OUR SECOND JULY EVENT - ON SUNDAY 28 JULY 2024

 

Michael Scott-Mitchell & Nick Schlieper


12.00pm:
DVD - The Ring without words
Lorin Maazel/Berlin Philharmoniker

2.00pm:
On the 20th anniversary of the SOSA Ring,
a conversation with Michael Scott-Mitchell (set designer)
& Nick Schlieper (lighting designer)
about the 2004 Adelaide Ring
 
Venue:
The Goethe Institut, Event Hall (upstairs),
90 Ocean Street (cnr Jersey Road), Woollahra
 
 
 
Or pay at the door.
 

ABOUT MICHAEL SCOTT-MITCHELL (SET DESIGNER)
 

Michael Scott-Mitchell is one of Australia’s leading set designers and a prolific artist working across theatre, opera, dance, film, television, events and exhibition design within Australia and internationally. He has established himself as a formidable force within the arts, designing a raft of highly acclaimed productions and events across a broad spectrum of theatrical and architectural genres: drama, opera, musicals, dance, Olympic and National Ceremonies, restaurants, hotels, exhibitions, film and television. He is also a highly regarded educator, holding significant teaching and academic positions.

 

His collaboration with Elke Neidhardt (director), Nick Schlieper (lighting and associate set designer) and Steven Curtis (costumes) on the 2004 Adelaide Ring received worldwide acclaim and continues to be held in high regard as one of the landmark productions of Wagner’s epic work. A monumental design challenge requiring more than 20 set models; the process spanned 4 years and was a huge undertaking. The production received 11 Helpmann Awards in 2005, an unprecedented number for any production to date, with Michael being awarded Best Scenic Design.

 
 
ABOUT NICK SCHLIEPER (LIGHTING DESIGNER)
 

Nick Schlieper has designed for all of the major performing arts companies in Australia and works regularly in Europe and the USA. He is one of Australia’s most highly awarded designers having received six Sydney Critics Awards (two for set design and 4 for lighting design), six Melbourne Green Room Awards and 5 Helpmann Awards. He has lit many productions for Opera Australia and was lighting and associate set designer for the first Australian production of The Ring Cycle in Adelaide.

He has designed the lighting for over 100 shows at the Sydney Theatre Company. His international work includes productions for the Salzburg Festival, the Hamburg State Opera, the Bavarian State Opera and Royal Shakespeare Company, plus work for musical theatre on Broadway.

 

ABOUT THE DVD: THE RING WITHOUT WORDS - LORIN MAAZEL/BERLIN PHILHARMONIKER
 
A unique synthesis of orchestral music from Wagner’s Ring cycle. Arranged by Lorin Maazel, the work was designed to be free flowing (no breaks) and chronological, beginning with the first note of Rheingold and finishing with the last chord of Götterdämmerung. All the music is Wagner’s, and even the transitional material is drawn from the original scores. To convey the breadth and scope of the entire work, Maazel also excerpted material from each opera in proportion to the whole cycle. The result is a 75-minute symphonic journey through Wagner’s four great operas. With its huge orchestras, sprawling mythological plot, and intense musical drama, the Ring changed the world of music. Orchestrally, they are probably the most complex operas in history, and only the most intrepid of orchestras are up to the challenge. One of the world’s greatest ensembles, the Berlin Philharmonic, has built an unparalleled reputation in the music of Wagner and his contemporaries. This synthesis by conductor Lorin Maazel includes all the standard Ring orchestral excerpts such as Ride of the Valkyries and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey, as well as most of the leitmotifs known to exist in the score. The result is a unique and innovative symphonic suite (played without interruption) performed by one of the world’s most esteemed orchestras.

WAGNER SOCIETY EVENTS IN 2024

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COMING SOCIETY EVENTS IN 2024

updated 14 July
Sunday
28 July		 12.00pm: DVD - The Ring without words – Lorin Maazel   2.00pm: On the 20th anniversary of the SOSA Ring, conversation with production & set designer Michael Scott-Mitchell and lighting designer Nick Schlieper about the Adelaide Ring

Details

Tickets here

 Goethe Institut *
Sunday
18 August		 12.00pm: DVD - Lotte Lehmann Masterclass 2.00pm: Talk by Dr Anthony Ernst, Director of the Royal Danish Orchestra, on Die Walküre   Goethe Institut *
Sunday    29 September 12.30pm: DVD - Richard Strauss and his Heroines                                              2.00pm: Talk by WSSA President Geoffrey Seidel on Lola Montez   Goethe Institut *
Sunday    20 October 12.30pm: DVD - Ring highlights from Valencia – Zubin Mehta                 2.00pm: Talk by Robert Gay, teacher of music history courses and leader of international musical and cultural tours, on Cosima Wagner   Goethe Institut *
Sunday 
10 November

