Sturm und Drang vs Screaming Jets

Richard Wagner Society of South Australia, Wake for Wagner, 23 February 2020

A slightly delayed soiree was held for the Master’s Death in Venice (13 February 1883) where we were entertained by helden-baritone Ian Vayne, veteran of many operas here and overseas (his repertoire is set out below).  He spoke of previous productions (including the unnerving experience of German directorial flourishes which forced him at one stage to wear alarmingly raised boots as the Dutchman, high as stilts but far less steady) and how the local ones only got off the ground due to determined and smart folks like Bill Gillespie (who was artistic director of the State Opera’s production of Wagner’s “The Ring” in 1998).  He also spoke of the desire to see a dedicated standing Opera season in Adelaide, something akin to Mannheim (if they can do it, why can’t we?)

Ian now teaches in Adelaide, and he introduced Toby Gajewski, a student who sang Wolfram’s Act III aria ‘O du, mein holder Abendstern’, his hymn to the Evening Star, from Tannhäuser. Though understandably a little nervous, he did this very well, as accompanied by pianist Andrew Georg, and the two even managed to work around the sonic booms of the jets circling for the “Superloop Adelaide 500” (the now almost-pointless stock car race tangling-up the earth and air of the city of Adelaide).  We attach an example of this beautiful aria below.

Afterwards, Ian (who is also the Convenor for the Vocal Division of the Adelaide Eisteddfod) gave us the lament of the Flying Dutchman. (See main image).  His sonorous baritone and delivery was strong, clear, and very moving, and easily dealt with those screaming jets.  Wagner, 2: Superloop, 0.

REPERTOIRE: Ian Vayne:

Nixon in China	Nixon	Adams.
Fidelio	Don Ferrando	Beethoven.
Troyens	Corebus	Berlioz.
Carmen	Escamillo	Bizet.
Rape of Lucretzia	Junius	Britten.
Adriana Lecouvrer	Michonet	Cilea.
Lucia Di Lammermoor	Enrico	Donizetti.
Andrea Chenier	Gerard	Giordano
Bassarieds	Pentheus	Henze.
Pagliacci	Tonio	Leoncavallo.
Cavalliere Rusticana	Alfio	Mascagni.
Boris	Rongonni	Mussorgsky.
La Clemenza di Tito	Publius	Mozart.
Cosi fan Tutte	Guglielmo	Mozart.
Don Giovanni	Don Giovanni	Mozart.
Nozze di Figaro	Conte	Mozart.
Die Zauberflöte	Speaker	Mozart.
Boheme	Schanaurd	Puccini
Madama Butterfly	Sharpless	Puccini.
Manon Lescaut	Lescaut	Puccini.
Tosca	Scarpia	Puccini.
Il Tabarro	Michelle	Puccini.
Barber of Seville	Figaro	Rossini.
La Cenerentola	Dandini	Rossini.
Die Fledermaus	Falke	J.Strauss.
Elektra	Orest	R.Strauss.
Trial by Jury	Judge	Sullivan.
Pirates of Penzance	Pirate King	Sullivan.
Onegin	Onegin	Tchaikovsky.
Ballo in Maschera	Renato	Verdi.
Don Carlos	Frate	Verdi.
Ernani	Don Carlos	Verdi.
MacBeth	MacBeth	Verdi.
Nabucco	Nabucco	Verdi.
Otello	Iago	Verdi
Simon Boccanegra (1857)	Simon	Verdi.
Simon Boccanegra (1881)	Simon	Verdi.
Traviata	Germont	Verdi.
Trovatore	Di Luna	Verdi
Holländer	Holländer	Wagner