| The Tales of Hoffmann - Dramatis Personae & Principals Hoffmann Poet and Storyteller, Tenor Patrick Power Lindorf Hoffmann's sinister rival, Baritone Derek Miller Nicklausse/Muse Hoffmann's friend, Mezzo Louise Wilson Stella Opera diva, Soprano Marian Hawke(part) Elise Gutshall(Wanganui Luther Publican, Baritone Lindsay Groves Hermann Student lead, Baritone Orene Tiai Nathanael Student lead, Tenor Laurence Walls Andrés Stella's messenger, Tenor Kilian O'Callaghan Olympia Doll-lover, Col.Soprano Karyn Andreassend Coppelius Dolls eyes maker, Baritone Chris Whelan Spalanzani Doll inventor, Baritone David Skinner Cochenille Spalanzani's assistant, Tenor Edward Carleton-Holmes Soprano Lynley Snelling Antonia Ailing lover, Soprano Jennifer Little Miracle Evil doctor, Baritone Derek Miller Crespel Antonia's father, Baritone Stuart Gordon Frantz Crespel's servant Tenor Silvio Famularo La Voix Antonia's mother Mezzo Gillian Jerome Giulietta Courtesan lover, Soprano Lynley Snelling Dapertutto Giulietta's evil master, Baritone Chris Berentson Schlemiel Rival lover, Baritone Orene Tiai Pitichinaccio Schlemiel's associate, Tenor Alex Galvin |
Biographicals of Principals
Special Guest Artist:
Patrick Power - Hoffmann
New Zealand born Patrick Power has sung for most of the major opera companies and festivals in Europe Australasia and North America in nearly all of the lyric tenor repertoireand more recently in Spinto roles. He has sung over 60 lead roles with companies that include La Scala Milano, The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, Royal Danish, Royal Swedish and San Francisco Opera companies. In Australasia he is a regular guest artist with Opera Australia, all the state companies and the New Zealand companies. His frequent performances in his native New Zealand include Rodolfo (to the Mimi of Kiri Te Kanawa) for the opening of Auckland’s Aotea Centre . In 2000 he returned as Senior Lecturer of Vocal Studies at EIT in Hawkes Bay. This course , which closed in 2005 for lack of Government funding, produced a large percentage of the Emerging Artists for the NBR NZ Opera Company, winners of major competitions ,including the Lexus Song Quest and the Lockwood Aria.Students are now establishing careers overseas. He now teaches in Auckland. In recent seasons he sang Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana) and Canio (I Pagliacci) for Opera New Zealand, Pinkerton for National Opera of Wellington, Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor) at the Norrlandsoperan in Sweden, Faust with Canterbury Opera, The Italian Singer (Der Rosenkavalier) at the New Zealand Festival, Turiddu and Cavaradossi (Tosca) for Opera Queensland, and the title role in the Tales of Hoffmann for Tulsa Opera. Concerts have included Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the RTE Orchestra, on tour with the NZSO, and with the Queensland Orchestra. The Three Tenors in Wine Country at the Lombardi Amphitheatre in Hastings, outdoor concerts in Nelson and with Kiri Te Kanawa at the Craggy Range Vineyard; Verdi’s Requiem, Rachmaninov’s The Bells and Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, all with the NZSO; a chamber concert of Lilburn’s Sings Harry at the New Zealand Festival, a concert performance of Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles with Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Carmina Burana with the Orpheus Choir of Wellington and Verdi’s Requiem with Christchurch City Choir ,Auckland Choral Society, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the NZSO. His recordings include The Bohemian Girl and Le Domino Noir with Richard Bonynge for Decca and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for EMI under Roger Norrington.
