By MATT NICHOLLS
OPERA New England director George Torbay says this year’s audience should be prepared for something brilliant as time-honoured opera La Bohème comes to Armidale next week.
“Without wanting to give too much away, it’s set in 18th century Paris and features all the elements of a French winter,” he said.
La Bohème is the second production put together by Opera New England after The Marriage of Figaro had Armidale residents rushing through the doors.
Completely not-for-profit, Opera New England is run by an Armidale-based committee and led by Torbay, who returns to his home town during the summer holidays to put the wheels in motion.
For the singing lecturer, producing an opera in a regional city is purely a labour of love.
“There’s nothing like this anywhere in Australia,” Torbay said.
“I do this because Armidale is my home town, I’m passionate about opera and I would have killed to have seen something like this when I was growing up.”
The son of Maltese migrants who worked seven days a week in Armidale, Torbay said he didn’t get the opportunities to taste the arts until he left the Northern Tablelands.
However, times have changed and the graduate of the New England Conservatorium of Music in Boston says Armidale is now a thriving arts community.
“There are going to be four Armidale people performing in La Bohème and four kids as well,” Torbay said.
“It’s quite incredible to have such talent in a regional city.”
Opera New England brings together performers from all over the country for La Bohème, which will be held over four days after the raging success of The Marriage of Figaro.
“When we did Figaro we didn’t know what to expect, but it sold out and we had people come from all over the region and further to see it,” Torbay said.
“This year we’ve put on an extra show, meaning it will start on a Thursday and finish on Sunday.”
Tickets are selling fast for La Bohème, which will open at the Hoskins Centre at The Armidale School on 23 January.
Tickets are available at www.operanewengland.com or from Carr’s Newsagency in the Armidale Mall.
