Alice’s Adventures in Operaland introduces young audiences to a whole new world

Master of Music (Opera Performance) students Emma Muir-Smith and Michael Petruccelli are part of a new theatrical experience which marks the latest production in Victorian Opera’s growing education program, borrowing the concept of the much-loved story of Alice in Wonderland to explore some of the world’s greatest operas.
On 23 May, Ms Muir-Smith and Mr Petruccelli will respectively play Alice and the White Rabbit in Victorian Opera’s new family production Alice’s Adventures in Operaland at the Arts Centre Melbourne.
Conceived by Victorian Opera’s Executive Producer Libby Hill and Artistic Director Richard Mills, Alice’s Adventures in Operaland is pitched as the perfect introduction for young people to the world of opera as it uses a broad sample of different productions and beautiful music.
Alice and the White Rabbit will encounter different opera characters in their natural habitats as they travel through the different worlds of opera, including Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Rossini’s Cinderella and The Barber of Seville, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel and Puccini’s La Bohème.
Mr Petruccelli, who was first introduced to opera at an early age through his Italian grandparents (Pavarotti’s Best Of was a regular feature at every family function), thinks it’s important for children to be introduced to opera for more than reasons of entertainment.
“Opera’s elements of music, dance, acting, costumes and sets stimulate the majority of our senses and inspire creativity in a world filled with technology and screens,” Mr Petruccelli says.
“Learning to appreciate opera was a slow process for me but one that came quite naturally since I was exposed to it as a young person, and this exposure is the key. If children are more exposed to opera from an early age, both at school and at home, they are more open to the harmonic language and the musical aesthetic of the opera repertoire.”
For Emma Muir-Smith, who played classical piano and jazz trumpet at school (and found out only quite recently that her great grandparents and a couple of her great aunts were opera singers), her introduction to opera was quite different. She’d never given the art form a thought until she was 18.
“I was given a good role in the year 11 musical and thought I’d better get some singing lessons so I didn’t embarrass myself,” Ms Muir-Smith says.
“It turned out the teacher at my school was an opera singer. I heard her practising before a lesson one day and was blown away by the power of the sound. I asked if she could teach me to sing like that, and it sort of went from there.”
Mr Petruccelli is passionate about breaking down the social stigma associated with the art form and believes education programs are key to achieving this.
“Opera is still regarded by some as an elitist art form. I think offering diverse education programs, like Victorian Opera does, definitely combats that view. Many other opera companies here and around the world are also building educational programs for children and young adults.”
From the point-of-view of longevity of the artform, Ms Muir-Smith agrees that exposing children to opera is very important.
“When we perform to children, it’s so great to see them genuinely enjoying what is presented. They don’t have any preconceived notions of what opera should be, or who it is for,” she says.
“Opera often gets a bad rap for being ‘unrealistic’, but kids have such wonderful imaginations. It doesn’t matter if it’s not in English, because they understand body language. I rarely see such honest reactions from audiences, and it’s an absolute joy to perform for children in that sense.”
Both students feel fortunate to be part of this collaboration between the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and Victorian Opera which is preparing them for life as professional opera singers.
“We have access to top-class coaches, directors, language experts and conductors, and we learn through genuine hands-on experience. The work we do is the real work we’ll be doing for the rest of our careers, it’s not a watered-down version,” Ms Muir-Smith says.
For Mr Petrcucelli, the experience of working with Victorian Opera is the most valuable thing of all.
“I am learning about the inner workings of a professional opera company, how to prepare music and roles, how to control my nerves before walking on stage, how to work with an orchestra and how to follow a conductor, what I need to do if I need to sing if I am sick, and how to be open-minded and adaptable.”
The two masters students will take this new-found knowledge to help build musical memories for the next generation of opera singers, continuing this centuries-old art form.
Applications for Master of Music (Opera Performance) close on 19 June. Visit www.mcm.unimelb.edu.au for more details.
Alice’s Adventures in Operaland shows at the Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse, 23 May, 11.30am, 2.00pm & 5.30pm.
Bookings 1300 182 183 or via victorianopera.com.au