|
Anna O'Byrne
Anna O'Byrne (born 20 September 1987) is an Australian actress and soprano singer best known for her portrayal of Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''The Phantom of the Opera'' and the original Australian production of Lloyd Webber's sequel, ''Love Never Dies'', for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award. O'Byrne has also portrayed Maria in ''West Side Story'', as well as Sister Sarah Brown in ''Guys and Dolls''. From 2016, O'Byrne has played Eliza Doolittle in the Julie Andrews-directed production of ''My Fair Lady'' for Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, touring in 2017 to Brisbane, Melbourne and back to Sydney. She is currently based in London and performs internationally. Her performance career includes opera, theatre, concert, and film. Early life Anna O’Byrne was born in Melbourne, Australia, and was educated at Elwood Primary School and St Michael's Grammar School. She played violin from the age of 5, and performed in school orchestras and s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel ''The Phantom of the Opera'' and of the various adaptations of the work. Erik, the Phantom of the Opera and Viscount Raoul de Chagny both fall in love with her. Character history Biography Christine Daaé was born in a town near Uppsala, Sweden. Her mother died when she was six years old. Raised by her father, they travelled through rural Sweden, wandering from fair to fair, where he played the violin and she sang. They were discovered at one of these fairs by Professor Valérius, who took them to Gothenburg and then to Paris, providing for Christine's education. Christine was extremely close to her father, who told her Scandinavian fairy-tales; the tale of the "Angel of Music" was her favorite. Christine entered the Paris Conservatoire and trained for four years to become an opera singer to please her father and Mamma Valérius, the bedridden wife of the late Professor. However ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Threepenny Opera
''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, ''The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with music by Kurt Weill. Although there is debate as to how much, if any, Hauptmann might have contributed to the text, Brecht is usually listed as sole author. The work offers a socialist critique of the capitalist world. It opened on 31 August 1928 at Berlin's Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. Songs from ''The Threepenny Opera'' have been widely covered and become standards, most notably "" ("The Ballad of Mack the Knife") and "" (" Pirate Jenny"). Background Origins In the winter of 1927–28, Elizabeth Hauptmann, Brecht's lover at the time, received a copy of Gay's play from friends in England and, fascinated by the female characters and its critique of the condition of the London poor, began translating it into German. Brecht at first took ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with shows that tackle "unexpected themes that range far beyond the [genre's] traditional subjects" with "music and lyrics of unprecedented complexity and sophistication." His shows address "darker, more harrowing elements of the human experience," with songs often tinged with "ambivalence" about various aspects of life. He was known for his frequent collaborations with Hal Prince and James Lapine on the Broadway theatre, Broadway stage. Sondheim's interest in musical theater began at a young age, and he was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein II. He began his career by writing the lyrics for ''West Side Story'' (1957) and ''Gypsy (musical), Gypsy'' (1959). He transitioned to writing both music and lyrics for the theater, with his best-known works inclu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Side By Side By Sondheim
''Side by Side by Sondheim'' is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from '' Company''. History The musical had its origins when David Kernan was asked by Cleo Laine and her husband John Dankworth to put together a revue as a benefit for The Stables, a theatre they owned in Wavendon. Kernan contacted director Ned Sherrin and suggested that they do a revue of Sondheim material. Producer Cameron Mackintosh saw the benefit revue, which featured Millicent Martin, Julia McKenzie, Kernan, and Sherrin as the narrator, and agreed to produce it."''Side by Side by Sondheim'' Article" Sondheim.com In the TV documentary ''Cameron Mackintosh: The Music Man'', Mackintosh admits that he never saw the benefit performance, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End debut in ''Cats'' in 1987. A five-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1995 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Amalia Balash in the London revival of ''She Loves Me'' (1994). Henshall's other Olivier nominated roles are Polly Baker in the original London production of '' Crazy for You'' (1993–1994), Roxie Hart in the revival of ''Chicago'' (1997–1998) and the title roles in the original productions of '' Peggy Sue Got Married'' (2001) and '' Marguerite'' (2008). She made her Broadway debut in 1999 as Velma Kelly in ''Chicago'' and returned to the Broadway production to play Roxie Hart in 2010. She also starred as Mrs Wilkinson for two years in the West End production of ''Billy Elliot the Musical'' (2014– ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green Room Awards
