Home

Albany Traviata no trivial matter

Will YeomanThe West Australian
Soprano Jenna Robertson and baritone Jose Carbo will star in a concert performance of Verdi’s opera La Traviata at the Albany Entertainment Centre.
Camera IconSoprano Jenna Robertson and baritone Jose Carbo will star in a concert performance of Verdi’s opera La Traviata at the Albany Entertainment Centre. Credit: Supplied

90 musicians on stage in a concert performance, in Italian with English surtitles, of one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most beloved operas. Albany Entertainment Centre won’t have seen or heard anything like it.

La Traviata tells the story of a beautiful courtesan, Violetta, who falls in love with a respectable gentleman but withdraws so the reputation of his family is not ruined. When eventually the lovers are reunited, Violetta is dying of tuberculosis.

While it’s more tragedy than comedy, La Traviata contains some of the most soaringly beautiful music in all opera.

And for one night only, on Saturday September 18, Albany Entertainment Centre’s Princess Royal Theatre will see internationally-acclaimed opera singers Jenna Robertson, Jose Carbo, Paul O’Neill and Brigitte Heuser join forces with the Albany Chamber Orchestra and Albany Choral Society to bring La Traviata to life.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“The Great Southern of WA has one of the most concentrated regional pools of talented musicians and singers in Australia,” says Jenna, who is producing and curating the performance. “It’s exciting to be able to showcase the Great Southern’s talent on this scale through opera, as well as being able to bring some of Australia’s best singers to the community.”

Jenna Robertson in an Opera New England production of La Traviata at the TAS Hoskins Centre, Armidale, NSW in 2016.
Camera IconJenna Robertson in an Opera New England production of La Traviata at the TAS Hoskins Centre, Armidale, NSW in 2016. Credit: Terry Cooke/Supplied

Albany conductor Neville Talbot makes his professional opera debut with La Traviata. Neville was the recipient of a Regional Conductor Mentoring program, which included one-on-one mentoring with West Australian Opera and international conductor Vanessa Scammell.

“Whilst I’ve extensive experience as a performer and conductor, I (was) yet to conduct a full operatic score,” he says. “I am excited about the personal professional development through experience. My growth from this project will ultimately also assist me in training and mentoring other developing conductors in the region.”

This will be the first time the 64-voice Albany Choral Society and 15-piece Albany Chamber Orchestra have worked on an opera of this scale.

Principal double bassist and Orchestra Manager, Margaret Williams says it’s a rare opportunity.

“There are few opportunities in our regional area for advanced musicians to be able to perform in a concert of this standard and scale. There is tangible excitement within the orchestra about La Traviata. The impact of our growth extends across the community through our students as most of the members of our orchestra are music teachers.”

Tickets are $20-$49 and can be purchased at the Albany Entertainment Centre Box Office in person, on the phone 9844 5005 or at albanyentertainment.com.au

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails