Auditions in Townsville for Opera Queensland chorus
Date published: 23 February 2016
Townsville residents will have the opportunity to perform alongside Queensland’s best singers in the upcoming Opera Queensland production The Barber of Seville.
Auditions for 30 chorus positions will be held on March 1 and 2 as part of Opera Queensland’s Project Rossini, providing performance and development opportunities for people in regional areas.
Successful Townsville chorus members will take part in a free development program over six weeks, honing their singing, dancing, stagecraft and Italian language skills and forming new friendships and creative networks, before taking centre stage at Townsville Civic Theatre on Wednesday, 17 August 2016.
OperaQ will work with Townsville chorus master Rachel Cairns, a rehearsal coordinator and Townsville City Council to ensure the highest standard of performance and personal development opportunities for local artists.
Six other communities - Mackay, Fraser Coast (Maryborough), Rockhampton, Toowoomba and for the first time Cairns and Gladstone - will also take part in Project Rossini.
Council’s Community and Culture Committee chair Cr Sue Blom said chorus members would star alongside professional singers with the support of an ensemble from Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
“This is a chance to take part in a professional touring production and council is pleased to be able to work with Opera Queensland to offer this exciting opportunity to residents,” Cr Blom said.
OperaQ artistic director Lindy Hume said this was a chance for Townsville residents to live out their stage dreams.
“We are calling out to anyone in Townsville to audition. Even if you have never performed in front of an audience before; if you love singing along to the radio or in the shower, then we want to hear from you,” she said.
OperaQ’s new production of The Barber of Seville is a co-production with Seattle Opera and New Zealand Opera.
It will show in Brisbane in July, before hitting the road across Queensland throughout August.
The production will be showing at Townsville Civic Theatre on August 17, with tickets now on sale at www.ticketshop.com.au or by phoning 4727 9797.
Project Rossini is an initiative of Opera Queensland and is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland’s Playing Queensland Fund and Townsville City Council.
To find out more about Townsville auditions visit operaq.com.au/whats-on/projectrossini/
