Opera Australia stars set to perform Puccini

THE opera, La Bohème, is coming to Ballarat.

It’ll be performed in the Minerva theatre space of the Mechanics’ Institute, and it is hard to imagine a more perfect location for one of the world’s most popular, and frequently performed, works.

Composed by Giacomo Puccini, La Bohème explores a romantic view of Bohemian life in the Latin quarter of 1840s Paris.

This not-for-profit, Opera van Diemensland production, is directed by Stee Dixon, who came to Australia from Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1972.

“My family told me to travel while I was young. I came, I loved it, and I stayed,” she said.

Dixon, who has directed many potted versions of the Savoy Operas (Gilbert and Sullivan), has been in Ballarat for a year and is delighted with the community support she has been given in her efforts to bring classical music to regional Victoria.

“It’s my passion,” she said. “This is my first full production of Bohème, and Envision (Ballarat) – which is a work for the dole scheme – has helped-out with the making of costumes and props – and they are doing a brilliant job. This is an exciting event for the city. We have the Ballarat Centre for Music and Arts children’s choir, chorus, and orchestra, under the direction of conductor, Alan Cook. Paula Heenan, from BCMA has been working with the choir and has given great support to the project.”

The cast includes Christopher Tonkin (Marcello) and Martin Thomas Buckingham (Rodolfo) – both of whom are current principal artists with Opera Australia, together with international artist Barbara Zavros (Mimi); Jordan Auld (Musetta), and from Ballarat, Vincent Sully as Benoit.

La Bohème is on at The Minerva Space – Ballaarat Mechanics Institute, Saturday, 29 June, 7.30pm and Sunday, 30 June, 2.30pm. Tickets via 0487 619 604.