Pinchgut Opera

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Eighteen

Wednesday 29 November.

A big day.

The first rehearsal for the orchestra. Much conversation in the Green Room between the players beforehand. Some play in other orchestras in Sydney but many come from overseas or interstate so hugs, greetings and gossip are exchanged. Most say that Pinchgut is the highlight of their year. I don't think they are just being polite.

The session begins promptly at 10:30 and Antony Walker starts by getting everyone comfortable with the tuning. Then straight into the overture. A few comments from Antony at the end but, by and large, he is happy with what he heard. The grins around the band show that pretty well everyone else is happy too.

Here is a full list of the members of Orchestra of the Antipodes for this production:

Violin                        
Anna McDonald (leader)               
Alice Evans
Rachael Beesley (leader 2nd violins)
Julia Fredersdorff
Elizabeth Pogson
Matt Bruce
Myee Clohessy
Dominic Glynn
Matthew Greco
Leigh Middenway

Viola
Nicole Forsyth
Nikki Divall
Valmai Coggins
Heather Lloyd

Cello
Danny Yeadon
Anthea Cottee
James Beck

Bass
Kirsty McCahon

Flute
Kate Clark
Melissa Farrow

Oboe
Geoffrey Burgess
Jane Downer

Clarinet
Craig Hill
Ashley Sutherland

Bassoon
Simon Rickard
Lisa Goldberg

Horn
Darryl Poulsen
James McCrow
Michael Dixon
Lisa Wynne-Allen

Trumpet
Leanne Sullivan
Helen Gill

Tombone
Warwick Tyrrell (alto)
Nigel Crocker (tenor)
Brett Page (bass)

Fortepiano
Neal Peres da Costa

Timpani
Richard Gleeson

Some photos of the band:

Green Room greetings: Alice Evans and Nikki Divall.

Our newest recruit: Matthew Greco, practising in the Green Room.

A timpanist needs to get under the bonnet sometimes.
Richard Gleeson setting up.

Neal Peres da Costa at his fortepiano, Kirsty McCahon at her double bass.

The 1st violins tune: Anna McDonald, Alice Evans, Matt Bruce.

The wind section: Clarinets Craig Hill and Ashley Sutherland.
Bassoon Simon Rickard, flute Kate Clark.

Richard Gleeson (timpani) Leanne Sullivan and Helen Gill (trumpets).

The natural -valveless -trumpet is devilishly difficult to play. The modern trumpet

with valves was not generally adopted until the mid-1800s.

In the afternoon,, across town, Liz Nielsen was at the Opera Centre with the singers. This was our last day at the Centre, where we feel quite at home. We are extremely grateful to Opera Australia for making their facilities available and for so much other help and encouragement. By and large, other music organisations in Australia have been very co-operative. We are all trying to make great music and  build audiences so it makes sense to work together when we can.

Today was the studio run - the chorus and soloists work straight through the opera. Sharolyn Kimmorley on piano - Neal Peres da Costa who will play for performances was there to sit in and listen to what Sharolyn has been doing in rehearsals, Danny Yeadon on cello.
The cast was mostly in costume and used all the props.
The studio run is important: after rehearsing the work in sections everyone gets  a straight run at the whole thing. Also gives an idea of the timing of the whole piece and the timing of clothes changes etc. Incidentally, Tamsin timed it at 2 hours 54 minutes including interval but not applause.

Lindy and Antony did not stop the flow: just watched, listened and took notes. Lindy was whispering to Bernie (lighting), Dan (designer) and  Tamsin (stage manager) as she noticed things she wanted done later.
Everyone now has an idea of the whole dramatic and musical flow of the opera.

It is almost complete.

PS The Sydney Morning Herald has published a nice interview with Mark Tucker.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Seventeen

The opera is starting to come together. Two productions calls, this afternoon and tonight, with soloists and chorus. Lindy was taking them through longish scenes from the work, so we could see the story forming. This helps everyone to get into their roles because they can see the flow of the music and the plot. Some of the props that will be used in the production are now available and principals and chorus are getting used to handling them.

Meanwhile, for most of the last week, Antony has been wandering around saying "I can't wait to get the orchestra." So far, all work has been done with piano (the wonderful Sharon KImmorley) and in some cases continuo (Danny Yeadon, mostly).

Well, Wednesday Antony will get his wish. While soloists and chorus continue at the Opera Centre the orchestra will start rehearsals in Eugene Goosens Auditorium at the ABC Centre. Originally built  as a rehearsal space for the Sydney Symphony, Goosens is now mostly used for recordings with occasional concerts. It has a very nice acoustic.

