Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk
Music by Stewart Wallace / Libretto by Michael Korie. Left Bauer Productions. St Kilda Town Hall. Conductor: Kathleen McGuire. February 7 & 8 2015

Melbourne continues to amaze me with the number of semi-professional opera companies finding niche markets for their works. As part of the Midsummer Festival, Left Bauer Productions introduced the Australian premiere of the American opera Harvey Milk, based on the first Gay Activist in America to be elected to public office.

This was an abridged version in concert, but much more than that. Though the augmented Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Choir had their music in front of them, most didn’t look at it and had their eyes firmly fixed on the conductor. It was obviously a work they felt passionate about.

The lighting was amazing. I wasn’t expecting any lighting effects in a concert, but a lot of thought had gone into the different effects which could be made and it was well worth the effort.

The music was very angular and dramatic and the soloists did an amazing job mastering this. A lot was written in the extremities of their range, but none faltered. I am familiar with tenor Jacob Caine, mezzo Dimity Shepherd and bass Jerzy Kozlowski and all were at the peak of their game. Music theatre professionals Tod Strike, as Harvey, and Nigel Huckle as his partner, were equally good.

Conductor Kathleen McGuire had only a pianist and percussionist but had clear control of her musical resources.

Though Kathleen did spend some time at the start explaining the story, words were not clear and a printed program with a plot detailing the parts of the opera being included, and even a printed libretto would have assisted. However, this opera was well supported and deservedly so.

Graham Ford

Image: Tod Strike as Harvey.

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