HEIDELBERG LEADER: The Consul
See article in its original context here by Natalie Filmer for the Heidelberg Leader.
American soprano Alissa Andraski lives in Ivanhoe East while doing The Opera Studio program, performing in Gertrude Opera’s The Consul at fortyfivedownstairs
AMERICAN soprano Alissa Andraski has travelled the world for her career for the past seven years.
After classical voice training at the famed Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan in the US, Ms Andraski completed a vocal performance degree in Italy.
She then moved to Germany to study voice and language, and performed there as well as in Austria, Switzerland and Holland.
The 27-year-old’s pursuit of her craft has now brought her to Ivanhoe East, where she will live for eight months while undertaking The Opera Studio’s performance program in Melbourne.
Andraski’s international fellowship includes performing with Gertrude Opera and, in her first role for the season, she will draw upon her travel experience as immigrant Anna Gomez in Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul.
“Anna’s visa has expired and she has to leave the country by the end of the month, so when we meet her at the consulate she is desperate,” Andraski said.
“It’s a tragic opera, but one that audiences will be able to relate to — and it’s in English.”
Andraski said the opera’s music and libretto, or text, created an “incredible emotional response”.
“It’s set in an unidentified country and deals with stories of displacement that the audience will immediately recognise,” she said.
The Consul is on at fortyfivedownstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne, at 6pm this Sunday, May 18, and at 7.30pm on May 19, 21 and 23.
Tickets cost $55/$45.
For bookings, phone 9662 9966 or from fortyfivedownstairs