Joint venture by opera groups

Press, 22 November 1989, Page 24

Joint venture by opera groups

By

ANABRIGHT HAY

The Friends of the Canterbury Opera and Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Opera Society have jointly organised a special concert entitled “An Evening in Paris.” The concert on Friday, November 24, features arias and ensembles from the French repertoire with the tenor Christopher Doig as the special guest. This joint effort could be the first of a number of concerts organised by these two Christchurch opera fostering groups. The former Canterbury Opera Foundation has now become the Friends of the Canterbury Opera, a support group for the Canterbury Opera. Canterbury Opera present several operas in Christchurch each year and most recently staged Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” at the Theatre Royal.

The New Zealand Opera Society is a national organisation aimed at fostering opera in New Zealand. It produces “Opera News,” supports national and regional opera interests,

releases recordings, and grants singing scholarships. Its branches present concerts, recitals and video viewings.

A committee member of both groups, Ursula Ryan, says the society’s committee members have been concerned about lack of support for the society’s Christchurch concerts.

She believes combining the resources of the Friends and the society in Christchurch to organise concerts may ensure that invited singers can perform in front of larger audiences.

“There is so much going on in Christchurch and neither group has huge resouces,” she says. The possibility of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Opera Society merging totally with the Friends of the Canterbury Opera is also being discussed. Ursula Ryan does not see either group being in conflict and says both aim to encourage opera, which is an enormously expensive art form to produce.

She acknowledges that the society has a wider national role and : Says many branch members stated in a recent question aire that they enjoy receiving “Opera News” and it is the main reason for belonging to the society.

These society aims and advantages would not be lost if the two groups moved closer together in Christchurch, she believes. “Maybe there is a middle road where the society promotes fewer concerts and takes a more active role in support for Canterbury Opera.” Friday’s concert is being held in the Methodist Church, Rugby Street, in Merivale.