Australian Major Performing Arts Group

Transcription

1 Australian Major Performing Arts Group AMPAG MEMBERS COMPANY PROFILES May P a g e

2 NATIONAL AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, led by Artistic Director Paul Dyer, celebrates the music of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with excellence, flair and joy. Comprising leading specialists from all over Australia, the Brandenburg performs using original edition scores and instruments of the period, breathing fresh life and vitality into baroque and classical masterpieces. Since it began in 1989 the Brandenburg has presented scores of sold out concerts to enthusiastic audiences all over Australia, undertaken international tours, made 20 recordings (including 5 ARIA Award winners for Best Classical Album in Australia), achieved consistently excellent reviews, received the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Group Award in 2015 and the Helpmann Award for Best Chamber Concert in Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Image by Justin Ridler. AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA At the ACO s core is a string orchestra of leading musicians of Australia, supported by a cohort of outstanding international guests and a growing company of artists at the start of their careers. The ACO s versatility and adaptability enable it to perform repertoire from six centuries, playing instruments from the baroque period through to electronics, and to collaborate with an extraordinary range of artists from many disciplines. The ACO is Australia s only national orchestra, presenting a subscription series in eight major cities around the country and reaching regional audiences in every state and territory. It consistently receives rave reviews internationally and frequent return invitations to perform on all of the great stages of the musical world including Vienna s Musikverein, Amsterdam s Concertgebouw, London s Southbank Centre and New York s Carnegie Hall. Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Image by Justin Ridler. BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE Bangarra is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation and one of Australia s leading performing arts companies, widely acclaimed nationally and around the world for its powerful dancing, distinctive theatrical voice and unique soundscapes, music and design. Led by Artistic Director Stephen Page, it is now in its 28th year (having begun in 1989), but its dance technique is forged from over 40,000 years of culture, embodied with contemporary movement. The company s dancers are professionally trained, dynamic artists who represent the pinnacle of Australian dance. Each has a proud Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, from various locations across the country. Bangarra Dance Ensemble - Nyapanyapa, OUR land people stories Image by Vishal Pandey 2 P a g e

3 BELL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY Bell Shakespeare is Australia s national theatre company specialising in Shakespeare and the classics. Founded in 1990 by John Bell, one of Australia s most acclaimed theatre creators and directors, Bell Shakespeare has grown to become a national company of significance with a history rich with legends of the stage. IIt established a creative development arm, Mind s Eye, which ensures artistic vibrancy, complementing its theatre, education and community programs characterised by unrivalled national reach and impact. Underscoring its achievements is a loyal and passionate audience that has transformed the company which began in a circus tent into a national icon. Bell Shakespeare - Othello Led by Artistic Director, Peter Evans, Bell Shakespeare uses universal insights of Shakespeare and other classic writers to bring inspiration and truth to people living in an uncertain world, enabling us to imagine and to transform, to picture a different world, to know that it can be one of our own making and to connect beauty and art with imagination at all ages. CIRCUS OZ Circus Oz is a legendary, world-famous, globe-roving icon. Formed in 1978, the company is Australia's anarchic pioneer of contemporary circus. From 42nd Street, New York to remote Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, the company has taken its critically acclaimed selfcrafted performances to 27 countries across five continents. With new Artistic Director Rob Tannion taking the helm in 2016, the company sidesaults into exciting new creative territory with his visually dynamic directorial style and choreographic eye entwined within theme-based, narratively driven shows. The multi-talented ensemble shares the limelight in an exuberant celebration that swings precariously between the sublime and the ridiculous. Circus Oz Model Citizens. MUSICA VIVA Musica Viva is the largest presenter of chamber music in the world, a truly national company with offices in every Australian state and territory, directly reaching approximately 360,000 people every year. Musica Viva s story began in 1945 as a chamber music organisation focused on just one ensemble. Over the years it has evolved to embrace ensemble music of all styles and genres, presenting leading Australian and international artists to concert audiences and school students across the country. Today, its activities embrace digital technologies to reach an even wider audience, and are at the forefront of artist development inspiring musicians and audiences alike in a shared passion for ensemble music of quality, diversity, challenge and joy. Musica Viva 3 P a g e

