Pinchgut Opera's pre-opera podcast, hosted by Genevieve Lang, with very special guests Pinchgut Opera Artistic Director Erin Helyard, and Director Constantine Costi.

Witty, beautiful and psychologically fascinating, Orontea is set in a heightened contemporary world somewhere between Egypt and Las Vegas. The story centres around a love octagon, where decadence, pleasure and power fuel our colourful cast of grandiose and joyful characters as they pursue their personal passions above all else.

When it premiered at Innsbruck in February 1656, Orontea became one of the most successful operas of the entire century, deftly combining Cesti’s melodic inventiveness with Cicognini’s clever and comic libretto. 

With Pinchgut’s imaginative staging and musical assurance, Orontea is guaranteed to amuse and delight our audiences of today, just as it did then.

Orontea

Pre-performance podcast - Orontea

Pinchgut Opera’s pre-concert podcast with Genevieve Lang and Pinchgut Opera Artistic Director, Erin Helyard.

Passion, divinity, transcendence: Pinchgut Opera presents its first concert of the season, Membra Jesu Nostri by Buxtehude. A cycle of seven cantatas composed by German composer Dieterich Buxtehude in 1680. The music is loving: pure, balanced and deeply expressive, demonstrating an extraordinary attention to unity of conception.

Pinchgut’s presentation of this astonishing work brings together a stellar chorus of soloists, including Alexandra Oomens and Lauren Lodge- Campbell, who both return to Australia after performances throughout Europe with some of the world’s eminent Baroque ensembles, along with the sublime sounds of Andrew O’Connor, Hannah Fraser and Louis Hurley. Joining them will be a specially selected group of expert players of the Orchestra of the Antipodes, led by Erin Helyard.

This is sacred, meditative music of the highest order and beauty, presented with all the intimacy, emotion and power that inspired its creation over 300 years ago.

Membra Jesu Nostri Pre-Concert

Pre-performance podcast - Membra Jesu Nostri

Host Genevieve Lang is joined by Pinchgut's Artistic Director Erin Helyard and director Dean Bryant to discuss the much anticipated Australian premiere of the opera Giustino by Legrenzi.

A forgotten triumph of Venetian opera, Giustino is a fast-paced, kaleidoscopic and fanciful opera packed with arias and old-fashioned wonder that will leave you stamping your feet for more.

A classic rags-to-riches story of the shepherd Giustino who, through a series of adventures and magical interventions, ultimately becomes the Emperor of Rome. Treacherous journeys on the high seas, siblings embroiled in swashbuckling battles and  star-crossed lovers set the scene in Legrenzi’s spectacular operatic setting.

After the successes of The Loves of Apollo and Dafne by Cavalli (2021) and Orontea by Cesti (2022), Pinchgut now shines a light on the brilliant composer and grandfather of the da capo aria, Giovanni Legrenzi, who was considered the Puccini of the late 17thcentury. While Legrenzi’s operatic output was small, he was praised for “exceeding the expectations of many in cultivating charm and delight”, and Giustino is one of his great successes.
With over 70 short arias, Giustino is a truly dynamic and effervescent opera, showcasing Legrenzi’s ability to spin an unending melodic thread, and convey the nuance, mood and shifts in his characters.

Pre-performance podcast - Giustino

Baroque Banter 11: French Imports. In this Baroque Banter Erin Helyard talks about the influence of Italian music and musicians in France in the seventeenth century. He talks about opera, dances, chaconnes, passacaglias and the multicultural mix that makes Baroque music so special. Excerpts by Erin on harpsichord.

Baroque Banter Episode 11 - French Imports

In this pre-performance podcast,  host Genevieve Lang sits down with Conductor Erin Helyard to chat about the upcoming September performance of Pleasures of Versailles by Charpentier. They discuss the tiny operas that were enjoyed by Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles.  Step inside the courtly chambers and learn about the entertainment that was fit for a king.

Pre-performance podcast - Pleasures of Versailles

Host Keiren Brandt-Sawdy chats with conductor Erin Helyard and director Louisa Muller about one of the most beloved works in the Baroque repertoire.
Discover fresh insight into Pinchgut's first staging of a Handel opera, with Rinaldo. 

Get ready to be swept away by the magic and adventure when you witness this towering masterpiece of music and drama on stage at City Recital Hall this November.

Pre-performance podcast - Rinaldo

Host Keiren Brandt-Sawdy chats with Artistic Director and Erin Helyard about Theodora. Delve deep into Handel's oratorio and gain insight our performance at the Sydney Opera House in partnership with Opera Australia.

Pre-performance podcast - Theodora In Concert

Join award-winning writer and actress Kate Mulvany OAM and acclaimed director Lucy Clements as they discuss the new prologue for Pinchgut's new production of Dido and Aeneas. 
In the spirit of providing a backstory and context Kate has written us a new spoken-word prologue that helps us freshly understand Purcell’s original setting. Discover what it was like to create this piece.

Episode 12: The new prologue for Dido and Aeneas

Early opera is like wine; it comes in a fascinating variety of different styles, genres, tastes and colours. Baroque Banter is Pinchgut Opera's new podcast series diving deep into the world of baroque music and offering a taste of all the varying aspects of early opera. Put on your tasting slippers, sit back and enjoy a nice full glass of music appreciation.

Pre-performance podcast - Orontea

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