The Green Room Awards are peer awards which recognise excellence in cabaret, dance, drama, fringe theatre, musical theatre and opera in Melbourne. The awards were started in 1982 when Blair Edgar and Steven Tandy formed the Green Room Awards Association. The inaugural awards ceremony was held in 1984 at the Melbourne Concert Hall. The association today is composed of members of Melbourne's performing arts community, including journalists, performers, writers, directors, choreographers, academics, theatre technicians and administrators. The current patrons of the association are Rachel Griffiths and David Atkins. Previous winners include Dale Ferguson, David Hersey, Stephen Baynes, Greg Horsman, Eddie Perfect, Laurie Cadevida, Stephen Daldry, Genevieve Lemon, Michael Dameski, Julian Gavin, and Steve Mouzakis. Award categories As of 2013, award categories include: Theatre (companies) *Production *Direction *Female actor *Male actor *Ensemble *Set/costume *Ligh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Capitol Theatre, Sydney
The Capitol Theatre is a heritage-listed theatre located at 3-15 Campbell Street, Haymarket, in the Sydney central business district, Australia. It was designed by Henry Eli White and John Eberson and built from 1893 to 1928. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The former circus venue, atmospheric theatre and market venue in owned by Capitol Theatre Management Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foundation Theatres Pty Limited. Foundation Theatres owns the Sydney Lyric and Capitol Theatre. History The site of the Capitol Theatre has provided entertainment to the people of Sydney since the early 19th century when this piece of land was used by early settlers as a market place for produce and hay, giving this area its name "Haymarket". During the 1880s facilities for the bulk sale of fruit and vegetables came under increasing pressure. In March 1891, Sydney Council appointed a committee to recommend a new site for a majo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor bandshell performance venue in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located in the lawns and gardens of Kings Domain on Linlithgow Avenue close to the Arts Centre and the Southbank entertainment precinct. It was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, Robert Menzies, on 12 February 1959, with an audience of 30,000 people. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. History The businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer inspired the construction of the building after attending the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. A violinist who enjoyed music, Myer established free open-air concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 1929, which were always well attended by Melburnians. These free concerts continue to this day, now being held at the bowl itself. There are usually three or four concerts a year. Upon his death in 1934, the Sidney Myer Fund was established to continue the tradition of philanthropy begun by its fou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regent Theatre, Melbourne
The Regent Theatre is an historic former picture palace built in 1929, closed in 1970, and restored and reopened in 1996 as a live theatre in Collins Street, in the city of Melbourne, Australia. It is one of six city theatres collectively known as Melbourne's East End Theatre District. Designed by Charles Ballantyne in an ornately palatial style, with a Gothic style lobby, Louis XVI style auditorium, and the Spanish Baroque style Plaza Ballroom in the basement, it is listed by the National Trust of Australia and is on the Victorian Heritage Register. Opening and early years The Regent Theatre site on Collins Street was purchased by Hoyts Theatres director Francis W. Thring to be the flagship for his Regent theatre circuit. It was designed by Cedric Ballantyne, who had designed earlier theatres for Thring, and toured movie palaces in the US, drawing inspiration from their eclectic sources such as Spanish Gothic and French Renaissance styles to produce "one of Victoria's larg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Phillips (director)
Simon Phillips (born 1958) is a New Zealand-Australian director of theatre, musicals and opera. He is a former Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company. Phillips graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1980 with a Diploma in Acting. Phillips directed the original 2015 production of Tim Finn's musical ''Ladies in Black'' for the Queensland Theatre in Brisbane which then travelled to Melbourne and toured Australia in 2017. by Louise Rugendyke, '' The Sydney Morning Herald
[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Gleeson
Simon Gleeson (born 13 January 1977) is an Australian actor and singer who is best known for playing Jean Valjean in the 2014 Australian revival and in the 2016/17 cast of the West End production of ''Les Misérables''. He performed in Noël Coward's Hayfever for the Melbourne Theatre Company, and returned to the Melbourne Theatre Company in 2018 to play Sir Robert Chiltern in Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband. In the United Kingdom he has performed in plays at The Royal National Theatre and in the West End of London. He has appeared in the popular BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', playing SJ Fletcher's boyfriend Sid Clarke. In 2007 Gleeson appeared in 'Kombat Opera Presents' for BBC television. He appeared with Richard Dreyfuss and Nia Vardalos in 2009's '' My Life in Ruins''. Early life Gleeson grew up in The Rock, a small country town in New South Wales with his parents and sister, Sara Gleeson (who is an actress). He completed his secondary education at Xavier College wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