4 OPERA AUSTRALIA As the largest performing arts company in Australia, Opera Australia is a leader in developing and presenting new and existing operatic and musical works. It fosters a vibrant and sustainable cultural sector, commissioning new work at the forefront of artistic practice independently and in collaboration with other cultural innovators. Opera Australia encourages the development of young and emerging artists; fosters meaningful connections through community engagement programs with culturally and linguistically diverse communities; pioneers disability access programs; recognises the value and significance of Australia's Indigenous culture; and strives for equitable access to high calibre arts experiences for all Australians regardless of where they may live, in our capital cities, regional centres and remote communities nationally. Each year, Opera Australia reaches more than half a million people, including students across New South Wales and Victoria. It is also committed to increasing the means for people to experience opera, through recordings and broadcast, online, on-screen and in real-time (live simulcast). Opera Australia La Traviata THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET The Australian Ballet exists to inspire, delight and challenge audiences through the power of its performances. It is one of the world s premier ballet companies and has delivered extraordinary performances for over 50 years. A commitment to artistic excellence, a spirited style and a willingness to take risks have defined the company from its earliest days. The company regularly represents Australia on the world stage and has performed to critical acclaim in 87 cities worldwide including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, London and Paris. The Australian Ballet presents more than 250 shows and 1,700 education and audience engagement events each year. In addition to 80 exceptional dancers, The Australian Ballet employs master craftspeople and leaders in injury prevention, dance education, marketing and philanthropy as well as an orchestra of 62 musicians (Orchestra Victoria). Moving effortlessly between the great classical ballets and new commissions, the company has a uniquely Australian style, powered by artistry and athleticism. BELVOIR NEW SOUTH WALES In 1984 more than 600 ardent theatre-lovers together with arts, entertainment and media professionals formed a syndicate to buy the former Nimrod Theatre building which was to become 'the city's most exciting and beloved theatre' (Sydney Morning Herald), known today as Belvoir. Thirty years later, under the artistic leadership of Eamon Flack, Belvoir engages Australia's most prominent and promising playwrights, directors, actors and designers to realise an annual season of work that is dynamic, challenging and visionary. As well as performing at home, Belvoir regularly takes to the road, touring both nationally and internationally. Recent accolades include the 2015 Helpmann Award for Best Play for The Glass Menagerie and Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Mainstage Production for Ivanov. Belvoir Building landscape by Helen Corteze 4 P a g e

5 SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY Sydney Dance Company is a legendary force in contemporary dance, touring globally under the artistic direction of Helpmann Award-winning Rafael Bonachela. It has led the way in creating a new era in Australian contemporary dance, commissioning some of the world s most in- demand choreographers. The company also runs one of the largest dance schools in Australia with 70,000 students developing their skills with Sydney Dance Company each year. It also reaches over 7000 students and teachers through their nationwide education program that offers a strategic curriculum targeting primary and secondary students through to career-focused study for pre-professional dancers and university graduates. Sydney Dance Company image by Peter Grieg SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Founded in 1932 by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra has evolved into one of the world s finest orchestras. Resident at the Sydney Opera House, the SSO also tours NSW and internationally, and is one of the premier orchestras of the Asia Pacific region. The SSO s performances encompass masterpieces from the classical repertoire, music by some of the finest living composers, festival events, and collaborations with artists and ensembles from all genres, reflecting the orchestra s versatility and diverse appeal. The SSO s first Chief Conductor was Sir Eugene Goossens, appointed in He was followed by Nicolai Malko, Dean Dixon, Moshe Atzmon, Willem van Otterloo, Louis Frémaux, Sir Charles Mackerras, Zdenek Mácal, Stuart Challender, Edo de Waart and Gianluigi Gelmetti. Vladimir Ashkenazy was appointed Principal Conductor in 2009, and David Robertson took up the post of Chief Conductor in Sydney Symphony Orchestra image by Keith Saunders SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY Sydney Theatre Company is Australia's largest theatre company and the state theatre company of NSW. Recognised as one of the world s most exciting and original theatre companies, STC presents an annual season of 16 productions seen by over 300,000 people across its harbourside venues, The Wharf and Roslyn Packer Theatre in Walsh Bay, and Sydney Opera House, as its resident theatre company. STC strives to create theatre experiences that reflect Sydney s distinctive personality, and has a proud heritage as a creative hub and incubator for Australian theatre and theatre-makers, developing and producing eclectic Australian works, interpretations of classics and great international writing. The theatre careers of many of Australia's internationally renowned artists have been launched and fostered at STC, including Benedict Andrews, Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Toni Collette, Judy Davis, Mel Gibson, Richard Roxburgh, Geoffrey Rush and Hugo Weaving. Sydney Theatre Company Macbeth Photo Brett Boardman 5 P a g e

