Category: Past Events

CENTENARY PAVILION, August 20-28, 2021

ABOUT THE OPERAS:

These two one-act operas are in very different styles and take us to the opposite corners of human experience. Both have family at the heart of them, and a plot that hinges on inheritance. Suor Angelica is about a nun pressured to sign away her inheritance by a family that has rejected her. We push against the sentimentality of the piece by taking it out of the convent and putting it in a modern rehab centre.
Addiction affects families of all kinds, and the links between family trauma and addictive behaviour are well documented.

Gianni Schicchi is a screwball comedy lifted straight from Dante’s Inferno. Someone rich has died and the vultures descend. In our version, the corpse is barely cold and the removalists are already stripping the house out. This story concludes with the hero asking if he deserves to be sent to hell for a redistribution scheme with an upside. In both operas the protagonists are trying to survive within a very flawed world. Laughing or crying, naturalism or farce, it is all the same thing. The gloriousand messy business of life.
Rachel McDonald

CAST: Robert Hofmann, Nicole Youl, Hattie Marshall, Emma Pettemerides, Brigitte Heuser, Perry Joyce, Bella Marslen, Brett Peart, Tom Buckmaster, Kyle Garces, Ava Charleson, Harriet du Pont, Ruth Burke, Bonnie Staude, Dante Prendergrast, Scout Simmonds, Michelle Pryor

• DIRECTOR Rachel McDonald
• MUSICAL DIRECTOR Katie How
• DESIGNER Robbie Harrold
• LIGHTING DESIGN Jerry Reinhardt 
• STAGE MANAGER Rachael Canning
• SURTITLE OPERATOR: Allison Fyfe
• MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT: Tommaso Pollio, Sophie Curtis and Cathie Travers.

Awards:

• Nominations PAWA
  • Best Production (Musicals and Opera) – Angels and Devils – WINNER
  • Outstanding Direction, Movement Direction or Choreography – Rachel McDonald – WINNER
  • Best Performer in a Leading Role – Harriet Marshall – WINNER

Reviews:

Angels & Devils (Freeze Frame Opera)

Review | Freeze Frame Opera showcases next generation of talent

Romantic thrills and spills

CENTENARY PAVILION, August 2022

Director’s statement – Adam Mitchell 

This is my first time working with FFO (I’ve long been a secret admirer), and it  has been a really wonderful adventure. What a special company this is! 

Puccini describes La Fanciulla as his ‘finest work, his most successful opera’, and that is a big statement as it followed Madama Butterfly. It is an incredibly ambitious undertaking for any opera company, let alone our merry troupe of independent artists, to stage The Girl of the Golden West. Certainly, I find La Fanciulla Puccini’s most romantic score, and possibly one of his most musically demanding. 

The jumping-off point aesthetically for our La Fanciulla was a series of photographs of the town on the west coast of America, called Trona, taken by documentary photographer Tobias Zielony (look them up; they are fantastic!). Originally a frontier town, it was built on the myth of the Wild West, exploiting individualistic freedom and the taming of the natural world. Trona moved from mining gold and silver at the turn of the century to today, where its main production is sadly methamphetamine. 

There are many such towns in our own backyard. Settlements that once encouraged daring explorers west have also drawn misplaced and unwelcome vagrants into the undertow. The original protagonists of Western epics are often misfits or outcasts, and this is what’s celebrated in La Fanciulla. This is an opera that unusually sees our heroine, Minnie (a hard-working bar owner), win big in the hard-drinking world of men, and we love her for it. La Fanciulla is firmly set  in the cultural echoes of the American Dream and the lament of longing to blaze  brighter than you are. 

I would like to thank the cast, creative team (particularly our brilliant Musical  Director, Tommaso), musicians, and everyone at FFO and beyond for making this possible. I hope you enjoy your journey to the frontier. 

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CAST:

• Jack Rance – Teddy Tahu Rhodes
• Dick Johnson – Jun Zhang
• Minnie – Hattie Marshall
• Jake Wallace – Robert Hofmann
• Sonora – Lachlann Lawton
• Ashby – Jake Bigwood/Brett Peart
• Jim Larkins – Brett Peart/Kris Bowtell
• Sid – Keaton Staz
• Bello – Lachlan Higgins (Rogers & Thick Award Recipient 2022)
• Joe – Perry Joyce
• Happy – Kohsei Gilkes (FFO Rising Star 2022)
• Nick – Ammon Bennett (FFO Rising Star 2022)
• Harry – Tom Buckmaster
• Trin – Zoe Lancaster
• Wowkle – Michelle Pryor
• Postmas – Euan MacMillan
• Castro – Laurence Westrip
• Chorus – Devon Lake, Sam Claxton, Julian Cope, Vin Trikeriotis, Jessica Goodwin and Elizabeth Bruk (appear courtesy of WAAPA)
• Pianist – Tommaso Pollio
• Cellist – Sophie Curtis
• Piano Accordian – Cathie Travers

