#MerlynTheatre #VictorianOpera Parrwang Lifts the Sky. I’d been eagerly to see Deborah Cheetham Fraillon‘s children’s opera, but was disappointed: simplistic (not ‘simple’), awkward, musically conservative, tricked-up staging, pantomime action; a sense of being talked down to. Just fine.
May 25, 2024 at 11:31 PM
#MerlynTheatre #VictorianOpera Parrwang Lifts the Sky. I’d been eagerly to see Deborah Cheetham Fraillon‘s children’s opera, but was disappointed: simplistic (not ‘simple’), awkward, musically conservative, tricked-up staging, pantomime action; a sense of being talked down to. Just fine.
If you love Sondheim, classic musicals, or just world-class theatre—do NOT miss this. Six performances only, and it deserves to be seen far beyond Melbourne. #Follies #VictorianOpera #Sondheim #TheatreMagic
February 3, 2025 at 6:11 AM
If you love Sondheim, classic musicals, or just world-class theatre—do NOT miss this. Six performances only, and it deserves to be seen far beyond Melbourne. #Follies #VictorianOpera #Sondheim #TheatreMagic
Sad to say, with only two performances, Katya Kabanova’s life, like its protagonist’s, is awfully cut short. But @VictorianOpera have a remarkable staging that, for dollars in the coffers, opera companies near and far might want to get their hands on.
artsreview.com.au/katya-kabano...
artsreview.com.au/katya-kabano...
Katya Kabanova | Australian Arts Review
Paul Selar takes a look at Victorian Opera's production of Katya Kabanova by Leos Janácek - currently playing at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, until 16 October 2025.
artsreview.com.au
October 15, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Sad to say, with only two performances, Katya Kabanova’s life, like its protagonist’s, is awfully cut short. But @VictorianOpera have a remarkable staging that, for dollars in the coffers, opera companies near and far might want to get their hands on.
artsreview.com.au/katya-kabano...
artsreview.com.au/katya-kabano...
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Capriccio, by Richard Strauss. After the spectacular Salome and Elektra I was happy to see this late work by one of least favourite composers. And it was very good, although 2 3/4 hr without an interval was a tad overlong…
September 29, 2023 at 2:48 AM
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Capriccio, by Richard Strauss. After the spectacular Salome and Elektra I was happy to see this late work by one of least favourite composers. And it was very good, although 2 3/4 hr without an interval was a tad overlong…
May 12, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Looking forward to everything @OperaAustralia, @VictorianOpera, @MelbourneOpera, @BK_Opera, @A_C_O, @LyricOperaMelb and @IOperaAus. Sometimes it seems like there’s never enough but the city sure has a broad variety of options.
January 2, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Looking forward to everything @OperaAustralia, @VictorianOpera, @MelbourneOpera, @BK_Opera, @A_C_O, @LyricOperaMelb and @IOperaAus. Sometimes it seems like there’s never enough but the city sure has a broad variety of options.
#VictorianOpera #PalaisTheatre Galileo, written and conducted by #VO Artistic Director Richard Mills, who stepped down the same night. A palpable sense of occasion, and much joy/achievement/sadness at the end.
January 3, 2024 at 12:56 AM
#VictorianOpera #PalaisTheatre Galileo, written and conducted by #VO Artistic Director Richard Mills, who stepped down the same night. A palpable sense of occasion, and much joy/achievement/sadness at the end.
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Abduction. Mozart’s wonderful orientalist opera of kidnapped white women in a Turkish harem, decolonised to an adventure of self-discovery in a mysterious sex-positive club. Absolutely wonderful, even if some charming music was missing & some voices seemed underpowered
September 20, 2025 at 2:31 AM
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Abduction. Mozart’s wonderful orientalist opera of kidnapped white women in a Turkish harem, decolonised to an adventure of self-discovery in a mysterious sex-positive club. Absolutely wonderful, even if some charming music was missing & some voices seemed underpowered
Here's a little piece I wrote on relaxed performances as judgement-free theatre experiences #VictorianOpera
www.victorianopera.com.au/the-most-joy...
www.victorianopera.com.au/the-most-joy...
‘The most joyous things’: Relaxed performances benefit the entire theatre community - Victorian Opera
We exist to reimagine the potential of opera and musical theatre, for everyone.
www.victorianopera.com.au
April 1, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Here's a little piece I wrote on relaxed performances as judgement-free theatre experiences #VictorianOpera
www.victorianopera.com.au/the-most-joy...
www.victorianopera.com.au/the-most-joy...
If you love Sondheim, classic musicals, or just world-class theatre—do NOT miss this. Six performances only, and it deserves to be seen far beyond Melbourne.
#Follies #VictorianOpera #Sondheim #TheatreMagic
#Follies #VictorianOpera #Sondheim #TheatreMagic
February 3, 2025 at 5:59 AM
If you love Sondheim, classic musicals, or just world-class theatre—do NOT miss this. Six performances only, and it deserves to be seen far beyond Melbourne.
#Follies #VictorianOpera #Sondheim #TheatreMagic
#Follies #VictorianOpera #Sondheim #TheatreMagic
Martin and Peter Wesley-Smith’s Boojum!, based on Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark, comes with a lot of confusion in this new @VictorianOpera production But the nonsense shines through in its lengthy libretto while the music is always melodious and entertaining.
November 8, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Martin and Peter Wesley-Smith’s Boojum!, based on Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark, comes with a lot of confusion in this new @VictorianOpera production But the nonsense shines through in its lengthy libretto while the music is always melodious and entertaining.
