The Netley studio has been a very successful venue for State Opera, which has staged numerous small-scale or alternative operas to great acclaim and offered an opportunity for new opera singers to showcase their talents.

Director David Lampard used the Netley studio cleverly and elegantly for  his staging of selected significant scenes from major operas in Sunday night’s Summer Showcase of Opera Scenes, and Daniela Taddeo moved the performers effectively in simple, appropriate choreography.

David Barnard accompanied each scene superbly on piano and masterfully conducted the small orchestra of budding musicians from the Adelaide Youth Orchestra and the Elder Conservatorium of Music.

The set consisted of two white French doors that were moved easily according to the requirements of each scene and the singers were dressed in black contemporary clothing.

The scenes were connected by the device of letters that were involved in the storylines, either as love letters, expressions of faith or legal documents, and red roses were used as symbols of love and death.

Although each of the the State Opera singers had their individual moments to shine or excel, they also worked closely as part of the ensemble and it was the total effect of the company that had such impact.

Naomi Hede, as Nanetta from Verdi’s Falstaff, was bright, lively, connected with the audience and set the standard for the afternoon.

Desiree Frahn conveyed tremendous depth of feeling and emotion in her portrayal of Tatyana from Eugene Onegin as she writes a letter exploring her love for Onegin: it was a compelling solo. Jeremy Tatchell then joined her as Onegin and the pair sang powerfully and emotionally.

Joshua Rowe and Deborah Johnson led the company as Il Conte and La Contessa in a scene from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and it was a stirring way to break for interval.

Desiree Frahn, Fiona McArdle and Sarah Pattichis created a very moving rendition of the lovers’ trio and duet from Der Rosenkavalier and Deborah Johnson provided us with another emotional experience when she sang as Suor Angelica, grieving for her dead son.

Joanna McWaters appeared in a blood-splattered white dress (which was stark and striking against the company’s black costumes) as Lucia in the mad scene from Lucia Di Lammermoor and her performance was outstanding: she sang the role brilliantly and found nuances and subtleties in her madness.

McWaters’ performance was complemented by Jennifer Bird’s beautiful flute playing which produced an absolutely chilling and memorable moment of musicality and humanity. It was a fitting scene to close the afternoon with the entire company involved and the State Opera voices hitting the heights and uplifting the spirits.

The audience’s resounding applause indicated how much they had enjoyed an afternoon of being up-close and intimate with a new generation of opera performers. There were no surtitles and so all eyes were firmly focused on the faces of the singers who played naturally and comfortably to an audience close enough to touch.

State Opera’s decision to showcase opera scenes is a winner: seasoned opera lovers can appreciate some of their most loved opera scenes and it is an opportunity to introduce newcomers to quality opera performance.

The James and Diana Ramsay Foundation Opera Program Summer Showcase of Opera Scenes was a one-off production held at the State Opera Netley studio. More information can be found here.