• Director – Adam Mitchell 
• Music Director – Tommaso Pollio 
• Designer – Bryan Woltjen 
• Lighting Designer – Jerry Reinhardt 
• Production & Stage Manager – Stephen Carr 
• Assistant Stage Managers – Chloe Palliser, Simonne Mathews and Jocelyn Dale
• Wardrobe Manager – Rhiannon Walker 
• Surtitle Operator – Allison Fyfe 
• General Manager – Adele Williamson 

Reviews:

West side story strikes gold with new vein

https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/art/freeze-frame-opera-returns-to-the-showgrounds-with-puccinis-la-fanciulla-del-west-and-teddy-tahu-rhodes-c-7948628

OCTAGON THEATRE – November 24 and 25, 2023

Rachel Portman’s adaptation of The Little Prince is a rich and multidimensional experience, a heart-warming opera that stays with the audience long after the final curtain falls.
The Little Prince has captivated readers of all ages for generations. Its enduring themes of love, friendship, and the importance of seeing the world through a child’s eyes make it a relevant and poignant story to stage.
The story explores universal themes, including the beauty of simplicity, the search for meaning in life, the value of human connections, and the importance of imagination. The diverse characters, ranging from the Little Prince to the inhabitants of the planets he visits, provide a visually stunning and exciting experience for the whole family.
Freeze Frame Opera is thrilled to collaborate with the young chorus at WAYV and international artists, including Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Rachelle Durkin, and Sara Macliver for this moving opera based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved classic.

CAST:

The Pilot: Teddy Tahu Rhodes
The Little Prince: Liam Fitzpatrick/Camille Alonso
The Water: Sara Macliver
The Rose: Rachelle Durkin
The Fox: Hattie Marshall
The Businessman: Brett Peart
The Vain Man/The Lamplighter: Kohsei Gilkes
The Drunkard/The Snake: Perry Joyce
The King: Jake Bigwood

• DIRECTOR Adam Mitchell 
• MUSICAL DIRECTOR Katie How
• DESIGNER Rhiannon Walker 
• LIGHTING DESIGN Jerry Reinhardt 
• PRODUCTION MANAGER Stephen Carr
• WAYV PREPARATION: Perry Joyce, Katie How, Adrian Soares
• MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT: Tommaso Pollio, Sam Perry, Adrian Soares and Sopie Curtis

Program:

Awards:

• Nominations PAWA
  • Best Production (Musicals and Opera) – The Little Prince – WINNER
  • Outstanding Direction, Movement Direction or Choreography – Adam Mitchell – WINNER
  • Outstanding Musical Direction or Conducting – Katie How – WINNER
  • Outstanding Ensemble
  • Outstanding Performers in Supporting Roles – Perry Joyce
  • Outstanding Composition or Arranging – Adrian Soares
  • Outstanding Costume Design – Rhi Walker
  • Outstanding Newcomer – Camille Alonso/Liam Fitzpatrick
    
    

Reviews:

A Charming Performance: The Little Prince

REVIEW – The Little Prince (Freeze Frame Opera)

FREMANTLE PRISON EAST WORKSHOPS 18th to 21st September, 2025

Director’s Notes – Dead Man Walking
Just metres from where you are sitting tonight remain the gallows- built in 1888 it was the place of execution for 43 men and 1 woman. The last hanging being that of Edgar Cooke in 1964.
Dead Man Walking is based on the non-fiction work of Sister Helen Prejean and set in the “Death Belt” of the United States. Staging it within Fremantle Prison makes the story inseparable from the history and gravity of this place. It’s difficult not to reflect on the ongoing realities of incarceration — particularly the deaths in custody of First Nations peoples. This production asks us to face that reality, witness the human cost, and consider questions of justice, compassion, and accountability.
I would also like to reflect on how audacious it is for a small company like Freeze Frame to even attempt a work that is so musically complex and logistically challenging. A Huge thanks must go to the incredible team at Freeze Frame (Harriet and Adele), and to Tommaso Polio for his extraordinary, painstaking arrangement of the score — the time and care he poured into it are nothing short of inspiring.
I would also like to sincerely thank our many volunteers, and particularly the WAAPA students, who have approached both the challenging score and the difficult subject matter with dedication and sensitivity.
While institutions are intended to administer justice, too frequently they perpetuate harm. This production encourages audiences to engage with the individuals within these systems and to appreciate both the tragedy — and, we hope, the humanity — of their experiences.
We are grateful to have you join us this evening, and we thank you for approaching this story with openness, reflection, and empathy. And really, isn’t that the kind of understanding we could all use a bit more of?
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CAST: Lachlan Higgins, Harriet Marshall, Lisa Harper Brown, Sara Macliver, Prudence Sanders, Perry Joyce, Brigitte Heuser, Brett Peart, Robert Hofmann, Kohsei Gilkes, Tom Buckmaster, Caitlin Cassidy, Charis Postmus, Euan MacMillan, Ben del Borrello, Vin Trikeriotis, Kyle Garces, Sam Claxton

