THE NEW ZEALAND OPERA SOCIETY

Location:
Lower Hutt Little Theatre

Details:
Wellington Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera presents its 2006 season of THE MIKADO Gilbert & Sullivan's masterpiece of comic opera Hilarious love triangles, pompous public servants, miscreants promoted to high office, political life as we see it, all are brought together by Gilbert and Sullivan in the most popular English language comic opera of all time.  The Mikado enjoys a mix of themes and characters reflected in television’s Gliding On, Yes Minister, and life in the circus of Public Office. The setting is meticulously Japanese, thinly disguising the targetted foibles which Englishmen will recognise as too close for comfort. The mixture is integrated so skilfully that the opera has been, right from its first performance, the most popular of the whole Gilbert and Sullivan canon, and indeed the most popular English language comic opera of all time. The show is touring with a cast of 30 singers and an 18 piece orchestra, with sets and costumes reflecting the best of the D’Oyly Carte tradition. Irresistible Mikado – Sullivan’s memorable music captures and delivers Gilbert’s timeless humour in this acclaimed exposure of English and universal foibles. director – John Goddard;  musical  director – Hugh McMillan For more see www.gns.org.nz Bookings www.ticketek.co.nz  or tel 384 3840 Thursday 20 and Friday 21 July                                          7.30pm Saturday 22 July                                2.00pm                      7.30pm Ticket prices : $38 full, $30 unwaged, $15 child, $25 student, $32 group, $85 family 2+2Full season Lower Hutt Little Theatre 20-22 July         Opera House, Wellington 3-5 August    Masterton Town Hall 12 August Southward Theatre, Paraparaumu 19 August       Regent Theatre, Palmerston North 9 September Book at : Ticketek tel 384 3840 Lower Hutt and Wellington ; Regent 3 Cinema tel (06) 377 5479 Masterton ; Coastlands Customer Service Desk tel (04) 902 9885 Paraparaumu : TicketDirect 0800 484 3538 Palmerston North

Location:
James Hay Theatre, Christchurch

Details:
Canterbury Opera's new Lucia di LammermoorBloodcurdling passion.... desperate housewife?Driven to murder and madness when forced to marry a man she does not love... Lucia is an earthy gutsy story, an epic on an intimate scale... Striking, not pretty; hard-hitting, not tentative.  Against this stark backdrop, the music alone has the power to deliver, stirring emotions at Lucia's predicament, and anger at the injustice of her ultimate fate. Nigel Warrington, DirectorWith powerful onstage drama, this opera is one of the most memorable in the repertoire, witness this large scale emotional experience which contains the most famous mad scene in opera. Donizetti's masterpiece, Lucia di Lammermoor, has been a mainstay on the world opera stage for the most celebrated sopranos.  This production is no exception, with spectacular bel canto arias for brilliant American soprano Amanda Pabyan in the title role With Angus Wood as Edgardo and José Carbó as Enrico, this production offers true International flair for the Canterbury stage! Brian Castles-Onion will conduct the Christchurch Symphony; this new production (in Italian, with English titles on screen) will be shaped by English Director Nigel Warrington, with set design from David Thornley, and costume design by Cathy Pope. Lucia di Lammermoor - Synopsis To Italian audiences of the 1800's, the lonely cliffs and ancient feuds of the Scottish Highlands seemed a remote and exotic setting - and thus the perfect backdrop for an opera of tempestuous love and family honour. The story in brief:  In a feud between the Scottish families of Ravenswood and Lammermoor, Enrico of Lammermoor has gained the upper hand over Edgardo of Ravenswood, killing his kinsmen and taking over his estates. By the time of the opera's action, however, Enrico's fortunes have begun to wane.  In political disfavor, he stakes all on uniting his family with that of Arturo, whom he means to force his sister, Lucia to marry. However Lucia loves the family enemy Edgardo, but her brother, Enrico forces her to marry Arturo. When Edgardo finds out, Lucia in her madness kills Arturo and dies of her grief. Edgardo, learning of Lucia's death, commits suicide. Date: 20, 22, 25, 27, 29 July 2006Venue: James Hay Theatre, ChristchurchPrice: Adults $90, $75, $55, Student/Child $35Booking information: Bookings Open at Ticketek 03 377 8899 or www.ticketek.co.nz (Ticketek service fee may apply) For more information, please visit www.canterburyopera.com