Date: 30 January, 2021

Toi Toi Opera - Official Launch

On the evening of Saturday 30 January, 2021 we held our official company launch event at The Piano Centre for Music and the Arts in central Christchurch. We were delighted to be able to introduce the company, our aims, and ethos, to such a large and appreciative audience.

First to speak on the night was our Managing Director Alex Robinson, who talked about our desire to rekindle grassroots opera in Canterbury, in order to develop and showcase local talent, on and off the stage, and to expand the appreciation of opera here.

Alex also spoke about how Toi Toi Opera came to be, and the journey we’ve been on so far. ‘It has been 10 years since Canterbury has had its own opera company, and from the local singers’ perspective, whilst we have valued the chance to participate as chorus members in NZ Opera’s productions, and in The Opera Club’s concert activities, we have not had the stepping stone required to learn about operatic role development, singing as soloists with an orchestra, and presenting a story through music.’

With three co-directors of a similar mindset, and passion for the art form, but quite diverse professional skill-sets to bring to the party, the Toi Toi Opera Trust was founded and registered as a charity in August 2019. As Alex stated, ‘If 10 years of living in post-Earthquake Christchurch teaches you anything, it’s that it’s easy to talk, but if you want something to happen, you have to do it yourself!’

Critical to our confidence in moving forward were securing the support of the Canterbury Opera Foundation, and that of our incredible patron, Patrick Power, ONZM. Their belief gave us the courage to approach our phenomenal creative team, spearheaded by the incomparable Sara Brodie as our inaugural director, and finally, to engage our wonderful maestro Mark Hodgkinson, cast, and musicians.

Alex stressed that we have no qualms about being considered a ‘community’ opera company, because it takes the engagement of the community to succeed. Indeed, we are deeply indebted to the people and groups who are contributing - our artists on and off the stage, and the immense generosity shown to us by grant organisations and individual donors. Plus, as far as we are concerned, professionalism is less about the pay-cheques and more about a state of mind - one that we are all committed to embracing; aspiring to world class performances and production values, produced on a bare bones budget, with careful financial and managerial governance at the core of all of our activities.

Margot Button, our Artistic Director, was the next to speak, introducing our creatives, and her overarching artistic vision for the future of the company. Margot particularly stressed the importance of the company helping to rebuild the spirit of generational interchange in the art form, whereby experienced creatives, singers, and musicians foster those up and coming. In return, the younger company members inject their enthusiasm and energy, reigniting the spark for those more seasoned in the art form. It was a joy for us to see this in action in our inaugural production, both on the stage and off it, and was remarked upon by many involved as a special facet of the production. In addition to the wide age range and experience of our cast and musicians, we had the pleasure of supporting several internships across our creative departments. Indeed, Margot emphasised just how important it is to the company that in addition to singers and musicians, we are able to help foster and restore the elaborate creative machinery that is at the heart of all good opera, which has lain dormant for 10 years in Canterbury, undeservedly given the wealth of theatrical expertise based here.

To end the formalities, Sara Brodie introduced our exquisite inaugural production Suor Angelica & Elegies, and Katherine Doig, our Creative Director, had the pleasure of introducing Patrick Power and expressing our joy, and gratitude for his agreeing to lend us his mana as our patron. Along with gifting us all with his glorious singing talents, Patrick spoke about the importance of the community backing its local entrepreneurs both in spirit, and financially.

The audience was then treated to lovely performances from singers Malcolm Leitch, Margot Button, Emma Gilkison, Elizabeth Emeleus, and Matilda Wickbom, giving the audience a teaser for the upcoming production. The evening’s music concluded with a sensational performance of ‘Senza Mamma' by our beautiful Suor Angelica, Sarah-Jane Rennie. We then proceeded to the bar for a celebratory toast, and the cutting of the season cake by Patrick Power and Sara Brodie - quite a thrill!

Thank you to The Piano for their generous assistance with the venue for the evening, to our marvellous and welcoming front of house team, and our wonderful accompanists Jeremy Woodside and Alison Holden. A very big thank you, too, to all who joined us on the night and leant us your ears. Your time, advice, and support are hugely valuable to a fledgling company such as our own, and it was lovely to meet and chat with so many people who share our enthusiasm and commitment to the region’s operatic well-being.

Press

‘Toi Toi Opera’s Official Launch, and Suor Angelica & Elegies Review’ - New Zealand Opera News, Wellington, NZ - February - May 2021 Edition

‘Toi Toi Opera's ambitious plan for opera in Canterbury’ - RNZ Concert - 10.12.2020

Clarissa Dunn spoke with our artistic director Margot Button and production director Sara Brodie about Suor Angelica & Elegies - listen to the interview and some of the exquisite music from the production:

Gallery

Photographs of speakers, performers, audience, and cake taken at Toi Toi Opera's Official Company Launch function, 30 January 2021. The Piano Centre for Music and the Arts - Pīpīwharauroa: Kui-kui whitiwhiti ora.

Photographs © Wei Li Jiang for Toi Toi Opera