Juditha Cast

ATTILIO CREMONESI - CONDUCTOR Attilio Cremonesi is a harpsichordist and fortepiano soloist and has dedicated himself to the discovery and performance of rare baroque and classical operas. He is the founder of Ensemble Arcadia, with whom he appeared in the most important concert halls and festivals  in Europe and South America. Winner of several international competitions, he worked for many years as René Jacobs musical assistant.  Attilio has conducted staged operas and concerts throughout Europe.  Last season he conducted Rameau’s Dardanus at the Opera in Bonn and Sartorio’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto at the Innsbrucker Festwochen der alten Musik, Rossini’s La scala di seta in a tour with Freiburger Barockorchester, L’ape musicale, a curious anthology of Da Ponte’s arias, at Festival Pergolesi in Jesi, Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine and Paisiello’s La serva padrona with La Cetra Barockorchester Basel at the Théâtre de Poissy, Monteverdi’s Il ritorno di Ulisse at the Grand Théâtre de Génève. During 2006 season he earned a great success in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, a co-production of the opera houses of Luxemburg, Montpellier, Berlin (Staatsoper unter den Linden), Amsterdam, Ferrara, St.Pölten. He also conducted L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Grand Théâtre de Génève, Caen e St.Pölten. Some of Attilio’s numerous recordings were awarded the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis der Kritik, Choc de la Musique, Diapason d'Or, Caecilianprjis and Repertoire prizes.

SALLY-ANNE RUSSELL - JUDITH Sally-Anne has performed in the US, Canada, the UK, The Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Germany, New Zealand and Japan. She has sung over forty operatic roles, most recently Jo in Mark Adamo's Little Women, Bradamante in Alcina and Sesto in Giulio Cesare all for Opera Australia.  Sally-Anne sings with all the Symphony Australia Network Orchestras – ASO,  MSO, SSO, WASO, TSO, TQO also the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Victoria Symphony in Canada and Seoul National Symphony.   She is a member of the international jury for the Kathaumixw Festival in Canada and Vienna’s Belvedere International Singing Competition.  Recordings for ABC Classics include Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater (ARIA 2005 Listeners’ Choice Award), Bach Arias and Duets, Handel’s Semele, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, the Swoon DVD, Opera Australia’s Golden Jubilee DVD, Oper Australia’s 50th Anniversary DVD, Love of Three Oranges on Chandos and the No 1 Classical Album for Decca.  Sally-Anne has just released her first solo disc of operatic arias entitled Enchanting with Adelaide Symphony for ABC Classics.  For the 07/08 season, appearances include Suzuki in Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia, Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri and concerts with the SSO, MSO, WASO, TQO and a sixth season for the Carmel Bach Festival.

DAVID WALKER - HOLOFERNES David Walker is one of the foremost countertenors of his generation. He enjoys an international career, and sings leading roles at the most prestigious opera companies in the world including the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, the English National Opera, L’Opera National du Rhin in Stasbourg, among others as well as many US companies including St. Louis Opera Theatre, Boston Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera. David sings a vast repertoire ranging from such composers as Monteverdi, Handel, Cavalli, and Purcell to Phillip Glass, Tippett, Legetti, and Britten. Of particular note is his association with Jonathan Dove’s opera Flight, which has sung in Boston, St. Louis, and Adelaide (for which he was nominated for the prestigious Robert Helpman Award). In the spring of 2006, Mr. Walker earned tremendous acclaim singing the role of John Merrick in Laurent Petitgirard’s The Elephant Man. Of these performances, Opera Magazine (UK) wrote, “The title role was taken by David Walker, whose counter-tenor voice neatly set him apart from the rest of the cast. He further defined the character, not with grotesque makeup, but with telling stance, movement and the projection of a profound vulnerability. He was, in a word, superb.” He will also appear in this role in Paris in the 2007-2008 season.

SARA MACLIVER - ABRA Sara Macliver is one of Australia’s most popular and versatile artists, and is regarded as one of the leading exponents of Baroque repertoire in Australia. Sara is a regular performer with all the  Symphony Australia Orchestras as well as Musica Viva,  Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Pinchgut Opera among others.  She has toured overseas on several occasions – including concerts in Italy, Japan and Hong Kong. Sara has recorded many times for ABC Classics; recent releases include Bach arias and duets; a disc of the Pergolesi Stabat Mater (winner of the inaugural ABC Classic FM listener’s choice award 2005), and the just released Songs of the Auvergne. Recent highlights include a program based on the life of Jane Austen, with pianist Bernadette Balkus and Musica Viva, and Pinchgut Opera’s productions of Monteverdi’s Orfeo and Purcell’s The Fairy Queen.  In 2006 Sara performed and recorded with the West Australian, Adelaide, Tasmanian and Queensland Orchestras, and with Australian Chamber Orchestra amongst others. In 2007 Sara performs as Aphrodite in the premiere of Richard Mills’ new opera The Love of the Nightingale for the Perth Festival, with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for concerts and recordings and the launch of her new CD amongst many other engagements.

FIONA CAMPBELL - VAGAUS After winning the ABC Young Performer of the Year in 1994, Fiona Campbell travelled to the UK. She appeared throughout the UK in concerts and operas. Since her return to Australia Fiona lectures in voice at the University of Western Australia and performs around the country. Performances include St Matthew Passion and Alcina for the Perth Festival, Adams’ El Nino with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, a tour with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Huntingdon Festival, a Fauré song cycle with the Australia Ensemble and performances with Opera Australia.  In 2006 Fiona performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia, Australia Ensemble, New England Bach Festival and at Government House in Sydney. She also made her Opera Australia debut in The Gondoliers as Tessa.  Fiona also appeared with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and in Pinchgut Opera’s acclaimed Idomeneo. Amongst many engagements in 2007, Fiona appears in the premiere of Richard Mills’ opera The Love of the Nightingale, in concerts with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Ensemble around NSW, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville and touring with the Australian String Quartet around Australia. 2007 also sees the release of Fiona’s recording of Monteclair’s Le Mort de Didon on CD for ABC Classics.

RENAE MARTIN - OZIAS Renae Martin began voice studies at the West Australian Conservatorium of Music and completed a Bachelor of Music in 1999 (University of Western Australia). She has appeared as Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte, Popova in The Bear, Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, Ruggiero in Alcina, Isaura in Tancredi, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Hansel in Hansel und Gretel. Her other performance credits include Mass in C (Schubert), Magnificat (Bach), King Arthur (Purcell), Nelson Mass (Haydn), Messiah, Wedding Cantata (Bach) as well as Mass in C (Mozart). Renae holds a Graduate Diploma of Opera at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and last year was a finalist in the New York Study Award, the German Operatic Award, the McDonald’s Operatic Aria as well as the finals of the Neue Stimmen Vocal Competition (Germany). In 2006 Renae appeared with Glyndebourne Festival Opera and English Touring Opera, and as The Child in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges. Forthcoming  engagements include concert performances of Verdi and Beethoven with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.