Inara Molinari

A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to our wonderful production and helped us reach our campaign target in record time. 

You are truly AMAZING !!

Now that we have our Organ, we're seeking help for other vital parts of our living and insatiable production. 

Sets, costumes, props and lighting are all the life-blood of a vibrant performance that we are still sourcing and building.

And when it's all over, we'd love to have archival footage we can share with Conservatoriums, regional theatres and other producers. So perhaps you can contribute to us creating an archival DVD and audio recording for future promotion and possible touring ??

If so, read on................................

100 years before Handel, groundbreaking Italian singer and composer Francesca Caccini entertained royalty with her opera about Alcina - the seductive and treacherous sorceress who lures men to her island, bewitches them with promises of eternal love and brutally discards them when bored.

On Saturday July 28 at the Parade Theatres and for the first time in Australia, Ondine Productions brings to life a fully-staged contemporary performance of Caccini’s only surviving opera, La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina, 1625.

During one of the stormiest and wettest nights Sydney has seen for a while, our production rehearsals got underway. A portent that producing this opera is going to be a wild ride? We hope so! 

It's an ambitious project that will cost in the vicinity of $25,000.00 and now that we've started, there's no turning back! Our creative team Director, Leonie Cambage, Set Designer Kate Shanahan and Lighting Designer Matt Cox have been planning, drawing, and devising sets already being constructed somewhere near Mudgee, and our producer, Inara Molinari's house has turned into a couturier's salon and props warehouse. Currently rehearsing under Music Director Diana Weston, are eleven wonderful singers and eleven accomplished musicians who have performed with Opera Australia, The Song Company, Pinchgut Opera, Australian Branbenburg Orchestra, Salut!Baroque, Marais Project and more. The audience will hear instruments such as harpsichord, theorbo, treble viol, baroque cello, violin and recorder. And in order to stay true to the composer's instrumentation, we are using a period chamber organ which alone will cost $1,200.00 to hire, hence our fundraising campaign.

Why help?

You'll be supporting the premiere performance of a seminal work, the first opera written by a woman. 

The idea for this project has been simmering on the back-burner for ten years when the producer was first exposed to a gorgeous trio from the opera and wondered why Caccini's music wasn't better known. And now it's actually happening and is gearing up to be a much anticipated musical event on the Sydney calendar.

The work itself is full of sublimely beautiful music and has a large cast of varied characters. It's perfect for tertiary student learning and performance and a great intro to the world of opera.

The story lends itself to different interpretations but its core theme of love versus duty in times of war is certainly one that will resonate with today's audiences.

We have committed to staging a unique production worthy of an Australian premiere.

Limiting our expenses wherever possible by borrowing and scouring the Op Shops and Ebay and receiving support in kind so far from organisations such as Parade Theatres, NIDA, 2MBSFM, Opera Australia, St. Andrews College, Sydney University and others noted on our website is fantastic, however, striving for our goal means there are still substantial bills that must be paid.

We've set a modest dollar target but donations received above and beyond will help lighten our load immensely. Thanks from all of us at Ondine Productions!

Special thanks to Thijs Rozeboom (www.autumnleaffilms.com.au) for filming and creating our Pozible video pitch gratis.

www.ondineproductions.com.au