Pinchgut Opera

Calling all Opera Virgins

I’ve been promoting our opera virgin offer recently with good response on the radio. The offer is that Pinchgut will refund the ticket price to anyone who has not seen a Pinchgut production before (or “opera virgin”) and who does not enjoy the up-coming production of Cavalli’s L’Ormindo. This year we have decided to add $5 to cover the bus or train fare. We are sure that we are the first (and only) opera company in the world to make this offer, and have made this claim since we introduced it a few years back. We have had only two people in the past three years ask for a refund - so I reckon (well, know) that we have definitely made many people virgins no longer."

“After hearing from friends of the work of Pinchgut, I joined your list last year...with a great sense of anticipation we took our seats…I had told my husband cheerfully the he could go to sleep if he wished (he is not a fan of opera except for Verdi and Puccini) and settled down to enjoy the performance. I was amazed however to discover that my 'enjoyable' evening would turn out to be such a fantastic experience for us both! From beginning to end we were entranced. The music, the singing, the performances....I have been spreading the word to all my friends and congratulate you on your vision and initiative in staging these wonderful productions each year.”  Philippa Davern, audience member.

And a note on the “Pinchgut” name. Prof. Andy Short, Director of the Coastal Studies Unit at Sydney University and Very Smart Guy, responded to my email about where the name comes from (see post below), and as far as he is aware, “Pinchgut is related to the harbour topography and not the convict story.” He directed me to the Museum of Sydney and also the NSW Geographical Names Board (new to me). So there you have it - no more staving convict tales!

This morning's walk at Bondi was a white out, with later weather reports telling people to stay indoors and away from windows. The gales force winds have produced 10m swells with waves up to 8ft. There was a pod of dolphins sheltering from the wild seas in Bondi’s bay - amazing.

Anna

Pinchgut Explained

I received a phone call from one of our audience members Brett Davis, to book tickets for the Art Gallery concert and order Pinchgut T-Shirts and CD (you can too here). Brett pointed out that "Pinchgut" is a naval term, and has nothing to do with staving convicts (which we thought it did). It refers to the narrowing of the harbour of the north and south channels (or guts) in Sydney Harbour, that form a rocky outcrop – the island. So apparently there is no need for any tales about starving prisoners!

From an internet search, the City of Sydney, Australian Navy and National Parks and Wildlife offers no explanation, but the Wikipedia entry adheres to the yarn: - “In 1788 a convict named Thomas Hill was sentenced to a week on bread and water in irons there, and the island came to be known as Pinchgut.”

But I did find this from an independent science writer, Peter Macinnis:- “Let's get one thing straight: Pinchgut does not, despite what most Sydneysiders assert, and most tourist books and guides say, get its name from the habit of starving prisoners there in the early days of the colony. Rather, it is an island situated at a pinch point in the channel, or “gut”. Popular legend has it that "Pinchgut" got its name because convicts were placed there to starve on bread and water, or nothing at all: these tales do tend to get embroidered! The origin of that yarn could lie with "Bony" Anderson, a convict who was kept in solitary on Goat Island for two years, chained to a rock on the southern side of that island. The "pinched guts" yarn goes as far back as the 1830s, but nobody seems to have identified any convict who was actually starved there, although at least one unfortunate was hung in chains on Pinchgut. Lieutenant Collins speaks of convicts being confined to a small rocky island at the mouth of the Cove, but this could equally well be Goat Island as Pinchgut, so the question is still open to debate.”

Just to be clear, we named our company Pinchgut Opera, as we wanted something very “Sydney” and it has nice musical connotations - and starving artist jokes aside we do feed them well! Being an ex-marine scientist, I’ve emailed my past supervisor (and personal hero), Prof. Andy Short at Sydney Uni to point me in some official direction. So I’ll keep you posted.

So the plot thickens… off stage. Anna

Photo of Andrew Johnston (with flag) on our attempt to take over Pinchgut Island for the French - a stint we did for the launch of Dardanus in 2004.

