Performance photo: Lisa Chanell Photography
Menotti - The Medium 2015
Composed by Gian Carlo Menotti in 1946, The Medium is a vivid portrayal of people struggling with trauma. The lives of Madame Flora, her daughter Monica, and her mute servant Toby, are all captive to the medium’s dark past, and Menotti illustrates life in their tiny apartment with a gripping exploration of violence, alcoholism and co-dependence.
Madame Flora’s three clients, struggling to come to terms with the untimely deaths of their children, seek comfort in seances, but even this measure fails them as Madame Flora’s mind unravels. This is opera at its most real and gripping, and Menotti’s score is a magnificent realisation of the minds of his characters, with some hauntingly beautiful arias, especially for the young and idealistic Monica, sung by Zoe Drummond.
Set in the Dining Room of the historic Experiment Farm Cottage, Harris Park, our production incorporated existing furnishings augmented by a minimal set to recreate Madame Flora’s salon.
In such an intimate space, the audience were as much a part of the opera as the cast.
Initially programmed for 4 performances with seats limited to 20 per performance. Due to audience demand, we added a 5th performance. All performances sold out.
Cast:
Madame Flora: Hester Hannah
Monica: Zoe Drummond
Toby: Gerard O’Dwyer
Mrs Gobineau: Jessica Harper
Mr Gobineau: Paul Smith
Mrs Nolan: Laura King
Music Director: Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith
Pianist: Gareth Chan
Director: Sharna Galvin
Production Manager: Melanie Penicka-Smith
Stage Manager: Lisa Chanell
We gratefully acknowledge the support of St Andrew's College and Friends of Old Government House & the National Trust
Madame Flora’s three clients, struggling to come to terms with the untimely deaths of their children, seek comfort in seances, but even this measure fails them as Madame Flora’s mind unravels. This is opera at its most real and gripping, and Menotti’s score is a magnificent realisation of the minds of his characters, with some hauntingly beautiful arias, especially for the young and idealistic Monica, sung by Zoe Drummond.
Set in the Dining Room of the historic Experiment Farm Cottage, Harris Park, our production incorporated existing furnishings augmented by a minimal set to recreate Madame Flora’s salon.
In such an intimate space, the audience were as much a part of the opera as the cast.
Initially programmed for 4 performances with seats limited to 20 per performance. Due to audience demand, we added a 5th performance. All performances sold out.
Cast:
Madame Flora: Hester Hannah
Monica: Zoe Drummond
Toby: Gerard O’Dwyer
Mrs Gobineau: Jessica Harper
Mr Gobineau: Paul Smith
Mrs Nolan: Laura King
Music Director: Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith
Pianist: Gareth Chan
Director: Sharna Galvin
Production Manager: Melanie Penicka-Smith
Stage Manager: Lisa Chanell
We gratefully acknowledge the support of St Andrew's College and Friends of Old Government House & the National Trust