Challenge of the great seducer

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This was published 15 years ago

Challenge of the great seducer

A new operatic talent is stepping into a demanding role, writes Robin Usher.

TO SAY that Samuel Dundas is about to undertake the biggest role of his operatic career does not do justice to the challenge ahead of him. At the age of 26, he is about to sing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

He is not long out of Victorian Opera's development program so his career has few highlights to match the demands of the role. In stepping into the shoes of opera's great womaniser, he will be following in the wake of internationally renowned New Zealand baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, who headlined for Opera Australia two years ago.

Dundas rolls his eyes when reminded of his predecessor. "I know he was the last Giovanni in Melbourne and he was excellent in the role. But my interpretation will be different," he says.

He has been studying the work since Victorian Opera's music director, Richard Gill, told him he was under consideration about a year ago. Once the casting was confirmed, he crammed every day studying Italian and singing "for about 30 hours".

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"I had to stay on top of it because I knew that it would be too late to catch up once rehearsals began."

The demands have even infiltrated his sleep: he has a Giovanni dream most nights. But he says his girlfriend has been very supportive.

Gill agrees on the size of the challenge, but says it would be wrong for the company, which was formed only three years ago, to "constantly play safe" with everything it does.

"It's not about putting people in danger but rather of knowing what the dangers are and eliminating them," he says. "We need to give Sam this chance."

While the character Giovanni is on stage "an enormous amount of time", Gill says the opera's "big sings" are undertaken by the ensemble and the three women, Donna Anna (Caroline Wenborne), Donna Elvira (Tiffany Speight) and Zerlina (Michelle Buscemi).

Dundas agrees that Giovanni has the simplest music, but he says he is on stage for most of the time driving the story. While the character has "a very warped consciousness", he says it's necessary for people to like him despite his constant seduction attempts.

"He doesn't think he is doing anything wrong because for him women are 'as necessary as bread and wine'. But he does say that women are likely to criticise his good nature as deceit."

The production's director, Jean-Pierre Mignon, says Dundas is undertaking the role with considerable integrity and his confidence has developed every day in rehearsal.

Mignon's previous production for Victorian Opera, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, won a Green Room award. As he did with that production, he refuses to update the work, instead preferring to concentrate on the music and text to get away from the layers of traditional interpretations.

He says Giovanni's opponent, Don Ottavio (James Egglestone), is usually presented as a wimp, but that is not how the character is written.

Mignon trained as a director and actor in Paris with the Compagnie Marc Renaudin before moving to Melbourne in 1978 where he established the acclaimed Australian Nouveau Theatre, better known as Anthill. But he has consistently worked in opera, both in Melbourne and in France.

He has few concerns that Victorian Opera's limited budget means there is no chance of mounting a lavish production.

"I've always believed in concentrating on getting good performances rather than in putting money into decorations," he says.

He also agrees with the company's philosophy of mounting shows in smaller theatres where it is possible for the audience to have a close relationship with the singers rarely possible in most opera except for those sitting in the front seats.

Mignon says he tries to treat the singers as he does actors in theatre productions by giving them the initiative to make suggestions about their performance. "They aren't puppets being told what to do," he says.

"I want them to make suggestions that come from their understanding of their roles. We have achieved a great ensemble feeling and Sam is wonderful in the role."

Don Giovanni opens tonight at 7.30pm at the National Theatre, St Kilda. Until March 14. Book at ticketmaster.com.au or phone 1300 723 038.

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