Europe travel update

It’s the October Long weekend in Sydney, so a day off for many. It’s been rainy and windy all weekend, but the surf has finally settled to some kinder waves for beginners like me. Liz and Ken are currently in Europe and I received this update this morning:-

“Only good thing about long distance plane travel is being able to sit still in one place and listen to all of L'Ormindo straight through. I am loving the music more and more as I listen and cannot wait to hear it take shape through the rehearsals. The duets that occur throughout the opera are very beautiful and I keep thinking how wonderful the voices we have will sound together in our production. I haven't heard Trevor yet; only Alison, Erin and Antony have when he sang for them in an audition, so I am really looking forward to hearing him as Amida. He is the youngest in the cast and we are delighted to introduce a new voice to our audience.

The other good thing, is to catch up with people in Europe such as Ben Bayl who is conducting Handel's Ariodante for English Touring Opera. We will sneak into a sitzprobe and listen and have a chat with Ben afterwards. Ben was assistant conductor, repetiteur and harpsichord player for Juditha and is based in England now. We will also catch up with the good people at Les Arts Florissants especially Jacqui Howard who is the artistic administrator and another Australian working in the arts in Europe. They pop up everywhere.

We will be back before the start of rehearsals on Nov 4 but everything seems very close now. This is a very busy time for Anna, who is rolling out the advertising and media contacts leading up to the opening as well as coordinating the program. And for Alison who is drawing all the musical details together- arranging all the transport of instruments, answering all the artist's last minute questions and assembling all the musical input into the program and especially for Andrew who is getting the set built so it can be in rehearsals from the beginning. Feeling very guilty being away!

How can you feel guilty when you are broadcasting Pinchgut internationally? Enjoy the travels; I’m off for surf. Anna

Sicle & Erice start the rumours...

We are currently gathering the content for the Pinchgut program (which will be a substantial read, something for keeps). So at 9.30am I met Taryn Fiebig (Sicle), Kanen Breen (Erice) and Trevor Pichanick (Amida) for their program photos (apparently before Kanen’s morning coffee, although he looked alright to me). It was terrific to meet them before the rehearsals start next month. Our long-time “resident” photographer Bridget Elliot is away, so Oliver Strewe helped out. By the way, you can purchase your program now online, even if you have purchased your tickets, for a discount, and then simply pick it up on the night.

I then had a meeting on some other projects with Ironwood Chamber Ensemble, looking at collaborating with Daniel Walker and Andrei Laptev. Both Dan and Andrei have sung as part of Cantillation in many previous Pinchgut productions. After the meeting Andrei, who will be singing the role of Osmano in L’Ormindo, was off to check out the window display at Ash Street, to see what his costume will be. You can too! The little exhibition is on for another week only.

Tonight I’m off to Sydney Symphony’s “London Calling” where Cantillation is appearing in a program of English composers Elgar, Britten and Vaughan Williams. Cantillation is singing in Vaughan Williams’ wonderful Flos Campi, with Roger Benedict solo viola, and then the beautiful Serenade to Music. The remaining performances are on tonight and tomorrow/Sat matinee. A perfect chance to hear these amazing voices. Get your tickets here or (02) 8215 4644. This concert is in tribute to the late Richard Hickox.

Anna

Photos: Kanen & Taryn greeting each other this morning; Taryn "enjoying" getting her photo taken.

September Newsletter out today

Liz has been talking to music and other community groups exciting them about Cavalli, L’Ormindo and Pinchgut. So we asked Liz to write a piece about Venice in the second half of the 17th Century, as Cavalli experienced it. Read it here and other articles..

Also in the September Newsletter, we are offering a special of past Pinchgut Opera CDs for only $30 each. I’ve received a number of enquires, and sales are going well – if not by the old fashion way!  I have not set up the direct transaction from our website as yet, so people have to call/email me for now (not great, but will be sorted I promise.). But I must say, it’s much more enjoyable talking to everyone about the recordings and L’Ormindo directly. Check out the shop here - and call me 02 9389 8117!