The orchestra will consist of 37 players and will use instruments of the early classical period. This was a transitional period between what we consider as baroque and what became modern instruments.
Modern instruments  - the strings, for example, using steel strings with high tension - were adopted as concert halls became larger and there was need for more sound from an orchestra. As we are performing in City Recital Hall, which is smaller than conventional opera theatres and has an excellent acoustic, we can use authentic instruments  similar to thos Mozart had in  his  Munich orchestra in 1791.

This will be the largest orchestra we have used.  One of our aims in setting up Pinchgut was to give Australian artists living overseas the opportunity to come back and perform for Australian audiences.
This is happening with singers and also with players. For this production the following have come to play for us:

Rachel  Beesley violin. Netherlands
Julia Fredersdorff violin. Paris
Dominic Glyn violin. San Francisco.
Kate Clark flute. The Hague.
Geoffrey Burgess oboe. USA
Jane Downer oboe.  London
Lisa Goldberg bassoon. Belgium

                                                                                        Ken Nielsen

A few more of Bridget Elliot's photos:

Lindy Hume with the chorus.

A pensive Penny Mills.

Penelope Mills as Elettra. This photo by Simon Hodgson.

Emotion

"We've got to find a way of not crying" said one of the soloists over the weekend "you can't sing when you have been crying".
The had been working on Act 3 Scenes 9 and 10, where Idomeneo faces up to his duty to to kill Idamante, as promised to Neptune. It really is powerful stuff. Mark, Fiona, Martene, Penny and Paul are all onstage and are so involved in their roles that the emotion is palpable. Mark and Fiona both have sons and the idea of a father having to kill his son is almost impossible to think about.
The rest of us watching - and remember, this is a rehearsal without costumes, stopping and restarting as  Lindy fine-tunes her direction - are amazed at how powerful it is.
After all, this is a very old story, involving a mythical war, ancient gods who interfere arbitrarily in the world and kings and princes who probably never existed. So how can it effect us so much?
My answer is that there is something about the power of music that adds great emotional power to a well told story. That is why opera survives in the face of (perhaps) more realistic forms of story telling and also why we think the Pinchgut way of presenting opera is so persuasive and moving.

                                                                                                                        Ken Nielsen

Penelope Mills (Elettra)

Mark Tucker (Idomeneo) working on Act 3 Scene 9 - the climax of the story.

Two basses: Corin Bone and David Greco.

Photographs by Bridget Elliot.

rest

Sunday 26 November

A rest day for the cast and crew.

Ten days to opening night (Wednesday 6 December).
ABC Classic FM will broadcast the performance live on Saturday 9 December, starting with a pre-opera talk from Moffatt Oxenbould at 7:05 PM (AEST).
There will be a live audio stream from the station's site and, we expect, a link to Listen Later for 7 days.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Fifteen.

Saturday 25 November

Waiting for the cast to arrive we had a chat to Bernie Tan Hayes, the lighting designer. Bernie has lit all of Pinchgut's productions. He sits through many days of rehearsal, listening with Lindy Hume and following the score. He is plotting the lighting that he will use in the production. Lighting design is as creative as set or costume design. For Idomeneo, Bernie expects something over 120 lighting cues. The cues are called by the stage manager to the person managing the lighting rig above the back of the hall. Like the director and designers, Bernie will stay for opening night then move on to his next job. He rarely gets to the last night party.

Today was mostly the chorus (tired but happy after their performance of Rachminov's The Bells with the Sydney Symphony). Lindy directed them in the final and very powerful final scene where all the strands of the plot are resolved. Penny, Martene and Mark also came in later to work through their parts in this scene.

The men's beards are coming along nicely. Judging the best for the prize that Liz and Lindy will award will not be easy. They are, we understand, thinking of applying handicap points to John Pitman. They are not sure whether he has been using some kind of growth stimulant or whether he is just genetically advantaged.

Next week the orchestra comes in for rehearsals at ABC Centre. On Friday we will have what is known as the piano stage: the full cast with piano and continuo go through the full production in City Recital Hall Angel Place. Then on Saturday will be the sitz probe (literally "sitting test") when the whole cast and orchestra meet for the first time and go through the music sitting ie without actions.
There is another concert in the hall that night so bump in of our set and lights will happen on the Sunday.

It is getting close to opening night. There is a very good and confident feeling among the cast and crew.

Bernie Tan Hayes (lighting designer)  Antony Walker and Sharolyn Kimmorley in the background.

Martene Grimson and Penelope Mills in discussion.

John Pitman, Penelope Mills, Daniel Beer, Dan Walker in rehearsal.

And especially for Steve Brooks in Europe, one of his wife Martene Grimson (though I am sorry the top of her head was chopped, Steve).

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Fourteen.

Friday 24 November

More production work with the principals. We can see them getting into their roles emotionally, as they understand the plot and the conflicts.
Idomeneo really is a very powerful piece of drama.

