Victorian Opera 2015 Regional Tour
Remembrance
A moving tribute to the ANZAC spirit in story, song and image. Written and directed by acclaimed Australian
author Rodney Hall, Remembrance spans six chapters – enlistment, embarkation, training, landing, trench
warfare and homecoming. Nine performers create a series of moving musical portraits against the backdrop
of archival footage, accompanied by a chamber orchestra and community choir.
Composer – Richard Mills
Librettist – Rodney Hall
Concept & Direction – Rodney Hall
Video Compilation & Lighting Design – Peter Darby
Projection Design – David McKinnon CVP
The project
The popular songs of WWI will become windows through which Victorian Opera will reveal moments of the
Australian encounter with the old world, through war, suffering and death. Remembrance will be arranged
by composer Richard Mills with poetic text written by Rodney Hall linking archival material sourced from
State Library of Victoria, Knox/Baillieu Family Archive, Australian War Memorial and Australian National
Library. Featuring 10 characters (4 women and 6 men), the events will be told through a War
Correspondent’s bulletin (main storyteller performed by David Hobson) and the work will be performed in
six acts.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Enlistment (Australia)
Embarkation (the Journey)
Training (Egypt)
Landing (Gallipoli)
Trench Warfare (Somme)
Homecoming (Australia)
Archival images and footage will be weaved throughout, creating a work that speaks to all generations. This
project aims to create a work constructed from firsthand accounts, official communiques and other material
that provides glimpses into the political and cultural milieu during the First World War. The work will be staged
in a concert-style performance of approximately 90 minutes, enabling the songs, words and vision to convey
stories and set the scene.
Community
Remembrance is a work that will be created to engage audiences in participatory ways – a combined
community group will form the chorus, with this score written and arranged by Richard Mills. Richard will also
devise sections of the performance for audience sing-alongs, with some of the songs likely to be familiar to
particular generations of audience members.
Up to 100 choristers will be invited to participate depending on each venue’s technical restrictions.
A Victorian Opera specialist will rehearse twice with the choristers, as well as provide training to a local choir
director. This director will then continue to rehearse with the local group in between visits and the
performance.
Additionally, Remembrance will tour to five regional locations across Victoria and engage with local community
choirs from each town.
MELBOURNE CHOIR
Participating choirs
TBC
Number of choir participants
Up to 100
Costume
Chorus members will be required to wear all black.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals will be held in Melbourne, location TBC.
Performances
The performance will be held at Hamer Hall, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne.
REHEARSALS
Rehearsal 1: TBC w/b 4th May or w/b 11th May
Rehearsal 2: TBC (June)
Rehearsal 3: TBC w/b 6th July
FINAL REHEARSAL & PERFORMANCE
Rehearsal: TBC
Performance: Thursday 13 August
7.30PM
For further information, please contact:
VICTORIAN OPERA
Erica Rasmussen
Engagement Officer
Ph: (03) 9012 6652
[email protected]
PERFORMANCE