Yesterday, some of the Pinchgut people (Liz, Andrew) met with the City Recital Hall people to go through the L’Ormindo presentation. Lots of questions, including about the use of the space (foyer, dressing rooms, function spaces etc.). You’ll be in for an experience as soon as you walk in the foyer!

Anna

Erin’s Musical Choices & Ditties

Erin Helyard’s off to Washington today. With all the excitement about being chosen as the Westfield Concert Scholar in North America, interest was aroused in DC where he was asked to play at the Smithsonian to help inaugurate their new hall in a concert series next year on two instruments from the collection. “I'm pretty stoked as the two instruments that he is proposing are very important historic instruments (a 1794 Broadwood piano and a mid-century Schudi harpsichord).”

Back here, Erin answered some questions for 2MBS’s FINE MUSIC, just published, and thought that those that don’t get this fine read, should at least know what musical choices Erin makes (and one that he is forced to listen too..):-

What musical work are you listening to now and why? That would be a new recording of symphonies by Henri-Joseph Rigel, performed by Concerto Köln, one of my favourite ensembles. Rigel was an extremely interesting composer who worked in Paris in the late eighteenth century and Concerto Köln often record and perform fairly unknown composers, which is Pinchgut's artistic approach too.

If you could be a composer who would it be? If nineteenth-century culture hadn't split the roles of composer and performer, I could get away with saying "myself". Instead, I'll pick the ultra-modernist Helmut Lachenmann.

What piece of music do you wish you had composed? Percy Grainger's arrangement of Maurice Ravel's La Vallée des cloches.

Most significant influence on your musical life? That would to be my friend, the composer Stephen Yates. He showed me that there is more to the eighteenth century than just the music of the Western European classical canon.

Music that makes you smile? CATcerto by Mindaugas Piečaitis www.catcerto.com

Piece of music you wish you’d never heard and why? The four-note ditty (C-G-F-C) that announces to ‘tous les voyageurs’ that the Montréal Métro is suffering technical difficulties. It makes me associate perfect fifths with frustration and arriving late.

Erin will arrive back in Australia at the end of October for the the start of L'Ormindo rehearsals from 4 November. I look forward to hearing how he enjoys the lovely sounds on the Sydney System.

Anna

A Weekend of New Music

It was full of it. Halcyon’s “Willow Songs” on Saturday featured the premiere of Willow Songs by Andrew Ford (a song cycle on poems by Anglo-American poet Anne Stevenson) & works featuring the form of poetry, the haiku. Also on Saturday was “Conversations” by The Collective that included works by Aboriginal hip hop artist Wire MC, didgeridoo player William Barton and a new work premiered by Mary Finsterer. On Sunday evening I went to the performance of Synergy Percussion, under the direction of the new artistic director Timothy Constable performing with the amazing Swiss drummer Fritz Hauser. These ensembles have some of the finest chamber musicians around including Alison Morgan, Jenny Duck-Chong, Christina Leonard, Sophie Cole, Bernadette Balkus, Daniel Yeadon, and Claire Edwardes (with a few having performed with Pinchgut over the years). It’s wonderful to see such extraordinary high talent and hard work (with commissioning, admin, marketing – let alone rehearsing) that these guys do all themselves, with such success.

And a word on words - the hard copy Pinchgut September newsletter was posted today (thanks to our fabulous team of volunteers working hard over the weekend) and will be in your hands tomorrow - however for those clever, green folk - you will received your e-newsletter in the morning. Hope you enjoy!

Back to the 18th Century now, and off to see Opera Australia’s’ Così fan tutte tonight.

Anna

Photo of Pinchgut's 2007 Juditha Triumphans with Alison Morgan centre and David Greco and Philip Chu

What are you wearing this weekend?

Just in case you really want to impress – we have the perfect limited edition T-shirt on offer. Yep, this blog not only informs you what we get up too at Pinchgut, it helps with your wardrobe and arranges the weather (that’s Liz’s job). The Pinchgut T-shirts has just been printed with every season listed on the back and comes in a range of sizes (S-XL). Check it out here….

