Curated and Produced by Jenna Robertson

Presented by OperaBox in association with Perth FRINGE WORLD Festival (2015) and Albany Entertainment Centre (2016)

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***Award Nominee, Theatre Category, Perth FRINGE WORLD Festival***

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Sun 25th Jan 2015, Darlington Hall, Darlington

Wed 28th & Sat 31st January 2015, St Hilda’s Performing Arts Centre, Mosman Park

Wed 4th February 2015, RNDM Performing Arts Centre, Sacred Heart College, Sorrento
Friday 15th April 2016 7.30pm & Sunday 17th April 2016 3pm, Albany Entertainment Centre, WA

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A thrilling story of power and desire, Anna Bolena portrays the heart-stopping final days of Queen Anne Boleyn, the infamous second wife of Henry VIII.  Director Sarah McKellar’s dynamic and relevant production explores the psychology of a Queen who lost power, identity and eventually her life when she lost the favour of the king. The opera takes place in a royal court rife with politics and fear. Everybody is a spy, nobody feels safe. They turn on each other. People are beheaded. This is the Game of Thrones of the Tudor period.  Due to the success of Showtime’s TV series The Tudors, Anna Bolena now has a place in the repertory of opera houses all over the world but had never been performed in Western Australia and had not been performed in Australia since 1875. 

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Christopher Dragon, one of Australia’s most exciting young conductors brought Donizetti’s dramatic and melodic score to life alongside one of Australia’s most outstanding and popular tenors Henry Choo. Henry will perform with a cast of Perth opera singers Jenna Robertson, Michael Heap, Eva-Marie Middleton, Thomas Friberg, Courtney Pitman and Simon Wood, a chorus and a stunning 35-piece orchestra.

 

Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

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Conductor and Musical Director - Christopher Dragon
Director - Sarah May McKellar
Assistant Director - Claire Thomas
Set Designer - Blair Parkinson - Artist
Costume Design - Merri Ford
Hair Design - Maddy Connellan
Lighting Design - Beth Ewell
Chorus Master - Nola Formentin
Advisor - Jolanta Nagajek

 

Anna Bolena (Anne Boleyn) - Jenna Robertson - Soprano
Enrico VIII (Henry VIII) - Michael Heap

Lord Riccardo Percy - Henry Choo - Tenor
Giovanna Seymour (Jane Seymour) - Eva-Marie Middleton
Smeton (Mark Smeaton) - Courtney Pitman
Lord Rocheford (George Boleyn) - Thomas Friberg
Hervey/Chorus - Simon Wood
Chorus - Sonni Byrne Dinali David Elsie Gangemi Emma Taylor Mariano Petrone Robin Fletcher Andrew Shugg

 

and the OperaBox Orchestra.

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Anna Bolena was made possible by the support of Gold Sponsor Jillian Stuart, and sponsors Diana Warnock, Chevron Australia, David Academy of Performing Arts, Esteban's on Whatley, OperaBox Orchestra, Tony Formentin, Christian Milburn, Martin & Cherie Iles, Tracey Hassell, Stephanie Parkinson, and all our anonymous donors.

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“Soprano Jenna Robertson (Boleyn) turned in a moving, often powerfully understated performance, negotiating the musical and dramatic demands of the score with great finesse. The other real standout was Melbourne-based tenor Henry Choo, who brought a tragic eloquence to the role of Lord Richard Percy.”
The West Australian

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“Those of us privileged to be among the audience witnessed an exuberant and thoroughly professional production…The passion and vivacity of the company will continue to fascinate well after memories of some productions in Australia’s premier opera houses have faded.”
Darlington Review