Joseph RestubogDr. Steven Stanke |
Interview with La Bohème director Joseph RestubogWhat drew you to wanting to direct this production?
Steven Stanke sought me out early on to join the project and I couldn't wait to reconnect with Steven after working with him previously with Donizetti's Il Campanello (at Rockdale Opera) and Puccini's Tosca (in the Central Coast). La Boheme is one of my favourite operas and I'm a fan of Puccini's work. I previously directed the sequence of arias and duets in Act 1 that represent the meeting and falling in love of Rodolfo and Mimi and loved how glorious their love story bloomed. I wanted to see what I could do with the entire opera. Can you share your vision for this production? I told the cast at orientation that the opera has been done every which way, even being done in space in a fairly recent, and infamous, production in Europe. Gale Edwards' production set in Nazi Germany has been performed countless times over the years here in Sydney, so my desire was not to reset it to a completely modern setting. That being said, I was drawn to the Belle Epoque and the Impressionist art of the time. I thought it was an appropriate time to explore the Bohemian lifestyle the artists lived. It was still a time that consumption was endemic, so it fit with the tragic ending for Mimi. At the end of the day, the story itself is timeless, and I'm interested in exploring the ideas of idealistic dreams and romance facing the harsh realities of life. Mimi, to me, is the hero in maintaining that optimism and living it with her whole soul. Can you tell us a bit about your cast for this production? The cast and Rockdale Opera chorus are extremely talented, keen and have been terrific during rehearsals. It's been great collaborating with everyone and every ensemble member has been engaged and active. Adrian, Tessa, and Tristan are reprising their roles from earlier this year (with Opera Hunter), but I'm excited to see what Georgia, Michael, Brett, Gordon, and Craig bring to their principal roles, not to mention Daniel and John who round out the cast from the chorus. We've recently been working through Musetta's scene in Act 2 and hearing how that scene sounds in rehearsal has been glorious. Who do you think will most enjoy this opera? With the success of Rent (which was based on La Boheme) and Moulin Rouge (which takes much of its inspiration from the Bohemian lifestyle and the stories of La Boheme and La Traviata), it's obvious that modern-day lovers of opera and musical theatre will most enjoy this opera. That being said, I think Verismo opera is very close to modern-day film and tv scores, so I think anyone who enjoys drama, romance, and beautiful singing and music will be able to follow along with the emotional journey and enjoy La Boheme. Why do you think ROC plays such an important role in our community? We've literally lost an arts venue in Meraki Arts Bar when they were just starting to successfully program a full schedule of interesting and innovative musical acts and theatre productions, so the arts landscape is even more thin than it usually is. We have one national opera company and less than a handful of impactful independent opera companies here in Sydney. This has been the case for at least the last decade. Rockdale Opera plays a crucial role in continuing to produce opportunities for young opera singers in Sydney and maintaining a small part of that market share in the industry. Hopefully, opera can find new avenues to grow, so that we not only are able to produce the traditional, conventional and classic titles, but also the modern, innovative and daring. Interview with La Bohème Musical Director Dr Steven StankeWhat drew you to wanting to direct/musical direct this production?
I’m very much a fan of ‘verismo’ opera, that is, opera with characters and stories that we might find in real life. We all have highs and lows in our lives, so we can empathise with the characters in these operas, sharing their joys and heartbreaks, trials and tribulations. And of course Puccini had a real knack for writing a memorable melody too so it’s impossible for this opera to not move the soul. It's one of the world’s favourite and most performed opera for a reason. Can you share your vision for this production? La Boheme is a tale of young love and loss. And to portray the rather ordinary people and their world, Puccini’s musical vocabulary is absolutely perfect. The seamless blending of recitative, aria, ensemble and chorus is remarkable. The moods change as often and as quickly in this opera as the do in real life: boisterousness, sarcasm, anger, guilt, and resentment. There is not a single ‘extra’ note and our singers have enjoyed exploring all these facets. I hope that the audience will be swept up in all the energy and romance, as well as enjoying the odd great tune or three. Can you tell us a bit about your cast for this production? We’ve been fortunate to be able to cast experienced singers, some who have performed this opera recently. Some are professional singers, singing with Opera Australia and The Ten Tenors, and others are extremely accomplished and awaiting their turn on the professional stage. And of course we have our dedicated chorus members, those who perform with us all the time, and without whom we could not function. Their generosity and commitment add vibrancy, colour and excitement. Who do you think will most enjoy this opera? This is really an opera for everyone. It’s about four poor students, trying to negotiate life in a major city, falling in and out of love, scraping together enough money for the rent, and still having the time of their lives. Why do you think ROC plays such an important role in our community? Humans love to perform, whether it’s telling a story, playing an instrument or singing. Opera is an artform that subsumes nearly every other artform – drama, music, costume and set design, and staging. At its best it has the ability to probe deeper into the human experience than any other art form and, while there may be no easy answers, it promotes at least critical thinking as well as giving us an aural and visual experience not easily forgotten. To have all this in the local community is rare. Opera productions are time-consuming, expensive and demand many resources. Rockdale Opera is a treasure not to be lost. |