#Playhouse #VictorianOpera The Visitors. Christopher Sainsbury & Jane Harrison’s opera is fascinating to see alongside the superb STC production of Harrison’s play. It is an intrinsically powerful work though I never felt emotionally involved, perhaps too conversational?
November 11, 2023 at 3:54 AM
#Playhouse #VictorianOpera The Visitors. Christopher Sainsbury & Jane Harrison’s opera is fascinating to see alongside the superb STC production of Harrison’s play. It is an intrinsically powerful work though I never felt emotionally involved, perhaps too conversational?
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Follies. Opening night of the magnificent #VO staging of Stephen Sondheim’s complex, bittersweet musical, time-skipping between the optimism of 1941 & crumbling 1971. The astonishing cast were in top form & the orchestra played beautifully. Slight sound balance issues.
February 8, 2025 at 11:06 PM
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Follies. Opening night of the magnificent #VO staging of Stephen Sondheim’s complex, bittersweet musical, time-skipping between the optimism of 1941 & crumbling 1971. The astonishing cast were in top form & the orchestra played beautifully. Slight sound balance issues.
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Sondheim’s Follies. Closing night of #VO’s triumph. Marina Prior & Antoinette Halloran were jaw-dropping, the aging stars captivating, the whole thing mesmerising: ghosts of follies girls floated above as two couples and their 30-yr previous selves flirted and fought.
February 23, 2025 at 3:46 AM
#PalaisTheatre #VictorianOpera Sondheim’s Follies. Closing night of #VO’s triumph. Marina Prior & Antoinette Halloran were jaw-dropping, the aging stars captivating, the whole thing mesmerising: ghosts of follies girls floated above as two couples and their 30-yr previous selves flirted and fought.
Sondheim establishes a poignant connection between decay and renewal through place and relationships in Follies — fabulously realised by @VictorianOpera in a glittering production @PalaisTheatre. What a stunning conglomeration of artistic talent and captivating start to finish!
February 1, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Sondheim establishes a poignant connection between decay and renewal through place and relationships in Follies — fabulously realised by @VictorianOpera in a glittering production @PalaisTheatre. What a stunning conglomeration of artistic talent and captivating start to finish!
#Art Victorian Opera brings smiles with "The Lyrebird’s Voice," a delightful opera for kids. Crafted with love and a brilliant set, it tells a story of fitting in and finding your voice. Catch it at Darebin and Frankston Arts Centres this May. 🎭🐦 #VictorianOpera #FamilyFun
May 14, 2025 at 8:10 PM
#Art Victorian Opera brings smiles with "The Lyrebird’s Voice," a delightful opera for kids. Crafted with love and a brilliant set, it tells a story of fitting in and finding your voice. Catch it at Darebin and Frankston Arts Centres this May. 🎭🐦 #VictorianOpera #FamilyFun
It doesn’t quite hark back to Regency England but @NTAV’s Rippon Lea Estate sure feels like a damn good setting for composer Jonathan Dove’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, presented by @VictorianOpera.
March 5, 2025 at 11:31 AM
It doesn’t quite hark back to Regency England but @NTAV’s Rippon Lea Estate sure feels like a damn good setting for composer Jonathan Dove’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, presented by @VictorianOpera.
Bit of a stinking hot night so you have to feel for the cast and crew of @VictorianOpera as they ready for the opening night of a new production of Sondheim’s Follies here @PalaisTheatre.
February 1, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Bit of a stinking hot night so you have to feel for the cast and crew of @VictorianOpera as they ready for the opening night of a new production of Sondheim’s Follies here @PalaisTheatre.
A nightclub of self-discovery: Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio updated for Melbourne @VictorianOpera
✍️ Sandra Bowdler
bachtrack.com/review-abduc...
✍️ Sandra Bowdler
bachtrack.com/review-abduc...
August 15, 2025 at 8:14 AM
A nightclub of self-discovery: Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio updated for Melbourne @VictorianOpera
✍️ Sandra Bowdler
bachtrack.com/review-abduc...
✍️ Sandra Bowdler
bachtrack.com/review-abduc...
Under @VictorianOpera AD Stuart Maunder’s lively direction of Martin & Peter Wesley-Smith’s Boojum!, the cast’s enthusiasm carry the evening, even when the path through Lewis Carroll’s bizarre wonderland grows a little muddled. My thoughts at #ArtsReview: artsreview.com.au/boojum/
Boojum! | Australian Arts Review
Paul Selar takes a look at Victorian Opera's production of Boojum! - currently playing at Hemstritch Studio - Horti Hall, Melbourne, until 23 November 2025
artsreview.com.au
November 10, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Under @VictorianOpera AD Stuart Maunder’s lively direction of Martin & Peter Wesley-Smith’s Boojum!, the cast’s enthusiasm carry the evening, even when the path through Lewis Carroll’s bizarre wonderland grows a little muddled. My thoughts at #ArtsReview: artsreview.com.au/boojum/
#VictorianOpera #PalaisTheatre Galileo (Richard Mills). A concert performance, the static format did it no service but the performers absolutely shone: Samuel Dundas, Stacey Alleaume, Shanul Sharma, etc, the huge orchestra under the composer magnificent with the very inventive score ~slide whistles🤨
January 3, 2024 at 1:02 AM
#VictorianOpera #PalaisTheatre Galileo (Richard Mills). A concert performance, the static format did it no service but the performers absolutely shone: Samuel Dundas, Stacey Alleaume, Shanul Sharma, etc, the huge orchestra under the composer magnificent with the very inventive score ~slide whistles🤨