Victoria State Opera
| Company type | Opera company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Performing arts |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Founder | Leonard Spira |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Merged with the Australian Opera |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Key people | Leonard Spira (founder), Alfred Ruskin (founding chairman), Peter Burch (general manager 1970–1974), Dame Joan Hammond (board member), Richard Divall (Music Director until 1996), John Day (chairman 1976–1982), Ken Mackenzie-Forbes (general manager and CEO 1976–1995), Jeffrey Sher QC (chairman 1979–1982), Sir Rupert Hamer AC KCMG ED (chairman 1982–1995), Robin Lovejoy (Artistic Advisor from 1977), Brian Stacey (Head of Music from 1985) |
| Products | Opera productions, touring performances, world premieres |
Number of employees | Not specified |
The Victoria State Opera (VSO), located in Melbourne, Australia, was established in 1962 by Leonard Spira as a development of the amateur Victorian Light Opera Co., which primarily focused on Gilbert and Sullivan works. In 1964, the organization adopted the name Victorian Opera Company to represent a wider range of operatic works.
Early years Victoria Opera 1962–1976
The drive to transform the company into a professional entity was spearheaded by Alfred Ruskin, its founding chairman, alongside Peter Burch, who served as general manager from 1970 to 1974. Dame Joan Hammond joined the board in 1971 and, a year later, brought Richard Divall to Melbourne; he held the position of Music Director until 1996. Following Hammond’s departure in 1976, John Day assumed the chairmanship from 1976 to 1982.
Under Divall’s guidance, the company enhanced its level of professionalism with significant productions such as Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea, directed by Rod Anderson. The company earned acclaim through successful touring performances targeting schools, fostering emerging talent. A standout production during this era was Donizetti's Maria Stuarda in 1976, featuring performers like Nance Grant and June Bronhill, with Divall conducting. This production was the last under the Victorian Opera Company name.
Victoria State Opera 1976–1995
In 1976, with John Day as chairman, the company rebranded itself as Victoria State Opera to elevate its status and appeal to younger audiences by presenting contemporary and experimental works that combined opera with elements of music and theatre. Government funding from the Victorian State increased significantly from AUD165,000 in 1975 to AUD280,000 in 1976.
The inaugural VSO production was Gluck's Orfeo and Eurydice, featuring Margaret Field, staged at Melbourne’s National Theatre on 30 July 1976.
Important leadership appointments included:
- Ken Mackenzie-Forbes serving as general manager (and later Chief Executive) from 1976 until 1995.
- Jeffrey Sher QC acting as chairman from 1979 to 1982.
- Sir Rupert Hamer AC KCMG ED holding the chairmanship from 1982 through 1995.
Robin Lovejoy took on the role of Artistic Advisor starting in 1977 and directed several productions such as Monteverdi's L'Orfeo (1977), Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande (1977), Mozart's Idomeneo (1978), Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (1979), Monteverdi's The Return of Ulysses (1980), and Strauss' Die Fledermaus (1981).
During Sir Rupert Hamer’s tenure as chairman, VSO relocated to the newly constructed State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne in 1984. The company staged between four and five operas each year across two seasons, positioning itself as a competitor to the Australian Opera. At its height, VSO boasted over 13,000 season subscribers. Brian Stacey was appointed Head of Music in 1985.
Prominent productions featured Suzanne Steele in leading roles such as in La belle Hélène and Orpheus in the Underworld. The repertoire encompassed works including Don Giovanni, Tannhäuser, The Pearl Fishers—which toured Sydney—The Tales of Hoffmann, Faust, Aida, Il trovatore, The Barber of Seville, The Magic Flute, Andrea Chénier, Turandot, as well as both traditional and Ken Russell-directed versions of Madama Butterfly. A notable staging of Lohengrin was produced by August Everding. In 1995, Rhonda Burchmore starred in a production of Ruddigore, paying tribute to VSO’s Gilbert and Sullivan origins.
Performing in the expansive 2077-seat State Theatre allowed VSO to take advantage of advanced stage technology, including revolving and hydraulic platforms that enabled innovative visual effects. Their debut production at this venue was John Copley's new staging of Verdi's Don Carlos in 1984, which featured open curtains during scene changes to highlight the stage machinery.
World premieres
- Inner Voices, a chamber opera by Brian Howard and Louis Nowra, debuted on 2 October 1979 at the Grant Street Theatre in Melbourne, under the baton of Richard Divall; the cast featured Lyndon Terracini
- Hunger, composed by Neil Clifton, premiered in 1982
- Metamorphosis, an opera created by Brian Howard with libretto by Steven Berkoff, was first performed on 30 September 1983 at St Martin's Theatre, Melbourne, conducted by Graham Cox; Lyndon Terracini was among the performers
- Fly, a two-act opera by Barry Conyngham and Murray Copland, had its premiere on 25 August 1984 at the State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne, with John Hopkins conducting; the cast included Anthony Roden
Merger with Australian Opera 1996
In 1996, the company combined forces with the Australian Opera.[1] Following the merger, Richard Divall took on the role of Principal Resident Conductor for Opera Australia from 1996 to 2001, while Lindy Hume was named Associate Artistic Director responsible for Sydney operations alongside Moffatt Oxenbould. Although intended to consolidate opera activities in New South Wales and Victoria, the merger did not achieve its goals. Opera Australia downsized its Melbourne workforce and centralized most functions in Sydney, retaining only a minimal office presence in Melbourne.
The Elizabethan Trust Melbourne Orchestra, founded in 1969 to support Australian Opera and Ballet, persisted after the merger. It was renamed the State Orchestra of Victoria in 1987 and is currently known as Orchestra Victoria. This ensemble continues to provide musical accompaniment for opera and ballet productions at the State Theatre. Opera Australia assumed full responsibility for staging operatic performances across both Victoria and New South Wales. More recently, the Victorian Opera was established with funding from the Victorian government to cater to audiences in Melbourne and throughout Victoria.
Recordings
- Lohengrin, composed by Richard Wagner, performed in English; featuring Alberto Remedios as Lohengrin, Karen Bureau as Elsa, Nance Grant as Ortrud, Geoffrey Chard as Telramund; accompanied by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under conductor Richard Divall. Broadcast on Australian radio in November 1985. CD91241
- Les Troyens, an opera by Hector Berlioz sung in English; with Margreta Elkins (Cassandre), Robert Allman (Chorèbe), Alberto Remedios (Enée), Suzanne Johnston (Ascagne), Lauris Elms (Didon); performed by Melbourne Symphony Orchestra alongside Melbourne Chorale and Victoria State Opera Chorus, conducted by Richard Divall
- Maria Stuarda, by Gaetano Donizetti, presented in English; featuring Nance Grant as Elizabeth, June Bronhill as Mary Stuart, David Parker as Earl of Leicester; Victorian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus accompanied this performance held in Melbourne on 24 July 1976 under conductor Richard Divall
Sources
- The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, edited by Stanley Sadie (London, 1992)