Other Artists in Order of Appearance:
Prologue:
Marian Hawke - Stella (part)
Marian Hawke began her music study at Wairarapa College in Masterton, then graduated from the Wellington Conservatorium of Music in 1995, and spent 1997 completing a Graduate Diploma of Opera at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She spent several months overseas during 2000, attending the ‘Colla Voce’ summer school the UK, where she studied with Alison Pearce, Director of Voice Studies at the Royal Academy of Music. Marian was a finalist in several opera aria competitions throughout New Zealand, and in 2000 won the Hawkes Bay Aria competition. Marian currently performs and teaches in Wellington and the Wairarapa, including regular work with the NBR NZ Opera Chorus. She also performs frequently as soprano soloist with such choirs as Cantoris and the Festival Singers.
Elise Gutshall - Stella (Wanganui)
Elise Gutshall, soprano, is a native of the States, hailing from Kansas City, Missouri. She recently completed a Doctorate of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance degree at the University of Mississippi, and is now studying at the New Zealand School of Music specialising in the lied of Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss under the instruction of Emily Mair. Elise is based in Wellington as a 2007 recipient of Rotary International's Ambassadorial Scholarship programme, and plans to return to the States in November. Elise has performed in numerous operas and has been soloist for several oratorios and masses including Haydn's Heligemesse, Vivaldi's Gloria, and Mozart's Requiem. She recently sang the lead role of Contessa Almaviva in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, and has performed with the Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Elise additionally tours regionally in the States as a recitalist and clinician.
Derek Miller - Lindorf, Miracle
Derek has had a varied musical career. His early work was in light opera and musical comedy, but he has subsequently performed as a soloist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, been a national recording artist for the Concert Programme of Radio NZ, appeared as an oratorio soloist with major North Island choirs, and performed professionally in principal and minor principal roles for NZ Opera and Festival Opera. In Wellington Derek was able to indulge his lifelong passion for Gilbert and Sullivan, appearing in leading roles on nine occasions for the local G&S Society. Since retiring from a lifetime's work in education last year, Derek has found new direction using his DIY skills in work for his three sons and spending time with his two young grandchildren. "Like Lindorf," he says "I may be old, but I'm full of beans!"
Kilian O'Callaghan - Andrés
Kilian performed with The Scottish Ballet and West Australian Ballet before coming to New Zealand to join the Royal New Zealand Ballet where he was a principal dancer. He was well known for his portrayal of dramatic roles, such as Albrecht in Giselle, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and the title role in Hamlet. Kilian was Ballet Master for Ballet Ireland in 2001, and is in demand as a tutor and adjudicator. He has also choreographed several works including Auckland Opera's La Traviata in 1996. He has sung with Wellington Orpheus Choir and Nelson Civic Choir. This is Kilian's first time performing in opera.
Lindsay Groves - Luther
Lindsay Groves began his musical life as an instrumentalist about 40 years, playing cello and double bass in various orchestras in Auckland, Palmerston North and Wellington. Since being reborn as a vocalist, Lindsay has sung with Cantoris for nearly 20 years. He appeared as a pilgrim in NBR NZ Opera's 2003 production of Boris Godunov, and in Wellington G&S productions Trial By Jury and The Sorcerer in 2004, The Gondoliers (as Giorgio) in 2005, and The Mikado in 2006. Lindsay made his acting debut in 2007, appearing as Duke Senior in the Victoria University Summer Shakespeare production of As You Like It.
