Victorian Opera's 2018 season brings William Tell to the Australian stage for the first time

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This was published 6 years ago

Victorian Opera's 2018 season brings William Tell to the Australian stage for the first time

By Bridget Davies

William Tell's overture includes some of the most familiar music ever composed. Peppered throughout popular culture over the past 100-odd years, the call of the trumpet and rampant marching strings has taken on a life of its own, independent of the opera itself.

Its near five-hour length and casting difficulties has meant William Tell has never been seen on the Australian stage.

Victorian Opera artistic director Richard Mills.

Victorian Opera artistic director Richard Mills.Credit: Simon Schluter

Few baritones possess the combination of qualities a successful Tell requires. He must be brave and sensitive, with a strapping physique to match his heroic deeds. The female lead of Mathilde requires a large voice capable of a beautiful pianissimo, vocal stamina and coloratura fireworks in spades.

And things, naturally, don't get any easier for the tenor. Perhaps the most difficult part to cast, the singer who takes on Arnold's stratospheric heights must have faultless bel canto technique to sustain this famously gruelling role.

Victorian Opera artistic director Richard Mills.

Victorian Opera artistic director Richard Mills.Credit: Simon Schluter

But it appears Victorian Opera has found the trio to take on this daunting task. Rossini's final opera is the apple of artistic director Richard Mills' eye in the company's 2018 offerings.

"I've always had an ambition to bring this opera to Australia," Mills says.

The works of Rossini is the logical progression from VO's exploration of Bellini operas in recent seasons. Cutting a fine figure and with a strong but buttery baritone, Canadian Jean-Francois Lapointe sings the role of the apple-splitting, Swiss sharp-shooter – a portrayal which has been hailed as "perfect" overseas.

Fan favourite Teddy Tahu Rhodes also stars, along with soon-to-be fan favourites Carlos E Barcenas and Jeremy Kleeman.

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Thankfully for Melbourne audiences, VO has cut most of Tell's ballet music.

"There's a famous anecdote where someone said 'Oh Maestro, I saw William Tell last night' and Rossini said, 'What, all of it?'," Mills says. "He himself didn't expect it to be done in its entirety."

With a balance of local and international talent, VO gives Australians of international acclaim the chance to perform for a home crowd.

Two such singers appear in a concert version of The Capulets and the Montagues, the culmination of the company's Bellini series.

With Caitlin Hulcup and Jessica Pratt as Romeo and Juliet, the fact that this performance is for one night only is both a shame and an incredible opportunity for Melbourne.

Those familiar with her astonishing voice will rejoice at the return of Victorian soprano Siobhan Stagg. Fresh from great success as Pamina in The Magic Flute at Covent Garden, Stagg makes her role debut as Melisande in Debussy's Pelleas and Melisande.

"I've watched Siobhan develop for many years and it was about finding the right vehicle for her to come back," Mills says."Pelleas is something she wanted to do herself."

Another work which doesn't often see the light of day, Mills believes that in 2018 – the centenary of Debussy's death – the time is right for this opera of "wonderful transparency and elegance" to be seen and heard again.

And continuing its dedication to original opera, VO will present its 20th new work, Lorelei. An operatic cabaret with a Julian Langdon score reminiscent of Eisler and Weill, it stars three much-adored divas: Ali McGregor, Dimity Shepherd and Antoinette Halloran.

The successful The Magic Pudding of 2014 returns, as does Hansel and Gretel – a perfect operatic introduction for children.

In his sixth year at the helm of the company, Mills says he was determined to offer audiences "the joy of discovery".

With selections to appease traditional opera lovers, devotees of new works and the next generation of theatre-goers, this season delivers the chance to encounter something spectacular.

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