BAND: Tommaso Pollio, Cathie Travers, Sophie Curtis and Geoff Bourgault

CAST:

• DIRECTOR Adam Mitchell
• MUSICAL DIRECTOR Tommaso Pollio 
• DESIGNER Rhiannon Walker 
• LIGHTING DESIGN Jerry Reinhardt 
• PRODUCTION MANAGER Stephen Carr

Progam

Reviews for Dead Man Walking

Freo stone walls house a powerful ‘Dead Man Walking’

Dead Man Walking (Freeze Frame Opera)

https://bachtrack.com/review-dead-man-walking-freeze-frame-opera-fremantle-prison-september-2025

FREMANTLE PRISON 28-30 November 2024

Freeze Frame Opera is proud to present a thought-provoking new interpretation of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece, Don Giovanni, set at a glamorous film festival in 2017.

Award-winning film producer Giovanni (Brett Peart), with the help of his loyal assistant Leporello (James Pinneri), is preparing for “auditions” in his hotel suite. Arriving at the festival are Anna (Rachelle Durkin), an aspiring actress, her father (Robert Hofmann), and her devoted fiancé Ottavio (Kohsei Gilkes). Also checking in is international movie star Elvira (Hattie Marshall), searching for Giovanni after he reneged on a major contract. Adding to the intrigue are matinee idol Masetto (Sam Claxton) and the glamorous Zerlina (Emma Pettemerides), who are ready to announce their engagement to the waiting media.

The stage is set for high drama, dark humour, and Mozart’s glorious music, all in the haunting setting of Fremantle Prison.

Director Penny Shaw explains: “Despite being written in 1787, the themes at the centre of the opera are still chillingly relevant today. The opera can be seen as a cautionary tale of what happens when we allow men like Don Giovanni to remain in positions of power. We invite you to join us on this captivating journey as we reimagine Don Giovanni for a new generation and explore this timeless story in our current cultural climate.”

• DIRECTOR Penny Shaw 
• MUSICAL DIRECTOR Tommaso Pollio 
• DESIGNER Rhiannon Walker 
• LIGHTING DESIGN Jerry Reinhardt 
• PRODUCTION MANAGER Stephen Carr

Awards

• Nominations – PAWA
  • Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Role – Harriet Marshall – WINNER
  • Outstanding Direction, Movement Direction or Choreography – Penny Shaw

One of Freeze Frame’s gilfts is to serve centre-stage the raw humanity behind the compelling music of the classics, here achieved in heart-rending measure – The West Australian, November 2024.

FREMANTLE TOWN HALL 31 August to 3 September, 2023

Freeze Frame Opera continues its innovative spin on the classics, ripping Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur from its French aristocratic roots and setting the messy love triangle amid the glamour of 1950’s America in The Princess and the Showgirl. 
Think the Kennedys and Marilyn Monroe, with magnificent music.
Based on the true story of an actress who fell foul of royalty in the 18th century, this opera has all the passion and betrayal (and glorious costumes) one can take.
Directed by Penny Shaw, it stars Nicole Youl as the Princess, Hattie Marshall as her bitter rival, the Showgirl, international tenor Rosario La Spina as their mutual love interest, and local star Robert Hofmann as the theatre manager.

BAND: Tomasso Pollio, Cathie Travers, Sophie Curtis and Geoff Bourgault

CAST: Rosario La Spina (Maurizio), Hattie Marshall (Adriana), Nicole Youl (Princess), Brett Peart (Prince), Robert Hofmann (Michonnet), Emma Pettemerides (Jouvenot), Kohsei Gilkes (L’Abate), Ben del Borrello/Lachie Higgins (Quinault), Noah Humich (Poisson), Ruth Burke (Dangeville) & Jillian Halleron (La Duclos)

• DIRECTOR Penny Shaw 
• MUSICAL DIRECTOR Tommaso Pollio 
• DESIGNER Rhiannon Walker 
• LIGHTING DESIGN Jerry Reinhardt 
• PRODUCTION MANAGER Stephen Carr

Program:

Awards:

• Nominations PAWA
  • Outstanding Composition or Arranging (Musicals and Opera) – Tommaso Pollio – WINNER
  • Outstanding New Work (Musicals & Opera) Penny Shaw & Tommaso Pollio
  • Best Production
  • Outstanding Performer in a Leading Role Harriet Marshall
  • Outstanding Direction, Movement Direction or Choreography Penny Shaw

Reviews:

Fun for all: The Princess and the Showgirl

Big Apple spin gives opera bite

https://www.stagewhispers.com.au/reviews/princess-and-showgirl-adriana-lecouvreur