Enough of the promo…. today was a media day for me. There will be lots (and lots, I hope) of coverage in the next few months, and magazines/radio programs/TV are at a critical point for us to make a splash as they requires a longer lead time than newspapers, weeklies etc.. A few things on the boil (with deadlines this weekend) are: -

• A competition in the November edition of Vouge Living (make sure you get a copy – wherever you are in Australia, the world), should be page 3 and our partner Radisson Plaza Hotel have come to the party big time! More info later.
• Erin Helyard has been writing a script for a 1.5 hour radio program for 3MBS-FM (broadcast on the 25 Oct) and most likely 2MBS-FM about a comparison of the Raymond Leppard recording of L'Ormindo to the Les Paladins, Correas 2007 recording as a case study to track the historiography of the Early Music movement. Erin has put so much work into it and can’t wait to hear it with the musically examples..
• Fine Music November cover story will be about some of L’Ormindo fabulous women singers…

So look smart and be informed!

Anna

Music, Family and (lighting) Creation

Bernie Tan-Hayes will be L’Ormindo's lighting designer and is credited for creating the beautiful lighting on all past Pinchgut productions. We are pretty lucky too, as his talented wife is also part of the Pinchgut family and has helped us along the way -including creating the special mood under a whale skeleton for the launch last July (check it out here).

Bernie emailed from Brisbane about his current activities and what he is doing up until he starts designing for us in November:-

“I am currently sitting in yet another hotel! This one is in Brisbane as I am working on a show call Miracle in Brisbane, which is an adaptation of a piece by Giorgio Battistelli called Miracolo A Milano. It is directed by Rhoda Roberts and designed by Stephen Curtis. Did I mention it's very hot! This is not helped by the fact that I've just come from 3 weeks in NZ putting together a Eugene Onegin for New Zealand Opera. It was a truly wonderful experience and had some spectacular voices including William Dazeley as Onegin, Anna Leese as Tatyana and Roman Shulackoff as Lenski (director - Patrick Nolan designer - Genevieve Blanchett)…. I will be going straight from Brisbane down to Wellington to do the transfer from Auckland, which will complete a stellar two months away! … I am dearly looking forward to getting home and also starting work on what has become an annual ritual of music, family and creation.”

We look forward to having you home too Bernie!

Bernie will then be doing what he has done in the past productions. He will sit through many of the rehearsals, following the score & listening to the director while plotting the lighting that he will use – a very creative process. I’ll be sure to ask him before opening night how many lighting cues there will be...

Anna

Photo of Bernie by Bridget Elliot

Never Seen Before

This is what Sydneysiders woke up to this morning – something never seen here before!  (And you thought I was going to carry on about how the upcoming production of L’Ormindo will be the first time Sydneysiders have a chance to discover…)

It was Sydney’s worst dust storm with a plume covering 600 kilometres “dumping up to 75,000 tonnes of dust per hour ..”. It was really amazing to look out the windows and at first not to think there was a bushfire next door. Sydney airport, the traffic system were crippled, but with dust over (and in) everything, we plough on!

Our friends at the Italian Cultural Institute invited us to tonight’s opening of the Italian Film Festival featuring a film of course, Vincere, and then a reception afterwards with the Italian community – who we are working closely with to generate lots interest in L’Ormindo. So off to dust off the frock..

Anna

Photo is from my friend Leta Keens of Elizabeth Bay this morning – no sepia tones used!

Sunny September Spring

We had our regular Pinchgut meeting this morning at the “office” (the STC Wharf café) with the team, John, Liz, Ken, Alison, Andrew and myself in another 30 degree day. There was a lot to go over for L’Ormindo with some clever problem solving - including a beautiful musical solution to a pitch challenge - but the exciting news was that we finalised the opera today for next year. We will be letting you know in the L'Ormindo program come December (sorry!). Well, at least you can have a preview of what this year will look like - Andrew and I put the finishing touches to the Window Display in Ash Street after the meeting.. check it out at the next concert you attend at the City Recital Hall. The photo is of the other window display highlighting the past 8 years of Pinchgut.

