Ancient legends come alive in WA Opera’s 2024 season when Noongar and Western traditions share a stage

A new Noongar opera, Baroque in the Ballroom and a rich Romantic favourite are highlights of the WA Opera program for season 2024, which also marks the 120th anniversary of His Majesty’s Theatre.

Composing-performing duo Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse return to the fertile landscape of Noongar storytelling for Wundig wer Wilura, an ancient tale of star-crossed lovers banished separately to Wongborel (Mt Brown) and Walwalling (Mt Bakewell) in the Wheatbelt.

The premiere opening Perth Festival reunites director Matt Reuben James Ward with conductor Aaron Wyatt and singer Jarred Wall from the 2021 premiere of Williams and Ghouse’s Koolbardi wer Wardong, and co-stars Jess Hitchcock as Wilura to Wall’s Wundig.

“Opera, at its heart, is great storytelling through music,” WA Opera artistic director Chris van Tuinen said. “And what speaks better to the human condition than a story shared, enjoyed, reflected on, and cherished?

“It’s this love of connection, of coming together through great art that drives us at West Australian Opera to explore the repertoire, commission new works, travel to the corners of the State and deliver performances of the highest standard.”

Van Tuinen acknowledged the impact of COVID and subsequent shocks across the economy.

“Opera companies are just as challenged by rising construction, staffing and logistics costs,” he said. “As an example, our freight costs have risen 30 per cent over the last two years making it more difficult to tour productions. All of which has happened in an environment of historically level government support.

“The upside is that WAO’s focus on developing and maximising local talent helps us make the most of the extraordinary artists in WA and we’ve seen audiences respond to the program, meaning we’ve exceeded both our audience and philanthropic targets in recent years.

“We look forward to seeing our audiences and supporters in celebrating the diversity of the 2024 program across the year.”

Also for the Festival, WA Opera Chorus features in Sir Jonathan Mills’ opera Eucalyptus with WA Symphony Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall, based on the Murray Bail novel.

Government House Ballroom puts on the Ritz in May for a long-table dinner presentation of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, with Ashlyn Tymms (Carmen) and Lachlann Lawton (La boheme) in the title roles drawing on the classical Western legend of Carthage and Troy.

It’s a return to a format successfully executed in 2022’s The Duel at the same venue with the same director, Humphrey Bower, again featuring Lawton and UWA Conservatorium singers and musicians.

The Baroque theme continues through the year in regular collaborations between WA Opera and Perth-based Australian Baroque ensemble at WA Museum Boorla Boodip’s Hackett Hall.

Romance is in the air in July for Antonin Dvorak’s Rusalka, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and showcasing the much-recorded aria, Song to the Moon.

Rusalka reunites globe-trotting soprano Elena Perroni in the title role with tenor Paul O’Neill as the Prince — co-stars of Ward and WA Opera’s recent La boheme — and brings back Naomi Johns (Desdemona in Otello) as the Foreign Princess, under Van Tuinen’s baton.

This Opera Conference production is directed by Sarah Giles, who helmed WA Opera’s La traviata last year, with set by Charles Davis (La traviata, La boheme) and lighting by Paul Jackson (La traviata).

At the back end of the year, another ancient legend inspires the Circa production of Orpheus and Eurydice, starring contra-tenor Russell Harcourt and soprano Prudence Sanders in the title roles, again under Van Tuinen’s baton.

Sanders, like many WA Opera principals, is a home-grown artist (Into the Woods, Cosi, Marriage of Figaro), while Harcourt is a much-travelled Baroque star who made his opera debut with WAAPA in 2007 en route to the Royal Opera House three years later.

WA Opera continues nurturing local talent through its Wesfarmers Young Artists program, next year featuring soprano Jessica Blunt, mezzo Ruth Burke, and baritones Benjamin Del Borello, Kohsei Gilkes and Brett Peart.

Many now singing major roles came through this productive pathway.

“We are uniquely and proudly Western Australian and we bring audiences and artists together to celebrate sung stories that are relevant to our people, time, and places,” executive director Carolyn Chard said.

“We share the joy of music through opera and the powerful stories opera tells.

“We are proud to be resident in His Majesty’s Theatre and we acknowledge this beautiful theatre’s milestone birthday turning 120 in 2024.”

Subscriptions go on sale at 9am today with single tickets available from December 22. www.waopera.asn.au