Thursday, November 26, 2009

Remember the Fiat?



Love it or hate it, everyone remembers the plastic round window sporting the Oamaru Borough Council emblem on the Opera House pre-restoration.

When the Opera House was restored the decision was made to replace the plastic emblem with the original nine pane window design that we have now. However it was also recognised that although not very old the plastic window held social importance and should be retained.

The plastic window has been in storage and has now been mounted inside the atrium stairwell of the new south wing addition to the Opera House. Other old signage is to be installed in this area and didactic panels are being prepared to give information about the signs. As the window was mounted crocked in it original position we thought it appropriate and a little humorous to do the same in its new position.

If you have any information about the history of the window we would love to here from you.



Friday, November 20, 2009



Music Hall Selling Fast

Music Hall is selling fast but there are still tickets available.

A box office hit in 2006, The Star and Garter Players return to make the Opera House an old time Music Hall again. Audience sing-alongs, 30 authentic songs, plus a fruity melodrama, "The Devil Within". With a guest appearance by Dame Kate Harcourt, " My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen!" takes you back to the time when black-hearted villains (Boo!! Hiss!!) roamed the stage, threatening innocent maidens with a fate worse than death until, of course, they were finally foiled. (Bravo!! Hurrah!!). If merriment, music and a little bit of tearstained pathos is your idea of a jolly good show, then you should certainly book early for this jolly good show.

Monday, November 16, 2009


On Tuesday 1 December a very special production plays at the Opera House. Fresh from an acclaimed Sydney season, ‘mozart & ME’ is the life-story of Lorenzo Da Ponte, Mozart’s librettist.

This is a wonderful opportunity (opera-tunity?!) to see some real Opera in our Opera House. But this is more than just Opera and Lorenzo Da Ponte was much more than just a librettist!!! – he was a Jew who converted to Christianity, became a priest, was defrocked, played the violin in a Venetian brothel and who befriended Casanova! Da Ponte moved from country to country around Europe (often just in the nick of time..) and wrote the librettos for Mozart's Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro and Cosi Fan Tutte. This hilarious script will have you laughing aloud as well as enjoying the sumptuous music. Acclaimed Bass Damian Whiteley performs an amazing catalogue of Mozart/Da Ponte hits amongst many others (including Salieri, Martini, Martin y Soler, Paisiello). Nominated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as ‘Outstanding Newcomer’ Whiteley ,described by Australia’s Limelight Magazine as ‘Australia’s answer to Teddy Tahu Rhodes’, is rapidly carving out a stellar international career.Writer and director of ‘mozart and ME’, Melvyn Morrow has been acclaimed for his work with Australian Opera on updated lyrics for Gilbert and Sullivan performances at the Sydney Opera House, Mel also scripted the ABC simulcasts of the Sutherland-Horne-Bonynge Gala, A Masked Ball, and the ABC-Australian Opera Tribute to Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge. More recently he has achieved huge success as co-author of the Australian musical smash-hits ‘SHOUT!’ and ‘Dusty’ (to be staged in Dunedin in 2010).
We do hope you can join us for this exceptional performance. As one reviewer wrote of the Sydney production: ‘ …after seeing Damian Whiteley in Melvyn Morrow’s ‘mozart & ME’ we have deleted him from our list of successful singers and opened a GENIUS category!’