6 QUEENSLAND OPERA QUEENSLAND Opera Queensland s vision is of a boundless landscape of opera experiences that explore the richness, expanse and diversity of both the operatic art form and Queensland itself. Its mission is to reflect, celebrate and enrich life in our communities. OperaQ serves metropolitan Brisbane and regional/remote Queensland through the development and presentation of opera projects that embody its core values of excellence, community and adventure. Three intersecting spheres of engagement are central to achieving our goals: In a range of theatres and venues across metropolitan Brisbane we present grand opera of excellence and bold creative adventures. We tour extensively throughout regional Queensland, creating unique and innovative opportunities for regional artists and audiences to experience opera. OperaQ s Open Stage program creates first-rate education and community engagement programs for all ages. Opera Queensland Barber of Seville 2016 Image by Stephen Henrysmalld QUEENSLAND BALLET Queensland Ballet is a vibrant, creative company connecting people and dance. It offers a program of world-class productions of the best classical ballets and inspired contemporary dance works. The company engages renowned choreographers and designers from around the world and nurtures emerging local talent by presenting exciting new works. With a culture of creativity and collaboration, complemented by an active program of engagement with our communities, Queensland Ballet has become the central hub for dance in the state. Its dancers are acclaimed for their technical excellence and versatility, and the company s annual program offers diversity in style, audience focus and geographic reach, with up to 100 performances in Brisbane and tours. Queensland Ballet Credit Dancer Laura Hidalgo, Photo by Harold David QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA As an arts leader and great Australian orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra is renowned for its high quality performances of both classical and modern compositions that engage audiences of diverse musical tastes, interests and ages. The largest performing arts company in Queensland and the state s only professional symphony orchestra, QSO plays a vital role in Queensland s cultural community, educating, mentoring aspiring performers, touring regional centres, broadcasting, and performing with state, national and international ballet and opera companies. Each year QSO attracts the world s best conductors and soloists as part of its acclaimed concert season, in addition to presenting unique blockbuster events. QSO is passionate about commissioning innovative new programs and Australian works and continues to invest in collaborations, recordings and digital initiatives. 6 P a g e

7 QUEENSLAND THEATRE Queensland Theatre is Australia s third largest theatre company. Formed in 1970 it has been creating collective experiences that change lives. It presents an annual season of classics and contemporary international and Australian work. It is a Queensland leader in the presentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre, education and youth programs, regional engagement, touring and the development of new artists and new stories. VICTORIA MALTHOUSE THEATRE Malthouse Theatre collaborates with local and international artists to create inventive performances that cut to the core of the human experience. Theatre has the power to interrogate, disrupt and to be an agent of change and always should. The work Malthouse Theatre produces explores the world personally, socially and politically. Based in a dedicated venue, The Coopers Malthouse in Melbourne, Malthouse is a home for live experiences that entertain and provoke a dialogue with and within audiences. MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was established in 1906 and is Australia s oldest orchestra. It currently performs live to more than 250,000 people annually, in concerts ranging from subscription performances at its home, Hamer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne, to its annual free concerts at Melbourne s largest outdoor venue, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The orchestra also delivers innovative and engaging education and outreach programs to audiences of all ages. Sir Andrew Davis gave his inaugural concerts as the MSO s Chief Conductor in 2013, having made his debut with the orchestra in Highlights of his tenure have included collaborations with artists such as Bryn Terfel, Emanuel Ax, Truls Mork and Renee Fleming, and the orchestra s European Tour in 2014 which included appearances at the Edinburgh Festival, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival and Copenhagen s Tivoli Concert Hall. Further current and future highlights with Sir Andrew Davis include a complete cycle of the Mahler symphonies. The MSO also works with Associate Conductor Benjamin Northey and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus, as well as with such eminent recent guest conductors as Thomas Ades, John Adams, Tan Dun, Charles Dutoit, Jakub Hrůša, Mark Wigglesworth, Markus Stenz and Simone Young. 7 P a g e