We have been working on the September newsletter, which will be out next Tuesday to our subscribers both hard copy and email. It’s now at the printers for the hard copy ones (need to do this to reach everyone!) and looking fabulous. Liz continues to add people to the mailing list it seems she meets ”on the street”. I got one to add today from a bloke that trimmed her trees. So if you come across an enthusiastic woman that will not let you go until you have heard about the joys of Pinchgut, then that’ll be Liz. In any case, it’s not that hard to be persuaded - with the music, the line-up, the look of L’Ormindo - it will be that good.

Anna

L'Ormindo Window Display

Andrew and I spent a good deal of Friday doing a terrific window display in Ash Street, the groovy alleyway behind the City Recital Hall, Angel Place  - where the City of Sydney is trying to ramp up the competition (or perhaps, catch up) with Melbourne on the front of intimate dining & drinking experience.

The drawings are of the costumes of the characters in L’Ormindo that designer Adam Gardnir has created. So if you want a sneak preview of how L’Ormindo will look in December - go and check out this little exhibition. It’s only on for 2 weeks, till about the 4^th October.

Me, not being a very good help to Andrew.                     The finished display

And the crowds enjoy...

When a day comes together

Today it hit 33 degrees, 13 above average, AND the surf was good. Doesn't get much better than that. Except when you’re driving around Sydney in an un-air-conditioned car attending a series of meetings. One being at the STC Wharf café – a Pinchgut “office” (another, a Bondi café early this morning).  Still, it is convenient having such public “offices”.

Whist meeting with Alison & Liz regarding future Pinchgut projects, Andrew happened to walk by and was then able to pack my car with goodies for a Pinchgut window display in the Angel Place alley-way (more tomorrow), and then Neil Fisher walks by and we were able to connect briefly with him about his work for us for L’Ormindo. (Neil is technical manager with the amazing Bangarra Dance Theatre, who are currently presenting a beautiful production called Fire – A Retrospective.) All very productive. Pinchgut is run mostly online using macs (we tried to get Macintosh to sponsor us without success), and also by coffee…. Hence, we are able to have our Sydney waterfront “office” whenever we choose to meet face to face. Perfect. Like today. 

Anna

The Bondi office

Seeking Guidance

After some feeble attempts to get back riding the waves since my return from OS a few weeks back, I decided to seek guidance from a pro and took a surfing lesson at Bondi early this morning. After 90mins out the back with the scary boys on fiberglass - and feeling confident under the wing of Leo – I’m springing to my feet (or attempting too) a lot better.

I then spent the rest of the morning with another pro. Craig Thurmer is the Box Office Manager at the City Recital Hall, and certainly knows his business (and everyone else’s). The hot topic in music organisations is the concern with developing the audience and the constant concern that the world is changing around us. By “developing”, I mean 2 things – both increasing the numbers and increasing the understanding and appreciation of the music/opera.

People generally avoid opera or classical music performance as they don’t understand it or realise that it’s fine to experience the music in whatever way they want to. Finding ways to connect people to these performances, making them feel welcome and somewhat informed is really at the heart of building audiences.

Craig and I talked about practical solutions for Pinchgut and the City Recital Hall given the resources that we have, to help build our audiences and reach out to those that should know about us. These are exciting times for us -never before has there been the breadth of tools, knowledge and skills to promote what we do with very limited resources (eg. online areas such as this fab blog!). However, online is only one way – finding every path to reach everyone that maybe interested in L’Ormindo must be explored. The punters are ALL: - If the audience is not considered in every discussion, nor forms the foundation of every action or decision by an arts company – then it will be on a lonely, short road.

Expect my call soon if you have not booked yet!

Anna

Photo: The talented & clever Craig in his Entertainment Room.

