Carmen conqurs Opera in the Domain

Last Saturday Sydney was transformed into into a Spanish fiesta as one of the worlds most loved operas, Carmen, took to the stage for the 2011 Opera in the Domain. Imogen and I managed the pre-show activities, which included a dance competition, something that naturally fell to me to coordinate. I was also in charge of making sure our hosts, Ch 7 Home & Away actress Esther Anderson and ABC Radio Presenter Damien Beaumont, were in the right spot and the right time. Ch 9 and Ch 7 news crews both turned up to film. There were photographers snapping away. The highlight of the night was seeing 50,000 people mesmerized by the magic of the opera.

A sparkling way to see in the New Year

Last week I celebrated my first 'official' year as a company. It's hard to believe as it's flown by in the blink of eye, but it's been a year of great experiences. I was blessed to work with a whole host of amazing clients, artists, media and PR bodies, and even moved into my new office in Crows Nest. Having seen just about every inch of the Opera House this year, I felt there was no better way to see in the New Year than watching Opera Australia's crème de la crème lighting up the Sydney Opera House stage, ahead of the grand finale of fireworks at midnight. It was truly magical and I can't wait for more of the same this year. 

Samantha Everton to judge 2011 Moran Prize

Nothing pleases me more than when clients ring with good news, especially when it's news that they've been invited to judge Australia's richest photographic prize, 2011 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize. 

Her work has been selected as a finalists in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize exhibitions.















Well done Sam. It's really great to see your profile increase so dramatically over the last number of years and is now resulting in industry recognistion of what I've always know.... you are one amazingly talented artist.

See you in Sydney in March x

I just climbed the Opera House sails...

I was casually asked if I would like to climb to the top of the Sydney Opera House to oversee a PR job for Opera Australia. Are you kidding me...? It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I immediately said 'yes'. The experience lived up to my expectations. Simply breath taking and something I will remember forever. Here's a couple of happy snaps of me on my climb, grinning from ear to ear...

A Midsummer Night's Dream captivates

For the past three weeks i've been working in Melbourne with Opera Australia. Yesterday I had a mega media call at Baz Lurhmann's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with Sky News, SBS TV, Ch 10 News, The Age, The Herald Sun, mX Melbourne and many more all covering. I also had a multitude of preview interviews with ABC Melbourne Drive, 3MBS FM, JOY FM Radio NZ... and so on. Channel 10 News coverage below and links and reviews in The Age, Herald Sun + Herald Sun + Herald Sun.

Time to crack open the bubbles and celebrate!

Opera stars tackles Melbourne Football Club

I'm here in Melbourne for a few weeks with Opera Australia's Melbourne Season. I had the pleasure of working with two very fit opera singers, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Jud Arthur, who do a sterling job of dispelling the myth of what opera singers look like. We teamed them up with North Melbourne Football Club Vice-Captain Drew Petrie.
The result was a very fine looking picture and story in the Herald Sun and a great afternoon had by all.

Samantha Everton announces title of next show

I first met and worked with Sam in 2007. It was her Vintage Dolls series and I was instantly spell-bound. So much so that a work, and so did my sister.

Sam is at it again this year, with the announcement of her 2011 exhibition, Marionettes, on show in Queensland at Anthea Polson Art in March, then to Sydney at Dickerson Gallery in April 2011.

Above is the first work of the series, titled Birthday Wish. Just lovely Sam

Simon Tedeschi & Kevin Hunt launch first ABC Jazz album

Last night we saw Simon and Kevin take to the stage to celebrate the release of their first ABC Jazz album. They performed a selection of tracks, including Hunt's own composition and the title track, Woodlands (as seen in video above).

For me this piece feels like coming home. It makes me want to cry happy tears. You can tell these two performers have a strong bond and trust in each other when performing. It was, by far, the happiest I've ever seen Simon on stage, who grinned from ear to ear every time he looked over at Kevin. Or maybe that was due to the crazy ties they were both wearing.

Cheryl Barker tackles career defining role

For the past couple of months I've been working with Opera Australia and some very big stars of the opera stage. One such star is the delightful Cheryl Barker.

I was thrilled to learn Leta Keens from The Australian was to interview Cheryl as she prepared for her latest role, playing the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. I was sitting in Imogen's office, which shares a wall with the meeting room, and could hear them both giggling throughout the hour-long chat.

Leta has once again captured Cheryl and this role beautifully with her words. She really is a brilliant writer. Read the article here.

ASQ heralded in Köln, Germany

The girls jetted off on another international trip this month, performing in Köln, Germany. They've returned home with more than just the luggage they left with, having picked up two very complimentary reviews from their performance of Mendelssohn Quartet in E flat Op.12, Brett Dean Epitaphs for String Quintet, with Brett Dean (viola) and Bruckner Viola Quintet in F major:

Sophie Rowell and Anne Horton (violins), Sally Boud (viola) and Rachel, Johnston (cello) had opened the night with an enormously passionate performance of Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet in E flat major (op. 12). The waves of the Romantic period surged in homogenous ebb and flow,and dark colours - and it became apparent very quickly that here at work were masters of their craft (Kölnische Rundschau, 18.9.2010)

Throughout, the string sound was lightly muted, with life and warmth emanating from the inner voice, contributed to in no small part by the noble restraint of the first violinist. The four players dealt in marvellous style with the awkwardly positioned, evasive motifs of the scherzo and finale, i.e. with what we in the Rhineland call Knibbelsarbeit - fiddly work (Kölnische Rundschau, 21.9.2010).