Co-Opera Bids a Sentimental Concert Farewell to Legendary Director Brian Chatterton OAM

Brian Chatterton OAM takes a final bow this July from popular touring company Co-Opera when Co-Opera salutes him in a series of sentimental Farewell Concerts "Celebrating with Song- a thirty year journey", to be performed over three nights in two venues.

The first concert at 7.3pm on Friday 13 July takes place in St Paul's Lutheran church, Hahndorf with the remaining two performances at 7.30pm on 14 and 15 July in Brian's old stomping ground, and the home of Co-Opera in Adelaide, the Thomas Edmonds Opera Studio, Adelaide Showground.

Under almost thirty years of stewardship Brian has shepherded opera singers, musicians, cast, crew and all the necessary stage paraphernalia throughout the length and breadth of Australia and beyond, presenting the beauty and drama of classical opera to appreciative audiences in some of the remotest areas of the Australian bush; with the occasional foray overseas. For 18 years these hugely ambitious undertakings were achieved with governmental funding but for the last six years with no public funding at all. Quite a feat!

Now Co-Opera's beloved guide and leader will pass the reins into the talented hands of his successor: Dr Josh van Konkelenberg.

As Brian's swansong it's only fitting that he should choose the program and he fills the evenings with beautiful music from some of Co-Opera's most celebrated repertoire. He also fulfills a long held ambition to include Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings - a concert work he says is of "matchless haunting beauty."

Program:
Wolfgang Mozart - Cosi fan tutte [Act 2 Finale]
Giacomo Puccini - La Boheme [Acts 2 & 3]
Peter Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin [Letter Scene]
Benjamin Britten - Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

In these final concerts Brian Chatterton will conduct The Royal Commonwealth Society Ensemble, led by Lester Wong, with Meredith Ens on French horn performing the Britten solo.

The cast of Celebrating with Song - a thirty year journey features some of Co-Opera's most popular and successful performers, many of who had their first stage experience with the company and are now long-term members of the professional world of music.

There is also a wide generational spread...mature artists: Lynette Harris, Jeremy Tatchell, Sara Lambert, and Judith Henley together with young emerging artists: Victoria Coxhill, Grace Bawden, Lisa Cannizzaro, symbolising Co-Opera's training model - emerging artists singing beside and with mature professionals.

But what next for Brian Chatterton, OAM? Feet up, planning a cruise? Don't think so. But we will just have to wait to see the details of what this legendary, musical dynamo does next. There are plans afoot for lovers of classical music in the Adelaide Hills, where Brian has lived for 30 years!

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