Australia Ensemble 1
Written in exile in Switzerland, The Soldier’s Tale is Stravinsky’s musical farewell to Russia. To be ‘read, played and danced,’ a kaleidoscope of chorales, military marches and popular Western dance music (like ragtime), tells the story of the young soldier who sells his soul to the devil. The ensemble’s production of the piece is offset by a Trio from the doyen of Italian film composers, Nino Rota. A devotee of classical forms, Rota composed this spirited three-movement piece at the time of his great score for The Godfather.
The teenaged Shostakovich played piano in cinemas, sometimes going over the top, but developing an armoury of expressive techniques for later use. His First Piano Trio – the soundtrack to his own first romance – dates from this time and shows a gifted young composer in full control of expression and craft.
Like Stravinsky, Russian-Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin loves writing lively ragtime pieces including this recent, strikingly brilliant duo for clarinet and piano.
Imara Savage
DirectorImara Savage is a director and dramaturg with a cross disciplinary practice, working across opera, ballet, film, installation, theatre & performance art in both the Australian and international festival market and within State theatre companies.
Imara is the currently undertaking a creative residency with Sydney Chamber Opera focusing on the creation of new work alongside designer Elizabeth Gadsby, lighting designer/director Alexander Berlage and filmmaker Mike Daly. Imara was the resident director at Sydney Theatre Company between 2016-2018 and the Richard Wherret Fellow in 2014. She was the first Australian woman to have a premiere production of a new work in the Roslyn Packer Theatre with her acclaimed adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s SAINT JOAN. This production featured Sarah Snook in the title role and received multiple Helpmann nominations.
Michael Hankin
Set and Costume DesignerMichael Hankin is a multi-award-winning set designer working across theatre, opera, dance, film, and television. His operatic and dance credits include Il Trittico (Opera Australia), The Lighthouse and In the Penal Colony (Sydney Chamber Opera), 247 Days (Chunky Move/Malthouse Theatre), and You Animal You and Flock (Force Majeure). For theatre, he has designed extensively for major companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir St Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Bell Shakespeare, Melbourne Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, Brink Productions, and internationally for Barbican Centre and Manchester’s Home Theatre. His screen work includes serving as art director for Ireland’s 2020 Eurovision entry, challenge designer for Survivor Australia (Season 6), and weapons designer/co-ordinator for George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing. Michael trained at NIDA and later returned as an Associate Lecturer of Design.
Mitch Riley
ActorMitch Riley is a versatile artist, interpreting and devising works in opera, theatre, music and clowning. His performances have been critically acclaimed, often noting his “unique vocal timbre” and “astonishing physical abilities”.
Recent work includes Pierrot lunaire (Sydney Chamber Opera/Ensemble Offspring), Clouds still know our names (New Old Now dance company), Ruins (Clockfire Theatre) and Midnight Static (BackStage Music).
He is an artistic associate of Sydney Chamber Opera and has performed as a soloist in nearly twenty of the company’s productions.
Mitch studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (classical voice) and the Jacques Lecoq International Theatre School. He also trained extensively in clowning, puppetry and object theatre whilst living in France.