537:Suzanne Johnston
533:Alberto Remedios
501:Alberto Remedios
456:Australian Opera
418:Lyndon Terracini
370:Rhonda Burchmore
352:Spoleto Festival
343:Madama Butterfly
253:Australian Opera
148:Sir Rupert Hamer
132:National Theatre
112:Australian Opera
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1109:(London, 1992)
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1038:Wayback Machine
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896:on 21 July 2006
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637:"Alfred.Ruskin"
635:
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615:"The VSO Story"
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579:
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525:Margreta Elkins
487:
479:Victorian Opera
468:Opera Australia
452:
443:Barry Conyngham
402:
400:World premieres
362:August Everding
325:The Magic Flute
265:La belle Hélène
94:
52:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1129:
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1121:External links
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1096:
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767:on 24 May 2012
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521:Hector Berlioz
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509:Richard Divall
497:Richard Wagner
486:
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433:Steven Berkoff
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331:Andrea Chénier
233:
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228:Die Fledermaus
223:Johann Strauss
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562:
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556:Maria Stuarda
553:
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529:Robert Allman
527:(Cassandre),
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249:State Theatre
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213:Monteverdi's
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196:John Truscott
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86:June Bronhill
83:
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81:Maria Stuarda
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1005:
993:. Retrieved
983:
971:. Retrieved
961:
949:. Retrieved
943:
937:
917:
910:
898:. Retrieved
894:the original
889:
880:
868:. Retrieved
863:
859:
853:
830:. Retrieved
824:
817:
805:. Retrieved
786:Rupert Hamer
781:
769:. Retrieved
765:the original
760:
751:
739:. Retrieved
735:the original
730:
721:
709:. Retrieved
684:. Retrieved
678:
671:
659:. Retrieved
649:
640:
631:
619:. Retrieved
609:
597:. Retrieved
590:
554:
545:Heather Begg
514:
507:, conductor
490:
472:
453:
438:
428:
422:
406:Inner Voices
405:
391:
384:
373:
360:produced by
355:
341:
335:
329:
323:
317:
313:Il trovatore
311:
305:
299:
293:
287:
281:
277:Don Giovanni
275:
269:
263:
261:
257:Brian Stacey
237:Rupert Hamer
235:In 1982 Sir
234:
226:
214:
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189:
177:
162:
153:
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31:
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25:
1074:Les Troyens
870:23 February
541:Lauris Elms
539:(Ascagne),
531:(Chorèbe),
516:Les Troyens
414:Louis Nowra
388:John Copley
348:Ken Russell
40:grand opera
1158:Categories
1072:"Berlioz:
989:"AusStage"
900:13 January
832:20 January
771:13 January
741:13 January
686:20 January
599:20 January
572:References
485:Recordings
460:Lindy Hume
393:Don Carlos
283:Tannhäuser
159:Monteverdi
1082:24 August
1056:24 August
1017:24 August
995:24 August
973:24 August
807:24 August
711:24 August
661:24 August
543:(Didon),
492:Lohengrin
375:Ruddigore
357:Lohengrin
76:Donizetti
36:Melbourne
1034:Archived
535:(Enée),
337:Turandot
191:Idomeneo
1095:Sources
860:Meanjin
854:Meanjin
825:The Age
679:The Age
378:at the
174:Debussy
167:(1977)
164:L'Orfeo
107:The Age
1134:Portal
1113:
1105:, ed.
951:2 July
925:
621:22 May
617:. 3MBS
423:Hunger
186:Mozart
1148:Opera
301:Faust
202:Bizet
122:Gluck
1111:ISBN
1084:2013
1058:2013
1019:2013
997:2013
975:2013
953:2023
923:ISBN
902:2022
872:2015
834:2015
809:2013
773:2022
743:2022
713:2013
688:2015
663:2013
623:2019
601:2015
307:Aida
26:The
439:Fly
382:.
204:'s
188:'s
176:'s
161:'s
124:'s
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32:VSO
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