8 MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY Melbourne Theatre Company is one of Australia s flagship performing arts companies and has been enriching lives through the storytelling power of the finest theatre imaginable for over 60 years. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Brett Sheehy AO and Executive Director Virginia Lovett, MTC produces classic and contemporary Australian and international theatre with style, passion and excellence to entertain, challenge and engage audiences. Melbourne Theatre Company Born Yesterday ORCHESTRA VICTORIA Orchestra Victoria inspires Victorians through great orchestral music. It is the proud performance partner of Australia s premier performing arts companies The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera and The Production Company. The orchestra was established in 1969 and now, in its fifth decade, it continues to deliver performances of artistic excellence. On 1 July 2014 Orchestra Victoria became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Australian Ballet. SOUTH AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Established in 1936 the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is South Australia s largest performing arts organisation with a reputation which continues to soar. Across its 80 year history, the ASO has played a major role in Adelaide s cultural and economic vibrancy. Delivering diverse and colourful programming with leading international and Australian musicians, the ASO presents more than 100 world-class performances to more than 100,000 concertgoers each season. This extends beyond the concert halls through the Learning program, directly reaching more than 14,000 children, the Out of the CBD series, regular broadcasts on ABC Classic FM plus numerous international tours and Festival performances. STATE OPERA OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA State Opera of South Australia is renowned for its rich artistic experiences, its staging of specialist music theatre art in Australia and its development of highly skilled home-grown artists. Each year, the State Opera presents at least three major operatic productions at various venues across Adelaide as well as many smaller productions in The Opera Studio and regionally. The company s vision is to be renowned nationally and internationally as the performing arts company that keeps opera relevant and exciting through a mix of traditional and non-traditional specialist repertoire, including events that attract cultural tourism to South Australia. State Opera of South Australia - Verdi Image by Darren Williams It presents, produces and conducts diverse operatic performances, including many Australian premieres, which promote theatrical arts and excite interest in the art form. 8 P a g e

9 STATE THEATRE COMPANY SOUTH AUSTRALIA The State Theatre Company South Australia is the state's flagship theatre company performing an annual season of classic and contemporary Australian and international theatre works to audiences of about 50,000 per year at its main performance home the Dunstan Playhouse in the Adelaide Festival Centre. The company is a major community and cultural resource for all South Australians and is vital to the artistic life of the state. With a busy slate of commissions, STCSA is committed to developing new Australian works. It also plays an important role in the national theatre scene, touring productions and providing employment and career development opportunities for South Australian artists and other theatre-workers. State Theatre Company of South Australia -The Ham Funeral Image by Shane Reid TASMANIA TASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has been at the forefront of concert life in Tasmania for more than six decades. Established in 1948 and declared a Tasmanian Icon in 1998, the TSO gives nearly 80 concerts annually including seasons in Hobart and Launceston, and appearances in Tasmanian regional centres. The TSO also collaborates with other Tasmanian arts organisations, including highly successful projects with the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Resident in Hobart s purpose-built Federation Concert Hall, the TSO has a full complement of 47 musicians. Marko Letonja is the orchestra s Chief Conductor and Artistic Director. For works that require choral forces, the TSO is joined by the TSO Chorus. With approximately 80 CDs in its catalogue, including 21 titles in the Australian Composer Series on ABC Classics and 14 in the Romantic Piano Concerto Series on the British label Hyperion, the TSO is known and heard nationally and internationally. In December 2016 and January 2017, the TSO gave a highly successful tour of China, performing nine concerts in seven cities, including Shanghai and Nanjing. WESTERN AUSTRALIA BLACK SWAN STATE THEATRE COMPANY Black Swan State Theatre Company is Western Australia s state theatre company, committed to creating exceptional theatre that nurtures Western Australian audiences and artists and promotes WA artists within the state, nationally and internationally. Since it began in 1991, Black Swan has earned both critical and popular acclaim for its world premiere productions and highly distinctive reinterpretations of international theatre classics all of which are infused with the unique culture of Western Australia. Its strength lies in artist development, encouraging access and engaging with the community. The company has seen enormous growth in building audiences, building capacity and establishing a benchmark for quality productions of scale in Western Australia. Future areas of core strategic focus include artist development, education and regional engagement. Black Swan State Theatre Company Nathaniel Dean, Sigrid Thornton. A Streetcar Named Desire. Image by Gary Marsh 9 P a g e