Cantillation, the chorus, has been extremely busy this week. Thursday, Friday and Saturday they performed with the Sydney Symphony under Vladimir Ashkenazy in a performance of Rachmaninov’s choral symphony “The Bells”. A nice review.

It has been a big week for everyone but we are right on track. Lindy is pleased with progress and has cancelled Saturday afternoon’s rehearsal to let everyone have a day and a half rest.

The props are all just about assembled now and most costumes are ready for final fittings.
The head electrician, Neal Fisher, has been in conversation with the Recital Hall about the technical staff requirements. Lighting will be brought in the supplement what is installed in the hall. There will be some extra hands needed by Andrew Johnston to get all the set in place. The first five rows of seats come out at Angel Place to fit the orchestra in. It is such a wonderful feeling when everything is in place in the Hall and full rehearsal can  take place.

Trivia Note: In Australia, the process of installing sets, lights etc in a theatre is known as the “bump in”.(and after, the “bump out”). In the UK it is “get in”, New Zealand  “pack in”, US “load in” and on Broadway “put in”. I do not know the French or German terms.

Photographer Bridget Elliot has produced some excellent shots of the cast.

Lindy Hume with Nicole Thomson and Jane Sheldon.

Lindy with the men of the chorus.

Fiona Campbell, Penelope Mills and Mark Tucker.

Antony Walker.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Thirteen

Just in case you do not read the comments section of this blog, I'll post a piece that Hamish Peters, our costume designer, wrote about his day.

Costume time again.
I had a fitting with Penelope Mills who is singing Electta this morning. It was really gratifying to see the sketch on the page come to life. Elaine from Cash Palace has done a beautiful job, it fits Penny so perfectly and she looks amazing. We had a few small adjustments to make, the neckline, the sleeve shape, and the train. The dress certainly helps give Penny the power and strength she needs to play the part of Electta. She is after all a Princess of one of the most powerful families in Greece, albeit a very messed up family...
I have also had a good day with Jan Beardmore, another one of the volunteers. She and I have just about completed the outfit for Ilia. We have put it on the dress makers dummy, and are very happy with our work, just the final fitting and the hems to finish off.
I have also had a fitting with Paul and Mark today, so things are certainly snowballing along. I sometimes find it hard to find the right piece of clothing that can become the costume, and I have felt that I had been neglecting the two boys in the Opera and focussing on the Ladies too much (Fiona included). I think I've got the boys sorted out, just a few alterations to make and some distressing and they will be ready.
Hope those reading the blog are enjoying getting a glimpse of the process that is undertaken to get an opera to the stage.
cheers
Hamish

Note: You'll need to wait till opening night to see what Hamish means by "distressing" the men's costumes.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Twelve

Wednesday 22 November

Another very hot day in Sydney.  It is difficult to get the air-conditioning right: it needs to be cool without drying the air too much, which affects singers’ voices.
Another thing for Josh Sherrin, the assistant stage manager, to manage.

Martene Grimson (Ilia), Fiona Campbell (Idamante), Mark Tucker  (Idomeneo) and Penelope Mills (Elettra) were here for a  a principals’ production call working on Act 3 Scenes 3 and 4. This included the wonderful quartet that sums up the dilemmas and confusion in the minds of the four characters.
This is the piece about which Mozart wrote: “Nothing in the entire opera pleases me as much as this quartet.”

IDAMANTE
Andrò rammingo, e solo
Morte cercando altrove
Fin che la incontrerò.

ILIA
M'avrai compagna al duolo,
Dove sarai, e dove
Tu inoia, io morirò.

IDAMANTE
Ah no!

IDOMENEO
Nettun spietato!
Chi per pietà m'uccide?

ELETTRA
da sé
Quando vendetta avrò?

IDAMANTE, ILIA
a Idomeneo
Serena il ciglio irato.

IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE, ILIA
Ah il cor mi si divide!

TUTTI
Soffrir più non si può.
Peggio è di morte
Sì gran dolore:
Più fiera sorte,
Pena maggiore
Nissun provò.

Idamante parte addolorato

IDAMANTE
I will go on my wanderings alone,
seeking death elsewhere
until I find it.

ILIA
You will have me as a companion in your grief
wherever you go,
and where you die I too will die.

IDAMANTE
Ah, no!

IDOMENEO
Pitiless Neptune!
Who, in mercy, will take my life?

ELECTRA
aside
When shall I be revenged?

IDAMANTE, ILIA
to Idomeneo
Calm your angry brow!

IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE, ILIA
Ah, my heart is breaking.

