Batavia (opera)
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Batavia is an opera in three acts and a prologue by Richard Mills to a libretto by Peter Goldsworthy, commissioned by Opera Australia. The plot is based on the historical events surrounding the Dutch sailing ship Batavia.
The opera premiered on 11 May 2001 at the State Theatre (Melbourne) for the Centenary of Federation Festival. It received three Helpmann Awards and six Green Room Awards. The work lasts for about three hours and ten minutes with one interval. The CD recording was captured at the State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne, on the 11th & 13th May, 2001.[1][2]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 11 May 2001 Conductor: Richard Mills |
|---|---|---|
| Francis Pelsaert, commander | bass | Bruce Martin |
| Gijsbert Bastiensz, preacher | baritone | John Bolton-Wood |
| Wiebbe Hayes, provost | tenor | Barry Ryan |
| Jeronimus Cornelisz, undermerchant | baritone | Michael Lewis |
| Conraat van Huyssen, nobleman/company cadet | tenor | Jamie Allen |
| Lucretia Jansz | soprano | Anke Höppner |
| Zwanntie Hendricx, Lucretia's maid | soprano | Emma Matthews |
| Maria Bastiensz, the preacher's wife | mezzo-soprano | Elizabeth Campbell |
| Henchman | tenor | James Egglestone |
| Judit, the preacher's daughter | soprano | Joanne Blankfield |
| Willem, Judit's younger brother | boy soprano | Bill Dodd |
| Caspar, Wiebbe Hayes' son | boy soprano | Mark Casey |
| Bessel, Wiebbe Hayes' son | boy soprano | Christopher Toohey |
| Director | Lindy Hume | |
| Design | Dan Potra | |
| Lighting | Rory Dempster | |
| Chorus | ||
[edit] See also
Parer, Damien. Film: The Wreck of the Batavia (1973) by Bruce Beresford. australianscreen. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
The Batavia: Wreck, Mutiny and Murder (1995) at the Internet Movie Database
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Music Centre Catalogue. Australian Music Centre. Retrieved on 2009-09-11.
- ^ Opera Australia (2006). Batavia. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
- Whipping up a storm, composing Batavia: an interview with Richard Mills / Anna Goldsworthy. In: Context (Summer 2000/2001), Issue: 20, 43-50 [1]
[edit] External links
Cohn, Neville (2004). Batavia (A review). OZartsreview. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
For a synopsis and review of the Melbourne premiere performance, see by Chris Boyd, 19 May 2001, Australian Financial Review.
For a synopsis and review of the Perth performance, see Could This Be The Great Australian Opera? by Sandra Bowdler, (February 2004).
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