10.30am: WSNSW Symposium on Die Walküre - the continuing series on The Ring in the week of the SSO-Simone Young performances

   Goethe Institut *
Saturday 
16 November
TBC		  4.00pm: WSNSW reception for other Wagner Societies   TBC
Sunday 
1 December		 no DVD 2.00pm: Christmas concert and party   Goethe Institut *

 

PAST EVENTS IN 2024
Sunday
11 February		 12.50pm: DVD - 
SOH Opening Concert
 


2.00pm: A discussion of the Brisbane Ring, led by Helden bass-baritone Warwick Fyfe

 

Program

Photos

 Goethe Institut *
Wednesday
21 February		 8.00pm: German soprano Alexandra Steiner in conversation from Germany with Ross Whitelaw

Details

Photos

 via Zoom from Berlin
Sunday 
10 March		 12.30pm: DVD -
Erich Leinsdorf in rehearsal & performance		 2.00pm: A talk by Heldentenor Simon O’Neill covering his life with Wagner

Program

Photos

 Goethe Institut *
Wednesday
20 March		 7.00pm: A talk on Wagner in Britain by broadcaster Christopher Cook interviewed by Ross Whitelaw

Details

Photos

 via Zoom from England

Sunday  
21 April

POSTPONED

12.30pm: DVD - Weber’s Euryanthe (3 Acts) + discussion of production

POSTPONED

   Goethe Institut *
Sunday 
19 May		 2.00pm: Concert with soprano Valda Wilson, bass baritone Eugene Raggio and pianists Katherine Day & Thomas Johnson 
followed by Wagner’s birthday celebration

Program

Photos 1 & Photos 2

 Goethe Institut *
Sunday 
16 June		 12.00pm: Special Bloomsday live zoom at the Goethe Institut - American music critic & author Alex Ross talks from Los Angeles about Joyce and Wagner.

1.15pm: AGM [only financial members may vote]

2.00pm: DVD - Christian Thielemann My Richard Strauss   

Program

Zoom photos

AGM photos

 Goethe Institut *
Wednesday 26 June 12.00pm: Talk via zoom by Chairman, Wagner Society of Southern California, Dr John Mastrogiovanni on Parsifal: The Will and Redemption

Details

Photos

 Zoom
Sunday 
14 July		 12.00pm:  DVD - Richard Strauss Gala from Dresden  2.00pm: Conversation with award-winning Australian baritone Simon Meadows, exploring his career and experiences in the music industry.

Program

Photos

 Goethe Institut *

 

*Venues:

Goethe Institut
Event Hall (upstairs)
90 Ocean Street (cnr Jersey Road)
Woollahra NSW

St Columba Community Centre
53A Ocean Street (cnr Forth Street)
Woollahra NSW

 

WELCOME TO THE WAGNER SOCIETY IN NSW

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Our members are lovers of the music and operas of Richard Wagner and also support Wagnerian productions in Australia and emerging Wagnerian performers from NSW.

Why not become a member?
Apart from joining a group of fellow Wagnerians, there are many benefits. As a member, you can:

  • attending a variety of events each year at a reduced rate, including talks, seminars, concerts and films, with outstanding presenters and exciting performers, and with afternoon tea following each event - events are held most months usually on a Sunday starting at 2.00pm and normally at the Goethe Institut, 90 Ocean Street, Woollahra, Sydney. In addition, DVDs of Wagner operas or related areas are often shown before talks (but not before recitals or concerts). Click here for the current program.

  • attending a champagne celebration of Wagner’s birthday and a Christmas Party;

  • meeting and getting to know like-minded Wagnerians;

  • enjoying the fellowship of our extended network of music/theatre lovers when attending performances in Australia and overseas;

  • receiving four issues of the Wagner Quarterly per year as well as regular e-news and emails;

  • accessing the Society’s website with its list of events, photo gallery, views and reviews about Australian and international Wagner productions, all previous events, and much more, as well as the For Members Only section which includes all previous Quarterlies;

  • having the opportunity to access tickets for the annual Bayreuth Festival; and

  • knowing that you are helping to support emerging Wagnerian or potential Wagnerian performers from NSW as well as productions of Wagner in Australia.

Subscription rates and how to pay them plus the online New members application form are all available here.

If you have any enquiries about membership, please email your question to contact@wagner.org.au

 

herehttps://wagner.org.au/media/10-march-2024-heldentenor-simon-oneill-his-life-wagner

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