Grimes has become the centrepiece of Britten’s work in opera and this is an important new production by the famous director Neil Armfield – it is also the fruit of a co-production with Opera Australia and Houston Grand Opera. This is the first performance of this work in Perth, and a significant event in the Perth Festival program. These performances are also special because they will form a season for one of our national treasures, The Australia Youth Orchestra, who will be resident in Perth for a rehearsal and performance period as guest artists and collaborators with our company. It is both a privilege and a pleasure to welcome them to WA and we all look forward to their contribution.
We have assembled a cast of unique strengths. Anthony Dean Griffey (who was unforgettable in the Met simulcast of this work) was born to sing Grimes and Orla Boylan, Ireland’s leading soprano, returns for a third time to West Australian Opera to sing Ellen Orford. James Clayton as Balstrode and Andrew Collis as Swallow lead a fine group of company members in a unique season of this great work, in which both the chorus and the orchestra are vital characters in their own right.