Great Aussie Works

I went to the Art Galley of NSW today to met Craig Brush, who currently heads the AG Society which presents the annual Resonate Concert Series in the stunning Old Court wing among works by Aussie greats - Tom Roberts, Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton & George Lambert.

Erin Helyard and Alison Johnston (from our fab artistic team) have been working to finalise the program and line-up the Pinchgut’s Resonate concert which will be held on Sunday 15th November. The program will feature arias and duets from L’Ormindo and some stunning instrumental pieces of the period. So it’s a great chance to get a taste of the main event in December! The Art Gallery concert is held during the rehearsal period for L’Ormindo, so it’s a busy time and a great experience for the Pinchgut team to connect so directly with audiences before the Opening on the 2 Dec.. So come along and hear, then meet some of the singers and players over a drink in the stunning foyer of the Art Gallery.  There are still some seats available, and I’m pretty sure it will sell out. Craig has offered Pinchgut subscribers the AG Society's discounted price of $65. It includes complimentary drinks, sandwiches, and viewing of the Dobell Drawing Prize (Call 02 9225 1878 to book and say you’re a Pinchgut person).

I also meet with Alison and production manager Andrew this afternoon to get the run down on the design. Andrew had the model box and I could really see how the City Recital Hall will be transformed into a magical place come December. It really is going to be something very different for Pinchgut. Director Talya and designer Adam has come up with something that will look timelessly beautiful. Here is a pic of Andrew today at the Wharf café at The Rocks (one of few Pinchgut “offices”) with the model box that, sadly, gives nothing away!

Anna

A Major Birthday

Soprano Jane Sheldon who will be singing the part of Nerillo in L'Ormindo, has been working on a very important project of her own in the last few years.

2009 is the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth and 150 years since the first publication of the Origin of Species - one of the most important scientific works (and beautifully written) of all time. Jane, and philosopher of science Peter Godfrey-Smith, commissioned the “The Origin Cycle” to celebrate this occasion. Jane and Ensemble Offspring will perform the work among the exhibits of the Australian Museum on the 19^th November. The premiere was in Boston last April (read review here) and other performances are in San Francisco, US and Halifax, Canada in October, and the ANU in Canberra on the November 13.

The work, for soprano and chamber ensemble, are fragments of Darwin’s great book set to music by Australian composers Elliott Gyger, Elena Kats-Chernin, Kate Neal, Barry Conyngham, Rosalind Page, Paul Stanhope, Nicholas Vines, and Dan Walker. Jane says about the work: - “The passages chosen encompass the entire work, capturing the many facets of a Darwinian view of nature and summarising what Darwin called the ‘one long argument’ contained in the Origin. They include the passages introducing his most famous and enduring images – the ‘tree of life’ connecting all species, the vision of nature as a surface into which wedges are unceasingly struck, and the book’s final invocation of ‘grandeur in this view of life’.”

Sounds good? Hear Jane in The Origin Cycle AND as Nerillo in L'Ormindo

Anna   

Photo of Jane Sheldon in last year's David & Jonathan. Photo credit: Sarah Puttock

Giving & Receiving

Going through the backlog of emails and getting on top of things today, I came across the results of some fundraising events that Pinchgut supports. Many (well, nearly all..) arts organisations need to supplement their income via fund raising activities and we occasionally give a couple of tickets (at a cost to us) to these very worthy organisations to help them with their causes. Much like our splendid raffle at our first ever (fun) fundraising event in July, check out it out here..

Our friends at 2MBS-FM had their annual “radiothon” last week and I have been delighted to be receiving the calls from those that won our opening night L’Ormindo tickets - so supporting this fine (volunteer-run) station and us. We also gave a couple of tickets to be auction to “Room to Read” for their Wine Gala and I received a thank you with a note explaining that the money raised is being used to fund projects in Nepal, Vietnam and South Africa, “giving children the lifelong gift of eduction”. They raised enough money to fund 2 schools, 2 libraries, 25,000 copies of bilingual children’s picture books and 300 years of girls scholarships. Amazing stuff! It was co-hosted by Pinchgut’s favourite wine legend (and important website for those interested in all things worth living for) Jancis Robinson.

