Mansfield Park (Jonathan Dove)
The Australian Premiere was staged April 2016
Jonathan Dove's ansfield Park captures the heart of Jane Austen's novel in a beautiful chamber opera set to a libretto by Alasdair Middleton.
Fanny Price is the poor, overlooked niece of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, raised in the midst of privilege at Mansfield Park alongside her wealthy cousins. Quietly in love with her clueless cousin, Edmund, Fanny is neglected by nearly everyone, and often treated unkindly by her Aunt Norris. With the sudden arrival of the charismatic Henry Crawford and his charming sister, Mary, Fanny watches from the sidelines as seductions, intrigues, and indiscretions threaten the peace of the family.
“Performed in elegant period costume and there is fine ensemble work throughout. Vocally it was magnificent... Dove’s quite difficult score is very contemporary in style, quite often sharp and spiky and was given a tremendous performance by the two pianists (Nathaniel Kong and Geena Cheung) who played with zest and enthusiasm.”
Creative Team
Producer - Katie Miller-Crispe
Conductor - Keiren Brandt-Sawdy
Director - Joseph Restubog
Assistant Director - Paul Chegwidden
Piano - Nathaniel Kong & Geena Cheung
Set Design - Emily Stuart-Jones & Ian Warwick
Costumes - Ian Warwick & Victoria Parsons
Production Photography - John Kilkeary
Cover (Fanny Price) - Olivia Oxley
Cast
Fanny Price - Sonya Holowell
Lady Bertram - Jermaine Chau
Sir Thomas Bertram - Ian Warwick
Maria Bertram - Katie Miller-Crispe
Julia Bertram - Amy Balales
Edmund Bertram - Tristan Enwistle
Aunt Norris - Jessica Harper
Mary Crawford - Samanta Lestavel
Henry Crawford - Daniel Folesi
Mr Rushworth - Spencer Darby
John Kilkeary 2016
With Special Thanks To
The Australian Institute of Music, Rockdale Opera
Joelene Griffith, Susan Heming, Fenella Jolly, Venke Mannes, Kiara Parks, Paulo Montoya, Yvonne Barton-Leach, Geoff Sirmai, Peter John Augenti, Pamela Andrews, John Miller-Crispe, John Kilkeary, Jared Miller-Crispe, Jo Miller-Crispe
“The music was well integrated into the story with some wonderful ensemble singing throughout the piece. The action did not flag and the audience was glued to its seats throughout!”