Category: Leos Janacek

Pacific Opera, in association with the Sydney Youth Orchestra, presents THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN, by Leos Janacek, in New Hall, at Sydney Grammar School. 2, 3 October. THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN, by Leos Janacek, was his last work and premiered in 1924. Opera Australia (or the Australian Opera) have presented it, several times. In this instance, Pacific Opera have secured the sure hands and experienced skills of conductor Alexander Briger to guide and bring it to coherent life, which is no small feat. Says Michael Campbell in his Director’s notes: … One aspect of [the complexity of this work] is…

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (ACO) in association with Bell Shakespeare presents INTIMATE LETTERS at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. 24 August, Sydney Opera House, 26 – 30th August at City Recital Hall, Angel Place. The Australian Chamber orchestra (ACO) with Bell Shakespeare presented a program of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Bedrich Smetana, and Leos Janacek, accompanied by the reading of some letters from the composers, which contextualised the writing of the compositions. The orchestra lead by Guest Director and Violin, Gordan Nikolic. Sixteen year old Mozart composed Divertimento in F major, K. 138 (1772). Composed, for four separate string…

  SYDNEY CHAMBER OPERA presents THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN by Leos Janacek in Bat 20 at Carriageworks. Earlier in the year, Sydney Chamber Opera work launched itself with the production of a new work, NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND, based on a short work by Dostoevsky. It was a remarkable debut. Tackling Janacek’s THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN is a brave choice as the work is relatively well known from its many outings in the Opera Australia repertoire. The work has a large cast, including a vitally important children’s chorus. Premiered the 6th November, 1924 at the National Theatre, Brno, this opera story…

Makropulos. Greek. Secrets. Crete. “Vanitas… ashes and dust.” Lawyers. Intestate will. Prima Donna. Opera. Magic. Madness. Suicide. Sex. Beauty. Potion. Hieronymous!!! (What an excitingly thrilling name.) Eternal life. Mystery. Words that to me conjure melodrama. These were the promise of an exciting and intriguing night in the theatre and they all appear in THE MAKRPULOS SECRET by Janacek. I had never seen this Opera before. I went to a Dress rehearsal on Saturday and was so moved, excited that I went again on Opening night. This is a revival of Neil Armfield’s 1996 production. The Design is by Carl Friedrich…