Australian Contemporary Opera Company


The Australian Contemporary Opera Company is a not-for-profit contemporary opera company, based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was formerly known as "Gertrude Opera".

History

The company was established in 2008 primarily as a training repertory company for aspiring opera singers, and répétiteurs, directors and designers. It was first named "The Opera School Melbourne" and then "Gertrude Opera". Its creative staff include Linda Thompson, Brian Castles-Onion AM. Creative teams have included Gale Edwards AM, costume designer Tim Chappel, Geraldine Turner AM, and Luke Leonard. Conductors have included Brian Castles-Onion AM, Tianyi Lu, Patrick Burns, Benjamin Northey, Matthew Toogood, and Dr David Kram. Staff members have included Andrea Katz, and Cameron Menzies. In 2013 the Studio named its performing company "Gertrude Opera", after Gertrude Johnson incorporating the Studio stage performance program. In 2020 the company changed its name to the "Australian Contemporary Opera Company".

Productions

The company's repertoire spans Australian premieres, new works, and children's/family opera. "mini-festivals" and major productions. In later years, the company has become known for Australian premieres and staging of contemporary works and treatments. In 2015 the company founded Australia's only international opera festival
International collaborators include Monk Parrots and Glyndebourne.

Selective list of productions

Australian premiere*
  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland* 2022
  • Book of Longing 2022
  • The Loser* 2022
  • Ariarchitecture* 2020
  • Together, Apart* 2020
  • Kate Kelly* 2020
  • love fail* 2020-2022
  • To my distant love* 2020
  • As One,* 2020
  • The Enchanted Pig,* 2019
  • The Coronation of Poppea, 2019
  • Macbeth, 2019
  • The Handmaid's Tale,* 2018
  • Cosi fan tutte, 2018
  • The Elixir of Love, 2018
  • To Hell and Back,* 2018, 2016
  • Alcina, 2017
  • The Magic Flute, 2017
  • Doctor Miracle, 2017
  • The Consul, 2017
  • The Telephone, 2017
  • First Music, then Words, 2017
  • Thespis, 2016
  • the difficulty of crossing a field,* 2015
  • Tuesdays with Pictures,* 2015
  • Bon Appétit!,* 2015
  • Coffee Cantata,
  • Trial by Jury,
  • The Magic Flute, 2014
  • The Marriage of Figaro, 2014
  • Cinderella, 2013
  • The Juniper Tree,* 2011, 2013
  • Eugene Onegin, 2012
  • Orpheus in the Underworld, 2011
  • Mini Opera Festival: Orpheus returns, 2011
  • Loves Luggage Lost, 2011
  • Don Giovanni, 2010
  • The Magic Flute,
  • The Old Maid and the Thief, 2009
  • Hansel and Gretel, 2009
  • Acis and Galatea, 2009

    Studio - Young Artists (2009 - 2019)

Gertrude Opera runs an annual international Studio Young Artist program, building bridges to new audiences and a platform for professional growth.
2009201020112012
Hadleigh Adams Stacey Alleaume Ashlyn Tymms Blake Bowden
Stacey Alleaume Sophie Yelland Nathan Lay Eric Ferrer
Kari Lyon Cameron Lukey Nicholas Dinopoulos Li Yang
Alison Lemoh Greg Eldridge Daniel Sinfield Samantha Chong Nathan Lay Hannah Dahlenburg Caitlin McNab
Kristan Gregory Nicholas Dinopoulos Rhiannon Stevens Rhiannon Stephens
Tim Jaques Daniel Sinfield Joachin Quilez-Marin Bernard Leon
Laura Parkes David Costello Kristain Gregory Raphael Wong
Jane Matheson Diipti Firmstone Caitlin McNab Juel Flemming
Amy Spruce Rosel Labone Jessica Kinsella Alyssa Peacock
Timothy Jaques Eric Ferrer Emma Wheeler
Kristain Gregory Na'ama Goldman
Caitlin McNab Samantha Chong
Stephanie Falkiner Adam Bryce
Bethany McAleer Emma Wheeler
Yana Georgiou



201720182019202020212022
Brigette de Poi Georgia Wilkinson Georgia Wilkinson Alexandra Amerides Alexandra Amerides Alexandra Amerides
Juliet Dufour Louise Keast Naomi Flatman Georgia Wilkinson Jessica Mills Bailey Montgomerie
Joshua Erdelyi-Götz Yu Lin Morgan Carter Morgan Carter Callum Warrender Caitlin Toohey
Darcy Carroll Ella Broome NuoLin OuYang Daniel Felton Sandra Liu Callum Warrender
Lisa Parker Zachary McCulloch Sheridan Hughes Joshua Oxley Angelique Tot Genevieve Droppert
Shir Rozzen Naomi Flatman Joshua Oxley Nigel Huckle Leah Phillips Daniel Felton
Bethany Hill Chloe Wood Victoria Thomasch Sam Ward Zhibang Chen Mitchell Sanders
Allegra Giagu Juan-David Guzman Frances Kruske Tash Atkins Grace Gallur
Elizabeth Chennell Hannah Peel Sandra Liu
Alexandra Amerides Madeline Nibali
Nigel Huckle Po Goh
Harry Grigg Lily Begg
Leo Williams

Awards and honours

  • In 2018, and again in 2019, Gertrude Opera won OperaChaser's Outstanding Production by an Independent Company Award for the Australian premieres of The Handmaid's Tale and The Enchanted Pig.
  • In 2020, a Green Room Award for Programming - a world-first online contemporary opera festival.
  • In 2022, Honourable Mention at Tokyo Film Festival for love fail - a co-production with Monk Parrots USA
  • In 2022, Founder and Artistic director Linda Thompson was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women