ALL
To suffer more is impossible.
Such great grief
is worse than death.
No one ever suffered
a harsher fate
or greater punishment,

Idamante leaves in sorrow

A good half an hour was spent in intense discussion of the music, the words and the emotions involved in the quartet. All four soloists with Lindy and Antony gathered around the score. Again all the singing and the direction comes from this kind of detailed examination of the music and what Mozart is conveying so exquisitely.
After this discussion the four sing the quartet, each with the anguish particular to that character coming through in the singing.

Antony comes straight to the rehearsal from ABC Classic FM where he has been part of the Mozart 100 program. The quartet is No 37 in the top 100. Antony says on the program that his favourite Mozart opera is Idomeneo. He said that Mozart did not ever again have a libretto that allowed such character development nor did he again have such a wonderful orchestra as the one available to him in Munich for Idomeneo.

                                                                                                                            Liz Nielsen

Lindy Hume, Fiona Campbell, Martene Grimson and Penelope Mills.

Photographer Bridget Elliot was at the Opera Centre on Wednesday taking photos for the programme.
She also took this one of Anna Cerneaz greeting set designer Dan Potra (or perhaps it's the other way round). As you can see, whatever she is doing, Anna always takes her phone.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Eleven

Tuesday 21 November

Another hot steamy day outside the studio. Maximum 35C today and higher forecast tomorrow.

Inside, the chorus and Penny Mills are rehearsing Act 2 scene 5. Elettra is happily going off with Idamante across the seas to safety.

CORO
Placido è il mar, andiamo;
Tutto ci rassicura.
Felice avrem ventura,
Su su, partiamo or or.

ELETTRA
Soavi zeffiri
Soli spirate,
DeI freddo borea
L'ira calmate.
D'aura piacevole
Cortesi siate,
Se da voi spargesi
Per tutto amor.

CHORUS
The sea is calm; let us go;
everything is reassuring;
we shall have good fortune;
come, let us leave at once!

ELETTRA
Blow,
gentle breezes only;
calm the anger
of the icy north wind;
be generous
with your pleasing breath
which spreads
love everywhere.

Following that is a beautiful trio from Idomeneo, Idamante and Elettra. The trio spells out its own drama and fears.

IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE
ognuno da sé
Destin crudel!

IDAMANTE
da sé
Oh Ilia!

IDOMENEO
da sé
Oh figlio

IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE
(to themselves)
Cruel destiny!

IDAMANTE
(to himself)
O Ilia!

IDOMENEO
(to himself)
O my son!

Mozart writes such delicate beautiful gentle music for billowing sails across the sea here.
But soon, all has changed and an enormous storm has hit.

CORO
Qual nuovo terrore!
Qual rauco muggito!
De' Numi il furore
Ha il mare infierito.
Nettuno, mercé!

CHORUS
What new terror!
What hoarse roaring!
The gods' fury
has whipped up the sea.
Neptune, have mercy!

Only Idomeneo knows what is really up.

IDOMENEO
Eccoti in me, barbaro Nume! il reo!
lo solo errai, me sol punisci, e cada
Sopra di me il tuo sdegno. La mia morte
Ti sazi al fin; ma s'altra aver pretendi
Vittima al fallo mio, una innocente
Darti io non posso, e se pur tu la vuoi,
Ingiusto sei, pretenderla non puoi.

IDOMENEO
Here he is, cruel god! I am the guilty one!
I alone have sinned; punish me alone and let
your wrath fall on me. May my death
at last satisfy you; but if you claim
another victim in my place, I cannot give you
an innocent one, yet if you demand him,
you are unjust, and cannot claim him.

Lindy’s direction here is terrifyingly graphic and the contrast with the calm farewell scene is pure magic. The music is the source of this contrast and drama and combined with the direction and the power of the chorus sends goose bumps out all over me.

Note: OK, I am biased but I challenge you to be unmoved when you see this scene.
And Pinchgut is giving a money-back guarantee to any Pinchgut virgin who buys a ticket and does not enjoy the show.

(End of commercial).

It is great to watch Lindy work closely. She often gets the soloists to tell the chorus in their own words what the character is singing here and what it means to the character to be in this situation. The direction starts with thinking about the words and the situation, so the head is engaged, then the heart as the often confused emotions are explored, then the body as the movement is directed. So the soloists and the chorus end up in the same head space and have their hearts and bodies all working towards the drama.
It will be wonderful theatre as well as wonderful music.

Meanwhile, during the morning members of the chorus are disappearing one by one from the studio to the room where Hamish Peters is working on the costumes. One comes out and hops back into place on stage after telling the next one to go off to be fitted. I doubt that this is the way it is done at the Met, but it works and there is a great feeling of company spirit.

                                                                                                            Liz Nielsen

The rehearsal piano is pitched at 430 (a little lower than the usual 440) which will be the orchestra's pitch.
Tuner Terry Harper who has tuned all our keyboard instruments - including the harpsichord at 390 for Dardanus in 2005 - retunes the piano each day. For the performances, we will use a fortepiano as did Mozart.