Orene Tiai - Hermann, Schlemiel
Orene Tiai has been studying voice privately for three years. He took part in the Lord of the Rings Symphony Concert under the supervision of Dr. Karen Grylls in 2003, and The Gondoliers (Wellington G&S, 2005), Parsifal & Quickening (NZ Festival Chorus 2006),The Mikado (Wellington G&S, 2006), Faust, Fauré Requiem (Wellington & Auckland Youth Choir, 2006) Wellington Dame Kiri Gala Concert (NBR Chorus), Lucia di Lammermoor (NBR Chorus). He was Wellington Aria Competition Finalist, winning a section first. Music engagements include the Lexus Song Quest master-class with Elizabeth Connell and roles First Priest,Aeolus (King Arthur, Boutique Opera, 2007). He participated in Master-class with Prof Jan Delpratt at the NZATS Conference, and Schubert's Mass in C major (Wellington & Auckland Youth Choir) in 2007. He is a current member of the Chapmann Tripp Opera Chorus with the NBR opera, and a member of the Wellington Youth Choir
Laurence Walls - Nathanael
Wellington - based tenor Laurence Walls was recently engaged as the tenor soloist in Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius with the Wellington Cathedral Choir, directed by Michael Fulcher, and as the tenor soloist for the Palmerston North Choral Society in their performance of Dvorak's Mass in D Major and Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise. Earlier this year he appeared as a soloist in Hawkes Bay Opera's Le Rapport Francais concerts, and as the tenor lead in Boutique Opera's production of Purcell's' King Arthur. Currently studying privately with Margaret Medlyn, Laurence performs regularly with NBR New Zealand Opera as a member of the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus.
Louise Wilson - Nicklausse
Originally from England, Louise studied at Brunel University attaining a degree in Music and Drama. She followed an interest in lighting design, for ten years travelling all over the world working on major conferences and live events. She moved to New Zealand in 2003, working for Downstage Theatre and returning to Europe for freelance work. Previous roles include Kate (Kiss Me Kate), Mother (Hansel and Gretel), and Katisha (The Mikado, Wellington G&S, 2006).
Act I
David Skinner - Spalanzani
David has been performing in musical theatre and opera for many years, during which he has sung some 45 baritone roles ranging from the the Figaros, Scarpia in Tosca, Marcello in La Bohème, and Count Danilo in The Merry Widow, to Petrucchio in Kiss Me Kate and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. He has sung several roles for the Wellington G&S society, most recently in Yeomen of the Guard and The Mikado. A retired geologist, he has worked frequently in Antarctica, and specialised in gold and old volcanic rocks. He is currently an honorary research associate with the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences.
Edward Carleton-Holmes - Butler & Puppeteer / Cochenille assistant
Ed gained acting experience in the Hawkes Bay and studied singing under Ileana Otto-Johansen and Patrick Power. He completed BMus Performance (voice) with Flora Edwards at the Wellington Conservatorium and has sung in NBR opera chorus productions including Boris Godunov and Massenet's Manon, and played the role of Marius in Les Misérables for Waipawa M&D.
Karyn Andreassend - Olympia
Karyn Andreassend is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University College of Education and holds an LTCL. She has performed many times as a soprano soloist receiving a number of awards and has also played piano, French Horn and viola as well as conducting many secondary school choirs. Karyn has studied in London with David Harper and also privately at the RCM with Margaret Kingsley. She attended Patricia Hurley’s Opera School with Maetro Wyn Davies and OperaPlus - (Belgium), where she performed the role of the 1st lady in Die Zauberflote and sang for world renowned tutors Sarah Walker, Graham Johnson and Loh Sieu-Tuan. In London, Karyn performed as a soloist for Sarah at the National Opera Studio, and sang at The American Church and at The Royal Overseas League. She has been a member of the Chapmann Trip Opera Chorus since 2001. Karyn has performed as a soloist for Con Brio, the Last Night of the Proms (Kapiti/PN), 1st Cercatrice in Suor Angelica. She rejoins us after having played the role of Josephine in HMS Pinafore. She currently learns from Margaret Medlyn. Past tutors include Dame Malvina Major, Rosemary Gordon, Emily Mair, Bruce Greenfield
Chris Whelan - Coppelius
Chris' singing career now spans more than twenty five years and more than fifty operas, operettas, oratorios and musicals. Though he has performed mostly Gilbert & Sullivan roles for the last seven years, he has previously spent more than a decade doing chorus and sub-principal roles with both National Opera and Canterbury Opera. Around his stage work, he has done extensive solo work with a wide range of choirs and sang with New Zealand Voices and Tower Voices New Zealand for several years.
