Co-Opera Takes Puccini's LA BOHEME to the Suburbs

By: Nov. 16, 2017
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By an Italian composer, sung in Italian and set in Paris! They're a restless lot at Co-Opera; they're on the move again, this time taking a production of Puccini's gorgeous La Boheme to three venues in and around Adelaide, with six performances, and three casts and an orchestra of musicians from the Royal Commonweath Ensemble and many costume changes - this is truly a company on the move!

Catch Co-Opera's intermezzo performances of La Boheme when you can. Performances, 1 - 10 December: Serafino Winery, San Giorgio Molara Community Centre and Harts Flour Mill, Port Adelaide. What a great Christmas Present!

On the plus side of this ambitious enterprise of a travelling La Boheme is its director Mario Bellanova, a world travelled and much in demand State Opera baritone.

It's Mario's contacts in the Italian community which have opened performance doors resulting in a one night gala event at Serafino Winery, McLaren Vale; two performances at San Giorgio Molara Community Centre at Payneham and the final three performances at Co-Opera's Port Adelaide home: Harts Flour Mill. All performances start 7.30pm. See full details below.

La Boheme - The music: Famous for his big, sweeping, tuneful melodies coupled with stories about ordinary people, Puccini said his success came down to putting "great sorrows in little souls".

La Boheme is full of music to sweep you off your feet; one of the most immediately recognised is of course 'Musetta's Waltz'.

What's it about? To borrow Australian Opera's description: "A poet, a painter, a musician and a philosopher walk into a bar to celebrate a sudden windfall in a lean winter. It's Christmas Eve, and love is in the air. When a beautiful seamstress knocks on Rudolfo's door searching for a candle, the pair fall in love faster than she can sing "Yes, they call me Mimì..."

Yes, it's about love and how the cold reality of poverty, winter and jealousy can make things difficult, which in the hands of master composer, Puccin,i becomes a rivetting story with memorable music.

This production of La Boheme is part of Co-Opera's Intermezzo Series which Artistic Director Brian Chatterton OAM explained is designed specifically to provide role learning experience for young singers, preparing them over several months for different acts giving them experience of language and stage action.

Mario Bellanova - Director La Boheme

Italian baritone Mario Bellanova made his 2012 debut at the Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari as Scarpia in their new production of Tosca under the baton of Alberto Veronesi. Since them he has recently spent extensive time performing in Australia and Japan. After having sung in the production of Teatro Reggio di Torino's La Traviata with Maestro Noseda, he was invited on tour with the company to Tokyo. And after his performance in Carmen at the Olympics Stadium in Seoul, South Korea he was invited by Placido Domingo to Washington Opera in Washington, DC for Andrea Chénier.

Other performances include Carmen and Turandot at the Palais Nikaia in Nice, France, La Fanciulla del West at the Teatro Reggio di Torino and Tel-Aviv Opera

Since his move to Adelaide he has performed Germont (La Traviata, Verdi) where he was nominated for the Helpmann Award. His latest role was Scarpia (Tosca, Puccini) with SOSA at the Adelaide Festival, 2016. We will hear Mario once again later this month at the Adelaide Town Hall performing in the Verdi Spectacular. Mario Bellanova is fluent in Italian, German, French, English and Japanese.

La Boheme Performance Timetable:

Friday 1 December
Serafino Winery, 39 Kangarilla Rd, MCLAREN VALE
Pre show canapes 7pm for performance at 7.30pm.
Bookings:
https://serafino.iwannaticket.com.au/
Enquiries to Bev on 0434 060 451.
Tickets: $70pp inclusive of pre show
canapes and a glass of sparkling. Bar
Service (No concessions/NO BYO)

Sat 2 and Sun 3 December
San Giorgio La Molara Community Centre, 11 Henry St, PAYNEHAM.
Pre-show pizza from 6.30pm for performance at 7.30pm.
Bookings http://www.co-opera.com.au
Enquiries to Bev on 0434 060 451.
Tickets: $49 pp includes pizza. Bar service (No concessions/NO BYO)

Fri 8, Sat 9, Sun 10 December
The Flour Shed [Harts Mill Complex], Mundy St, PORT ADELAIDE.
Doors open 6.30pm for performance at 7.30pm.
Bookings: http://www.co-opera.com.au
Enquiries to Bev on 0434 060 451. Tickets: $35/$29 BYO food and drink.



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