QPAC Receives Two Helpmann Awards for Exclusive Hamburg Season Performances, 7/30

The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) was proud to receive two Helpmann Awards at last night's ceremony; two accolades for performances within its 2012 Hamburg Season.

As part of QPAC's Australian exclusive Hamburg Season, the first in its International Series presented with the support of Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), the Centre received the award for producing the Best Symphony Orchestra Concert for the concert performances of Richard Wagner's DAS RHEINGOLD by The Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Conducted by Simone Young, the performances featured 14 soloists from the Hamburg State Opera: Falk Struckmann (Wotan), Jan Buchwald (Donner), Chris Lysack (Froh), Jürgen Sacher (Loge), Eike Wilm Schulte (Alberich), Peter Galliard (Mime), Tigran Martirossian (Fasolt), Adrian Sâmpetrean (Fafner), Anna Larsson (Fricka), Vida Mikneviciute (Freia), Deborah Humble (Erda), HaYoung Lee (Woglinde), Maria Markina (Wellgunde), Ann-Beth Solvang (Flosshilde).

Wagner's epic opera, DAS RHEINGOLD, the opera that opens the RING CYCLE, was also broadcast nationwide on ABC Radio Classic FM.

The Hamburg Season continued to be a success for QPAC with Simone Young also winning the award for Best Individual Classical Music Performance for conducting The Hamburg State Opera and Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra performances of DAS RHEINGOLD by Richard Wagner, and Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, RESURRECTION, by Gustav Mahler featuring soloists from the Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Brisbane Mahler Chorus.

Simone Young conducted two concert performances of DAS RHEINGOLD and one performance of Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, RESURRECTION in the Concert Hall, QPAC from 23-25 August 2012.

Reviewers were unanimous in their praise of Young's conducting... "With her immaculate stick technique and expressive left hand, she keeps the tension within the orchestra coiled up for minutes at a time, her pianissimi so tightly focussed and well blended in tone, but then she unleashes crescendi that rise and rise and rise until the ceiling is practically rattling...In the end, though, it all came down to Young, who must surely now be ranked among the 10 best living conductors." (Limelight)

QPAC's Chief Executive John Kotzas said that it was an honour for the Centre to receive the two Helpmann Awards.

"Winning these coveted industry awards is recognition at a national level that QPAC is getting it right in terms of our investment in exclusive international presentations, and of course is a tribute to the talent of the artists gracing our stages.

"Ultimately it is all about presenting live performance that draws and engages audiences and gives them unique and truly memorable experiences.

"I would like to warmly congratulate the internationally renowned Australian conductor Simone Young, The Hamburg State Opera and the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra for receiving these awards. I would also like to acknowledge Tourism and Events Queensland and Co Producers of the Hamburg Season Mr Leo Schofield AM and Mr Ian McRae AO for their integral part in the success of the Hamburg Season," said Mr Kotzas.

The Hamburg Season was the first event in the QPAC International Series, a joint initiative between QPAC and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.

Presented from 23 August to 5 September, this Brisbane season exclusive was also the Australian debut of three world class companies: The Hamburg Ballet, Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Hamburg State Opera.

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