Mark Tucker (Idomeneo) and Fiona Campbell (Idamante) watch the chorus work on Act 2 Scene 5.

Penny Mills (Elettra). Elettra is an interesting but difficult character in the opera. She has done nothing wrong but loses everything. Penny is giving the character a lot of thought.

Costume designer Hamish Peters is fun to work with. He loves opera and looks forward to his Pinchgut gig each year.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Ten

All the chorus was in for a production call with Brett Weymark (High Priest) and Mark Tucker (Idomeneo) for Act 3 Scene 6. Idomeneo has admitted to all that the horror and death suffered by the city is his fault. He had promised the gods to kill Idamante and has failed to do so.

Chorus (the people):
Oh voto tremendo!
Spettacolo orrendo!
Già regna la morte,
D'abisso le porte
Spalanca crudel.

O terrible vow!
Dreadful sight!
Death now reigns,
and opens wide the gates
of the fearful abyss.

The production direction is for an extremely powerful demonstration of emotion. The people are dying as Idomeneo has not appeased the gods and sacrificed his victim. The scene is so amazingly directed and the music so moving that some of the chorus are in tears as they sing.

The afternoon is Martene, Fiona and Mark for a production call.

The studio is getting hotter. Outside in Surry Hills someone has smashed the side window of a chorus member’s car and stolen a laptop.

In another studio Australian Brandenburg Orchestra is rehearsing for their Classic Mozart 100 Concert on Classic FM Wednesday night. We wonder how many pieces from Idomeneo will be in the 100.

The production meeting has gone on over lunch so no break for Lindy Hume today. Directors are extremely hard working people as their energy has to enliven and empower everyone all the time. Lindy’s energy supports everyone.

                                                                                                                        Liz Nielsen

Three men of the chorus.

The chorus concentrates.

The chorus.

Act 3 Scene 6.

On Sunday They Rested

A day off for everyone.
We did not ask how they were spending it, though some were seen at Dueling Double Basses, a performance presented by Pinchgut and the Powerhouse Museum to raise money for the Museum to buy an historic Australian double bass.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Nine

A day of production work, mostly with the chorus.
There are 20 singers in the chorus and this is a very impressive number when they are all standing in a row or all moving in unison according to Lindy Hume’s direction. Suddenly the opera has density and power with this group of people added to the soloists. A very hard working and productive day as we get to the end of Act 2.

We mentioned in an earlier entry that the stage manager is one of the most important – and powerful – members of the team. Tamsin Martin will call the show giving each cue for lighting, props as well as the cast. Normally the stage manager sits just off the stage on the Prompt side (the right hand side from the audience’s point of view). For reasons that we cannot give right now, Tamsin will sit on the other side – the OP side – for Idomeneo.
Tamsin is also very important during rehearsals. She makes sure everyone is on time and that the process runs to schedule.
At the end of each rehearsal day she produces a set of notes that are emailed to everyone.
Here are her notes for yesterday. A schedule for the full rehearsal period was issued a few weeks ago then Alison Johnston does a more detailed one each week.  Any last minute changes go into Tamsin's daily notes.

Idomeneo Rehearsal notes for Sat 18.11.06

GENERAL:
-Change to the Schedule for Monday 20.11.06:
Afternoon call:    2.30  Mark
                          3.30  add Fiona and Penny

In the morning Chorus call we will finish the Chorus section in Act 2 as well as moving on to Act 3.

-Reminder: there is a Production Meeting Monday (20/11) afternoon at 1.30pm

PROPS: (to be discussed further at the Production Meeting)
-the 4 x shells need to be larger (in particular the conch shells)
-the curved bunched of (banana?) leaves are a bit too bulky and unwieldy.  Instead could we have more of the big flat leaves and the real palm fronds.

SET:
-Andrew--in particular, the most DS end of the (censored) will need some extra reinforcement as we discussed as the ladies’ chorus are grouping there on the (censored) with Elettra in Act 2.

WARDROBE:
-one of Elettra's bracelets (with the little silver baubles) was shedding and getting caught on Penny's skirt.

Note: Some words were removed to keep some surprises for opening night.

                                                                                            Ken Nielsen

The chorus with Fiona Campbell and Martene Grimson
(sorry it's such a small photo, Steve) receiving direction from Lindy Hume.
John Pitman (second from left) is shortening in the betting for the beard contest.

A fearsome bunch of warriors.

The Green Room, Saturday. The consumption of Tim Tams is increasing. I wonder if Arnotts would like to sponsor us?