Act II
Jennifer Little - Antonia
Wellington based soprano Jennifer Little is an experienced soloist currently studying privately with Jenny Wollerman. Jennifer was a semi finalist in the 2007 Lexus Song Quest and more recently a finalist in the Raymon Opie Memorial Aria. She is currently performing in concert with Rob Guest and recently performed as the guest soloist with Dame Malvina Major at a "Picnic in the Park" fundraiser event. Jennifer's principal roles to date include Casilda in The Gondoliers', Yum Yum in The Mikado, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance and Maria Rainer in The Sound of Music. Other highlights include soprano soloist for Dvorak's Mass in D Major, Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise, Haydn's Nelson Mass, Handel's Messiah and Saint-Saens Christmas Oratorio. She has performed as the guest soloist for Kenneth Young's Kapiti Concert Orchestra, Palmerston North's Choral Society, the Kapiti Chamber Choir, Wanganui's Schola Sacra Choir and New Plymouth's Ars Nova Choir.
Stuart Gordon - Crespel
Stuart studied organ with Maxwell Fernie and participated in choral singing, accompaniment and direction but despite an early affair with Lieder did not study singing until later in life. He was President of the Wellington Organists' Association from 1990 to 1993 but now devotes his efforts to operatic endeavours, an interest first kindled in the chorus of the 1990 Festival production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg He participated in the chorus of several NBR NZ Opera productions and performed roles Lieutenant of the Tower (Yeomen of the Guard, 2002) and Oscar Hammerstein (The Sound of Their Music, 2004) for local societies. His ordinary occupation is as a consulting electrical engineer.
Silvio Famularo - Frantz
Silvio is an operatic tenor well known and loved in the Wellington region especially for comic roles. He has played several principal roles in the former New Zealand Opera Company's productions including Il Seraglio, L'Elisir d'Amore, The Bartered Bride and Die Fledermaus as well as numerous operatic society appearances. His characteristic portrayal of Groucho in Full Marx (Downstage) was acclaimed. He is interested in music education, having performed in a troupe, the New Zealand Opera Quartet, which toured the schools, and has given courses in singing technique. As an actor he has played in straight theatre, television series including Inside Straight and films including The Last Tattoo and Braindead.
Gillian Jerome - La Voix
Gillian Jerome moved to London at the age of 21 to study at the Guildhall School of Musical and Drama. While in London she performed roles in Gilbert and Sullivan and other Operettas. She has performed leading roles in over 35 Operas, Operettas and Musicals in London, Wellington and Christchurch. A couple of her favourite roles are Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and Leonora in La Favorita. She also performed the role of Anna in the first New Zealand performance of Le Villi. Gillian studied singing for several years with Emily Mair.
Act III
Chris Berentson - Dapertutto
New Zealand baritone Christopher Berentson is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington School of Music, a 2003 winner of the Kornfield Scholarship for Postgraduste Singers, and a recipient of Master of Music with Honours from the Canberra School of Music, where he studied with Anthea Moller and Celina Lindsey. Operatic work includes leading roles in The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi Fan Tutti, The Merry Widow, The Impresario, The Telephone, Big River and Lock Up Your Daughters. Concert engagements include the baritone solos in many of the great works of the Oratorio repertoire with choirs in Australia and New Zealand. He is currently based in Wellington and studies with Margaret Medlyn.
Lynley Snelling - Giulietta
Lynley Jane completed her BMus. in performance singing at Victoria University in 2004 and a Graduate Diploma of Secondary School Education in 2006. She has been a member of the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus and last performed with the Wellington Gilbert and Sullivan Society as Gianetta in the 2005 production of The Gondoliers. She is currently working around the Wellington region as a soloist
Alex Galvin - Pitichinaccio
Alex has been singing for over fifteen years in opera, oratorio and a cappella. His lead roles include Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, Private Willis in Iolanthe, Charon in Monteverdi's Orfeo and Il Padre in Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore. He has performed in over 20 operas with the New Zealand Opera Chorus. Alex is also a professional filmmaker, and his first feature film When Night Falls is being released nationally in September.