We’re having great fun preparing our tribute to the marvellous Dame Nellie Melba!
This 150th anniversary has been eagerly anticipated, thanks largely to Ann Blainey’s award winning biography “I Am Melba”. Anecdotes drawn from this hugely enjoyable and scholarly book form the basis of our tribute.
The arias and songs which built Melba’s extraordinary career mirror parts of her incredible life. Her rebellion against her loving but authoritarian father; the tragic deaths of her mother and sister; her tumultuous marriage and separation; the estrangement from her son; her affair with the claimant to the French throne: her own life combined all of the ingredients of grand opera!
This concert presents some of Melba’s best-loved virtuosic arias: the thrilling “Shadow Song” from Meyerbeer’s Dinorah; Violetta’s desperate clutch at happiness in “Sempre Libre” from La Traviata; Juliet’s innocent and melodious “Waltz Song”; and Gilda’s lovestruck “Caro nome”.
We are also celebrating one of Melba’s happiest artistic partnerships. In the latter part of her career she travelled with the Australian flautist John Lemmone, who wrote dazzling flute cadenzas to accompany the diva (think of the famous “Mad Scene” in Lucia di Lammermoor). Together soprano Kate Rafferty and I will re-create these instrumental and vocal fireworks!
I am also excited to be presenting two virtuosic flute pieces from Lemmone’s repertoire: Godard’s “Grand Waltz” and Lemmones own toe-tapping “Fantasia on Scottish Airs”.
This concert will be presented in Melbourne as the highlight of this year’s Melba celebrations at the Scots Church on September 24. Canberra audiences will enjoy special previews at the Street Theatre on September 2nd and 3rd.
We look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of an extraordinary Australian!
“A Toast to Melba”
Kate Rafferty (soprano) & Samantha Joseph (flute),
Timothy Wickham (violin) & Morgan Merrell (percussion).
The Street Theatre, Childers St. Canberra.
The performance lasts 80 minutes.
Friday Sept. 2 (8pm) Sat Sept 3 (5pm and 7pm)
All tickets $30 Book at the Street Theatre 6247 1223
Here’s a direct link to the booking office:
https://www.patronbase.com/_ST/Productions/MELB/Performances
