National Opera established by Arts Council
PA ~ Wellington Plans to reintroduce professional opera to New Zealand were announced yesterday by the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council.
An interim general manager and a planning manager have been appointed for the new company to be known as the National Opera of New Zealand.
Mr Justin Macdonnell, special projects manager for the Australian Opera and secretary of the Australian Opera Conference, has been appointed interim general manager of the National Opera. Mr Macdonnell was formerly administrator of the State Opera of South Australia. Under an agreement between the Arts Council and the Australian Opera he will supervise the establishment of the new company and prepare its two opening productions during 1979. The poistion of permanent general manager for the National Opera will be advertised later this year. The company will then be incorporated and placed under
the control of an independent board.
During the establishment period Mr Macdonnell will be responsible for both artistic policy and administrative matters ■ and will work Closely with the National Opera’s newly appointed planning manager, Mr Chris Blake, who was formerly secretary-manager of the Canterbury Orchestra. The company’s first productions will be Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” and Doni, zetti’s “Don Pasquale.” Anthony Besch, of the English National Opera, will direct “Cosi Fan Tutte.” Mr Macdonnel will direct “Don Pasquale” with Noel Mangin in the title role.
The musical director for both productions will be James Robertson, director of the London Opera Centre and a former conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The two operas Will be presented in a joint season in Auckland and Wellington during August, 1979. “Don Pasquale” will then be
toured to Christchurch and Dunedin. Preliminary plans are under way for the 1980 season which will open in Christchurch, it is hoped during the next Christchurch festival.
The Arts Council is negotiating for TVI to screen both operas later this year.
About 40 New Zealand singers and repetiteurs were auditioned last week by Mr Macdonnell and by Mr Donald Munro, dean of music at the University of Adelaide.
The Arts Council has passed on to the National Opera’s planning manager the names of about 70 other
'interested singers and repetiteurs. They will have the lopportunity to audition later ii the year. Commenting on these plans, the chairman of the Arts Council (Mr Hamish Keith) said that the arrangements made were the most practical means of implementing the recommendations of the council’s opera committee report. The council would monitor the re-es-tablishment of professional opera during 1979, but direct responsibility for opera would be assumed by the personnel appointed by the council.
National Opera established by Arts Council
Press, 20 February 1979, Page 2
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