10 WEST AUSTRALIAN BALLET West Australian Ballet was formed in 1952 by Madame Kira Bousloff, formerly a Prima Ballerina with the Ballets Russes. The company is proud of its heritage as Australia s longest running ballet company. Artistic Director Aurélien Scannella s energy and commitment provides the driving-force for the company s innovative work and artistic acclaim. Based in the heritage-listed West Australian Ballet Centre, the company offers an extensive program of dance throughout the year including four major seasons in Perth, international touring, regional touring throughout Western Australia, choreographic workshops, a state-wide education program and other community activities. Classical ballet forms the foundation of the company s vocabulary, combined with a distinct contemporary outlook. WAB stages everything from full-length classical ballets and narrative ballets to contemporary works that encompass a variety of choreographic styles. West Australian Ballet Quarry Image by Robert Johnson WEST AUSTRALIAN OPERA The West Australia Opera is committed to the development, presentation and promotion of opera as an essential part of Australian cultural life. Established in 1967, the company presents operas drawn from the mainstream operatic repertoire and increasingly is involved in commissioning and developing new repertoire, forming new national and international partnerships. The company offers an annual subscription season of main stage productions as well as programs in regional Western Australia and a strong education program and ancillary activities, including concerts and community events in Western Australia. It presents three operas in His Majesty s Theatre each year as well as an Opera in the Park to about people in Supreme Court Gardens. In 2017 West Australian Opera celebrates its 50th Anniversary. WEST AUSTRALIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA West Australian Symphony Orchestra is Western Australia s largest and busiest performing arts organisation. With a reputation for excellence, engagement and innovation, WASO s resident company of full-time, professional musicians plays a central role in creating a culturally vibrant Western Australia. WASO s mission is to touch souls and enrich lives through music. Each year the orchestra entertains and inspires the people of Western Australia through its concert performances, regional tours, innovative education and community programs, and its artistic partnerships with West Australian Opera and West Australian Ballet. The orchestra is led by Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser Asher Fisch. The Israeli-born conductor is widely acclaimed for his command of the Romantic German repertoire and is a frequent guest at the world s great opera houses. Each year the orchestra performs over 175 concerts with some of the world s most talented conductors and soloists to an audience or more than 190,000. Principal Conductor Asher Fisch and West Australian Symphony Orchestra 10 P a g e

11 Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Orchestra Victoria Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Queensland Ballet Australian Chamber Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra Bangarra Dance Theatre Queensland Theatre Bell Shakespeare State Opera South Australia Belvoir State Theatre Company South Australia Black Swan State Theatre Company Sydney Dance Company Circus Oz Sydney Symphony Orchestra Malthouse Theatre Sydney Theatre Company Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Australian Ballet Melbourne Theatre Company Musica Viva Australia Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Western Australian Ballet Opera Australia West Australian Opera Queensland Opera West Australian Symphony Orchestra 11 P a g e