So if you want to support a worthy cause, give what you can no matter how small you think it is (really), volunteer to do a little work for them, buy a ticket to something different & interesting (L’Ormindo’s a good start..) - and drink well.

Anna

Returning to Spring

I’ve just returning to Sydney, and although a little jetlag was delighted to step into the same temperature and the smell jasmine.

Last week I was in Bamberg, Germany. It’s an incredibility beautiful fairytale town – and a real living atmosphere with lots of young people, Kellars (beer cellars), cultural activities and café etc.  Wolfgang Fink is the GM & Director of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and it was terrific to see him, Aimee Paret and family again. They said that from the population of ~70,000 in Bamberg, there are over 6000 subscribers to the Orchestra, nearly 10% of the population. Wouldn’t that be a great statistic to have for Pinchgut (or any cultural organisation for that matter)? In any case, L’Ormindo ticket sales have remained strong in the last month and still looking towards sell out houses! Wolfgang, Aimee and I also attend an opening night performance in nearby Coburg by baritone Thomas Hampson accompanied by Wolfram Rieger (Australian Geoffrey Parsons was Thomas’s accompanist until he died). It was an terrific program of Schumann, Liszt and Mahler at the (really) stunning Landestheater.

I also went to the SommerBallet in Copenhagen before I left at the Bellevue Teatret. The theatre has an open roof in summer and was designed by the Danish architect Arne Jacobsen, who also designed the nearby waterfront (including this lifesaving tower), residential apartments, restaurant in the 1960s – the really first architect to design for a community in this way. The ballet featured superb live percussionists on stage. And of course, I also visited the amazing Copenhagen Opera House…

So ploughing through some backlog –ready to reach 10% of Sydney for Pinchgut!

Anna

Justin's London & Cavalli's Venice

I meet Justin Way in London and asked him the best thing about living and working here and also what he is currently working on. Justin directed three productions with Pinchgut and is currently working as an assistant director at the ROH and on some other exciting projects.

 

Justin mentioned he is working on a Cavalli production for Chicago Opera Theatre. In April next year he will direct Giasone (Jason) for COT. When he mentioned to us earlier in the year that he planning to go to Venice to learn more about Cavalli and the first productions of this work, we asked him to pass on anything interesting he discovered.

He recently wrote: "I found the site of the Teatro San Cassiano near the Rialto, where L'Ormindo and Giasone first happened. It's been gone since 1807, but the name of the street leaves a record, and I suspect this walled up doorway might be a remnant ... It's right off the Grand Canal, and the palazzo that fronted it still looks like a private residence, although I didn't call in and ask."

It was also great to have had some time to visit the National Gallery and find the time to buy some fabulous shoes and drink more champagne….

 

I’m off the Germany this weekend visiting Wolfgang Fink and Aimee Paret. Wolfgang was the Artistic Administrator with the Sydney Symphony until 2008, before he moved to Bamberg to head the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.

 

Anna

London Talking

 

The last few days I’ve been in London visiting various people including our graphic design team TiRA.  It’s been wonderful summer weather, and great to be back here after so many years. TiRA is oozing inspiration. As soon as you walk into their lovely offices, it’s buzzing with energy and ideas. We are lucky to have a creative team that understands what we are trying to do with Pinchgut and that the world is such a small and connected playground! Amongst talking about the current L’Ormindo campaign (do check out the website – again.), we discussed Pinchgut’s online presence and long term planning. My stay was not long enough, although we had time for have a great champagne induced lunch at St Johns (do go if visiting London). In the right photo, Claire, Paul and Kate (our TiRA team) are enjoying a sprats, eel & goats cheese. And below is Kate and myself.

 

 

I also meet Justin Way at the Royal Opera House for a drink. Justin directed three productions (Semele, Fairy Queen and Dardanus) with us and the he is currently working as an assistant director at the ROH. I recorded an interview with him and post it tomorrow.

 

Anna