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Eight

Today is a music call for the principals – Mark, Fiona, Martene, Penny and Paul.
After all the production calls - when they were singing, acting and moving - now they are back to a day of just singing. These are intensive sessions where Antony and Sharolyn concentrate on the voices.
Mark Tucker is first up. Unfortunately, I had to be elsewhere in the morning so I missed this.

But I did have a quick lunch with Antony and Mark at a cafe near Opera Australia. Lots of interesting talk about Idomeneo and how Mozart did not do anything quite like this again. His next opera, Abduction from the Seraglio, is much less complex and has far less character development. (Beautiful music, though).

Mark talks about the unusual structure of Idomeneo. Most operas of this time would have a King figure - who is just an arbitrator - and two couples, often with someone who does not know who they should marry.
But here in Idomeneo the king is a real person with the biggest moral dilemma in the opera. And the love story is quite unusual too. It is a very complex and interesting story.

Back in the Opera Centre, Fiona is in rehearsal with Antony and Sharolyn. Mark can be heard singing on his own in one of the small practice rooms across the hall.

In another room the sewing machines are whirring as Hamish and volunteer Maire Glacken are whipping up costumes.
For readers outside Sydney, after a few days of wild storms, we have the return of glorious weather. Picture below to prove it, taken from the Neutral Bay ferry on the way home.

                                                                                                            Liz Nielsen

The wonderful Maire Glacken, hard at work on costumes.

Sydney Harbour from the Neutral Bay ferry today.

Fort Denison, on Sydney Harbour, which we understand has adopted our name - Pinchgut - as its nickname.

(Sorry Steve, nothing of Martene today. I'll do my best tomorrow.)

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Seven

More production work. Lindy Hume is now into Act 2.

A few impressions from Liz Nielsen:

Mark Tucker and Paul McMahon work on the scene in which Idomeneo tells Arbace that his own son must be the sacrifice.
Two tenors – that doesn’t happen often in opera. They are portraying such friendship, such support. A lovely moment when you can see that life could have been better.

Act 2 Scene 2
First, much intellectual discussion around the piano with all their scores open on the lid of the piano - Sharolyn, Antony, Lindy, Martene and Mark. They are discussing Ilia’s difficult aria.
“My father was taken, my loved ones, my homeland, now you are my father.”
Idomeneo is allowing her to say (well, sing) what he would not let his own son, Idamante, say at the end of Act 1.
Ilia seems to need a father now; or is this a political approach on Ilia’s part? She is, after all, a princess so it must be at least partly political.
Martene will project in her aria what she and Lindy decide is the essence of these words.
Mark remarks that, in a sense, Ilia’s and Idamante’s characters are being merged here.

Then the singing and production of this scene - so full of emotion – so empowered by the discussion which has preceded it.
Real characters are emerging here. Real development of characters is happening before our eyes. 

                                                                           Liz Nielsen

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Six

Another busy day, working on Act 1 production.

Martene Grimson (Ilia) works on the first aria with Lindy Hume shaping and drawing out the emotion. This is a very important point in the opera. Ilia’s aria comes straight after the overture and with great economy of words, great emotion and conflict, all portrayed in the  music, she tells the whole story so far and explains her dilemma.

The scenes between Ilia and Idamante are shaped. Enormous tension develops as Idamante reveals his love to Ilia, who is trying to hide (and reject) hers.

In questi accenti
Mal soffro un temerario ardir. Deh pensa,
Pensa Idamante, oh Dio!
Il padre tuo qual è, qual era il mio.

I take ill
the bold ardour of these words. O God!
Consider, Idamante,
who your father is, and who mine was.

Lindy  (to Ilia) “ You have to be very strong here - you have to tear strips off him (Idamante). He is the son of your father’s killer.”
Lindy to all: “It must be kept alive - don’t just move from one position to another – keep the tension”.

In one corner of the room Lindy is conferring with Paul McMahon (Arbace) and Mark Tucker (Idomeneo) about their next scene. On the other side of the room Fiona Campbell (Idamante) is working with Sharolyn and Antony.

At desks along the front Bernie Tan-Hayes (lighting director) is discussing something with Hamish Peters (costume design) while poring over the score in front of them. Lighting and costume looking at the score? They must think the music is important.

Central to everything is the score. Everything that is happening in the room is growing out of Mozart’s music and the words.  There is a continuous cooperation and input from Lindy, Antony and Sharolyn.

A very hard working day with a lot achieved. Act 1 straight through to end the day.

It feels good.

                                                                            Liz Nielsen

Paul McMahon, Mark Tucker, Sharolyn Kimmorley, Antony Walker.

Martene, Fiona, Lindy.

Martene.

During a break, Mark samples his first-ever Tim Tam, with Fiona and Anna Cerneaz.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Five.

