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Opera Australia's production of Lakme, which premiered in Melbourne and Sydney in 2006, will open at Opera de Montreal in Canada on 3 February 2007. Lakme is the national opera company's first co-production with a Canadian opera company.

A classic of the French repertoire, the opera features the famous “Dôme épais” duet and the challenging Bell Song and stars a cast made up entirely of Canadians. Soprano Aline Kutan will sing the coloratura title role of Lakmé alongside tenor Frédéric Antoun as her lover, the British officer Gerald. Bass Randall Jakobsh portrays Nilakantha, Lakmé’s father, a brahmin priest fiercely opposed to the British colonizers; baritone James Westman sings Frederic, another officer who is a loyal friend to Gerald. Also featured are other Canadians: mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel (Mallika), soprano Anne Saint-Denis (Ellen), soprano Allison Angelo (Rose), soprano Leticia Brewer (Mistress Bentson), and tenor Thomas Macleay (Hadji).

Jean-François Rivest conducts the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal and the Choeur de l’Opéra de Montréal.

The Australian creative team, director Adam Cook, designer Mark Thompson and lighting designer Gavan Swift are currently in Montreal to assist with preparations and attend the Canadian premiere.

Following the season at Opera de Montreal, the production will transfer to Minnesota Opera in Minneapolis from 31 March to 7 April 2007 for 5 performances. Opera Australia is also in discussion with New York City Opera and Tulsa Opera in Oklahoma for performances in 2008.

Adam Cook is the Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia where his directing credits include The Government Inspector, The Daylight Atheist, Noises Off, Crow, and The Shifting Heart. He is also active at several other theatre companies and festivals in Australia, and is the recipient of several awards including a Sydney Critics Circle Award and a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival. Recent opera stage direction credits include La bohème, Carmen, and Lakmé at Opera Australia and the company’s OzOpera programme.

Designer and sculptor Mark Thompson began designing for theatre in 1984 for such companies as the Sydney Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Australian Dance Theatre, and the Adelaide Festival of Arts for whom he designed the opera productions Boojum (1986) and The Fiery Angel (1988). From 2000 to 2003, he was, among others, the designer for the City of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, including the Harbour Bridge effect and the fireworks. Recent work includes Orphée aux enfers for Opera Australia, design work for Sea World at the Warner Bros Theme Park, Cavalcade – Reins of Fire which toured Australia, and for the opening and closing ceremonies of the DOHA Asian Games in 2006.

Gavan Swift designed the lighting for numerous theatrical and musical productions and corporate events. Lighting design work includes productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Little Shop of Horrors, Fiddler on the Roof, La bohème and Carmen for OzOpera, Stones in their Pockets for the Sydney Theatre Company and Saturday Night Fever. His work has been seen at companies including the Sydney Theatre Company, the Melbourne Theatre Company, the Bell Shakespeare Company, Ensemble Theatre, and the Australian Theatre for Young People.


The Opéra de Montréal presents the company premiere of a staged version of
Lakmé
by Léo Delibes

A co-production with Opera Australia (Sydney), making its first foray into North America

Venue: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts
Dates: February 3, 8, 10, and 14, 2007 at 8 p.m.
Tickets: from $44 (and at $25 for 18-30 year olds)
Bookings: Place des Arts Box Office (514) 842-2112 or www.operademontreal.com