Featuring Melba Opera Trust tenor Michael Petruccelli, mezzo soprano Bronwyn Douglas and bass Timothy Newton, accompanied by associate artist Simon Bruckard. The young performers will interpret classical arias like “Una furtiva lagrima” from L’elisir d’ amore by Donizetti and “Il lacerato spirito” from Simon Boccanegra by Verdi along with timeless classics like Modugno’s ‘Volare’, made famous by Dean Martin and Tosti’s ‘Marechiare’ which has been memorably performed countless times by Pavarotti and Bocelli.
Michael Petruccelli – tenor
RJ & AF Hamer Scholarship
Recognised as an engaging and passionate performer, Michael Petruccelli is establishing himself as one of Melbourne’s emerging operatic tenors. Michael has recently completed a Master of Music (Opera Performance) at the University of Melbourne. For Victorian Opera, he has performed the roles of Giuseppe in La traviata, the Sandman in Hänsel und Gretel, and the White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Opera Land. In the 2014 Melbourne Opera Bel Canto Masterclass, conducted by Maestro Richard Bonynge, he was awarded the Richard Bonynge Study Scholarship.
This year Michael will perform Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Beppe in Pagliacci with Victorian Opera and will make his debut for Opera Australia performing Stephen Goldring in Sydney Opera House, The Opera in Sydney.
Timothy Newton – bass
Stuart Leslie Opera Scholarship
Timothy has performed as the bass soloist in Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Bach’s Magnificat and Cantata BVW182 ‘Himmelskönig, sei willkommen’, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, as well as Durufle’s Requiem and Schütz’s Weinachtshistorie and Musikalische Exequien. He has also performed roles in Bach’s St Matthew Passion and St John Passion.
Most recently he was awarded the Conductor’s Encouragement Award in the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria Competition. Formerly a choral scholar with the Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, Timothy toured both nationally and internationally with the choir and has appeared as soloist both ABC Classics albums and for live broadcast. Timothy appeared in the role of Doctor Grenvil in Opera New England’s production of La traviata.
Bronwyn Douglass – mezzo-soprano
Amelia Joscelyne Memorial Scholarship
Bronwyn graduated with a Masters in Operatic Performance from the Queensland Conservatorium in 2014, receiving an award for Academic Excellence and the Wagner Society in Queensland Encouragement Award. She also attended the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School (2013-2015).
Bronwyn has been the recipient of many awards, most recently including: 1st Royal Melbourne Philhaormonic Aria (2015); 1st in the Australian Chamber and Vocal Competition (2015); 2nd place in the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Awards (2015); and finalist in the Herald Sun Aria (2015). Bronwyn has performed Miss Baggot in Britten’s The Little Sweep for the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas for the Brisbane Baroque Festival, Nadezhda von Meck in Angel of Music, and most recently Flora in La traviata for ONE.
Simon Bruckard
Associate Artist
Repetiteur and conductor Simon Bruckard has just completed a two-year program as a Developing Artist with Victorian Opera, while studying a Master of Music (Opera Performance) at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. He is now on music staff at Victorian Opera as a full time repetiteur as part of their professional development program. Simon has worked as a coach and repetiteur at Victorian Opera for La traviata, Norma, Hansel and Gretel, The Flying Dutchman, Sweeney Todd and I puritani to name a few. In 2015, Simon appeared as the conductor of Victorian Opera’s youth opera The Grumpiest Boy in the World, and the company’s regional tour of Remembrance. Simon frequently performs as a collaborative pianist with singers and instrumentalists and is also a sought after French, German and Italian language coach.
CONCERT PROGRAM:
Ecco ridente in cielo Michael Petruccelli
Il barbiere di Siviglia
(Gioacchino Rossini)
Pensa alla patria Bronwyn Douglass
L’italiana in Algeri
(Gioacchino Rossini)
La calunnia Timothy Newton
Il barbiere di Siviglia
(Gioacchino Rossini)
Una furtiva lagrima Michael Petruccelli
L’elisir d’amore
(Gaetano Donizetti)
O mio Fernando Bronwyn Douglass
La favorita
(Gaetano Donizetti)
Il lacerato spirito Timothy Newton
Simon Boccanegra
(Giuseppe Verdi)
Perduta ho la pace Bronwyn Douglass
(Giuseppe Verdi)
Visione veneziana Timothy Newton
(Renato Brogi)
Marechiare Michael Petruccelli
(Paolo Tosti)
Occhi di fata Timothy Newton
(Luigi Denza)
Parla più piano Michael Petruccelli
(Nino Rota)
Nel blu dipinto di blu Ensemble
(Domenico Modugno)
All music accompanied by Associate Artist Simon Bruckard
Reservation no longer available