Production rehearsals with Lindy Hume. Difficult to write about without giving away too much.
Our admiration for Lindy grows.
Mark Tucker (Idomeneo) and Fiona Campbell (Idamante) work on the end of Act 1 when they meet after Idomeneo is saved from the sea and he realizes that his son will be his victim. Lindy shapes the scene carefully but reminds them that their performance may be slightly different each time as the emotion is very strong and they should keep that intensity and rawness. Lindy talks over the scene carefully with Mark and Fiona while Antony Walker and Sharolyn Kimmorley are talking earnestly about the music. It is fascinating to see how accompanist, conductor and director work together.
I overhear Lindy promising the singers that she will never have them singing in a stage position where they feel uncomfortable. The music must be done in the best possible way.
Tamsin Martin, the stage manager, is taking notes all the time so that there is a complete record of the stage direction. During the performances, Tamsin must be able to call every lighting cue, every scene change and every cast entrance from this record. Though rarely seen, the stage manager is perhaps the busiest member of the team right through the performance. Today Tamsin is in control of the rehearsal room and nothing escapes her.
Somewhere else (I am not sure where), production manager Andrew Johnston,  is flat out supervising the set building, painting, and props. And Hamish Peters is working on the costumes. Anna Cerneaz is talking to media about publicity – photos and interviews.
The chorus will be in later with Mark and Fiona – it will be a long day today, finishing at 9:30 PM.

We can't tell you what is going on, but Mark and Fiona's concentration was intense.

                                                                                                                                      Liz Nielsen

PS Apologies to Steve Brook who would like to see more photos of his wife Martene Grimson. We will try tomorrow. (Steve is a tenor currently on tour in Europe).

Monday Rest day

Monday was a day off for all. Mark Tucker went  to Sculpture by the Sea. A huge storm, complete with hail, struck suddenly on our way back around the cliffs and we ended up huddled under a sandstone overhang looking past some magnificent sculpture to the sea. Mark thought it was a very good way to get into the role and to experience the power of nature and the might of the sea.

The storm passed quickly and when Mark and Marlene looked over the cliff soon after, all was calm.

We wondered if we could find a way of using "dunny with satellite  dish"  in the set, but decided not. A pity. This is not, after all, one of those ironic post-modern productions.

                                                                                                 Liz Nielsen

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Four

This morning Mark Tucker worked with Lindy Hume on his entrance, first recit. and first aria. Idomeneo  pleads with Neptune to save him and his crew. Neptune calms the waves after extracting from Idomeneo the terrible promise to kill the first person he meets on the shore and Idomeneo crawls ashore. Large emotions are expressed in this scene and Lindy expects Mark to express those by movement and expression as well as in song.
Mark has never sung the role before but knows it well so he quickly understands what Lindy wants.
Fiona Campbell (Idamante) joins Mark and Lindy later in the morning to continue the scene.

Idomeneo:
Cieli! che veggo? Ecco, la sventurata
Vittima, ahimè! s'appressa... e queste mani
Le ministre saran?... mani escerande
Barbari, ingiusti Numi! are nefande!

Heavens! What do I see? Here, alas, is the unfortunate
victim approaching ... Must my hands
be the instruments? ... Accursed hands!
Savage, unjust gods! Detestable altars!

The chorus arrives after lunch. All in casual clothes; some have walked and some have ridden bicycles. Dan Walker comes on his Vespa. They will now receive the presentation from Lindy and Hamish Peters on what they must do and learn over the next few weeks. In Pinchgut productions the chorus knows that it will do more than sing but they are always a little nervous about what precisely the director has planned.
They are very interested in what they will wear. The men had questions about their beards: “Rough and unkempt – you have been at sea in a storm for a long while. No delicate little trimmed beards, please”.
John Pitman’s beard is admired.
While they sing the first chorus Lindy and Hamish discuss who will be  Trojans and who will be Cretans. By the end of the chorus they have decided and nationalities are allocated.
Halfway through the afternoon they are joined by Fiona and Martene (Ilia).
Things are beginning to take shape.

Tomorrow (Monday) is a rest day for all. Mark is thinking of going to the Bondi to Tamarama Sculpture Walk.

                                                                                                                                Liz Nielsen

Mark Tucker and Lindy Hume discuss his entrance.

The chorus pays attention.

Neal Peres da Costa - Brett Weymark in the backgound.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Three

A busy day. In Studio 2 Lindy Hume, Dan Potra and Hamish Peters presented to the soloists the model box showing how the stage and set will look and the costumes. Lindy began by outlining her approach to the production and the story.

Lindy gave the background of the main characters from other Greek myths. All except Idamante, who was invented for this story, come to the opera with a history. Parents or siblings who have killed or been killed or who have killed each other. A lot of baggage.
Elettra in particular is a very troubled character.

I won’t go into detail about what the cast was told as I don’t want to spoil the production for you. Nor will I say anything more about the set or costumes. Dan has chose a couple of very striking images on stage which you will see as you go into City Recital Hall. Lindy and Dan both believe in accepting the space, not fighting or radically try to change it.

There was, by the way, some discussion of body art.

Lindy closed by saying that the characters and the music will be at the centre of this opera.
It is, after all, a great work of one of the greatest composers who ever lived.

After that, Lindy began working with Martene Grimson (Ilia), Fiona Campbell (Idamante), Paul Mc Mahon (Arbace) and Penelope Mills (Elettra) on the production. Mark had the afternoon off.

Meanwhile, in Studio 1 the chorus was working with Antony, Neal Peres da Costa and Danny Yeadon on the music. For this production Cantillation consists of 20 voices – 5 each of sopranos, altos, tenors and basses. A powerful sound.

We think that Cantillation is one of the great assets of Pinchgut. We have considered operas that don’t need a chorus – after all, that would save money – but then those in charge of the budget give in and we chose the opera with chorus. And anyway, those who have sung with Cantillation in all our productions would be very unhappy not to come their annual Pinchgut reunion.

Lindy has asked all male members of the cast to grow beards. Several have started and some are confident enough of their ability to produce hair that they are waiting a while. John Pitman’s beard is the most impressive so far. Liz told the chorus that she will give a bottle of vintage champagne to the owner of the best beard, as judged by her and Lindy at the last rehearsal. That does not necessarily mean the biggest or the bushiest, but the beard that Liz and Lindy think is the best. No correspondence will be entered into.

Tomorrow the chorus gets the production presentation (with, possibly, a few more surprises) and the soloists continue with production work. Mark will get back to work, after breakfast and possibly a swim at Balmoral.

                                                                                                                            Ken Nielsen

Andrew Johnston (production manager) listens intently to Lindy Hume's presentation in case she has changed her ideas about the set. Liz on the left, Fiona's shoulder on the right.

Lindy Hume tells the soloists what they can expect in the production.

Penny Mills concentrates.

Studio 1 waits for the chorus.

Idomeneo Rehearsal Day Two

Liz Nielsen was the observer on Day Two:

Following Day One, when the soloists came in together and sang straight through their recits and arias, today each came for an hour of intensive work with Antony Walker, Sharolyn Kimmorley, Danny Yeadon and language coach Nicole Dorigo.

Antony shaped the music, the line and the drama. Nicole shaped the words and corrected any slips in Italian pronunciation. Sharolyn and Danny supplied the music and quietly gave each singer support.

Martene Grimson (Ilia) worked hard with Antony and Nicole who both silently mouth and shape each word with her in the first aria. This important aria tells the whole story.
Antony says: “This is the most emotionally complex aria that you will ever sing. There is great contrast between the guilt and shame of your love for Idamante and the outrage at what has happened to you and your family. There is rapture in this aria. The orchestra is offering you great emotional support.”

Padre, germani, addio!
Voi foste, io vi perdei.
Grecia, cagion tu sei.
E un greco adorerò?
D'ingrata al sangue mio
So che la colpa avrei;
Ma quel sembiante, oh Dei!
Odiare ancor non so.

Father, brothers, farewell!
You are no more; I have lost you.
Greece, you are the cause;
and shall I now love a Greek?

I know that I am guilty
of abandoning my kin;
but I cannot bring myself,
o gods, to hate that face.

Over the hour Martene , who brings a glorious young soprano voice to the opera and, working with such sympathetic people who are excited by what they are doing, grows into the first aria in a way that brings me to tears.

Martene said at the end of her session: “I was nervous at first as I did not know everyone but now I know I am working with people who love what they are doing. I am so happy to be here.”

(At this point I decided she deserved a hug.)

Later, Nicole Dorigo explained: “Singing Italian is different to speaking it as the vowels have a higher placement than in spoken Italian while still retaining the natural flow of the language. In this work especially, the relationship of text and music is integral to the success of the whole opera.”

Penelope Mills sung a couple of her arias. On her way out she said to me: “I love this music. When we have finished I wish we had more - I love it so. The role of Elettra is so complex. I feel she has pressured herself into needing to be with Idamante. She has told herself that she will be redeemed from the evil world if she is with Idamante and that without him she is lost - as in fact she is at the end. “

I bumped into Hamish Peters who is doing the costumes. “I am happy as I have just bought my first bolt of fabric. It is for Elettra’s dress. Her dress will be different – I keep thinking why is she in this opera? She is so isolated. So she has to look different”. (But he wouldn’t tell me what the dress will be like except that “It will be striking”).

An interesting day. The music is beginning to take shape and the soloists are beginning to settle into their roles. Tomorrow they see what Lindy Hume has planned for them.

Martene and Nicole discuss the score.