Valda Wilson, soprano | Richard Bonynge 90th Birthday Gala Concert

Gala Concert
Celebrating the 90th Birthday of Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE
Introducing the new book Chalet Monet
Courtesy of the Australian High Commissioner
Artistic Director: Rosemary Tuck
Ballet Artistic Director: Leanne Benjamin AM OBE
Support the new Richard Bonynge Award Fund by purchasing your ticket along with a copy of Richard Bonynge’s book Chalet Monet direct from this site.
Make a combined ticket purchase and donation of £250 or more** and receive your copy of the book signed by Richard himself.
Learn about the book here.
Special Guests include:
John Copley CBE, theatre and opera producer and director
David Mellor QC, broadcaster, barrister, and former politician
Guest Artists include:
The concert features outstanding performing artists from Australia and New Zealand who have been personally selected by Richard Bonynge:
GUEST ARTISTS ROYAL BALLET SOLOISTS
(in order of appearance) Reece Clarke
Yvonne Kenny AM Fumi Kaneko
Rosemary Tuck* Calvin Richardson*
Emma Matthews With sincerest thanks to The Royal Ballet
Helena Dix
Benson Wilson* * Tait Awardee
Filipe Manu*
Valda Wilson*
Chad Vindin*
Catherine Carby*
Waynne Kwon*
Jeffrey Black
Tait Awardee
The Tait celebrates the 90th birthday of Australian international conductor/pianist, Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE in a gala concert specially curated by Australian concert pianist, Rosemary Tuck, with a cast of Australian and New Zealand international artists in a programme which will include excerpts from Norma, I Capuleti ed I Montecchi, the Pearlfishers and Die Fledermaus. Dancers from The Royal Ballet artistically directed by retired Royal Ballet principal dancer, Leanne Benjamin AM OBE will perform excerpts from ballets that Richard has conducted, and in some cases discovered, during his career. We thank The Royal Ballet and its Director, Kevin O’Hare most sincerely for their support.
The event will include special guest appearances by internationally acclaimed opera producer and director, John Copley CBE, and retired politician, broadcaster and lawyer, David Mellor QC. We are sincerely grateful that the Australian High Commissioner, HE the Hon George Brandis QC has permitted us to record in the Exhibition Hall and will be present at the recording. To learn more about the concert click here
The ultimate goal of the concert is to raise a substantial sum which will be added to our new Richard Bonynge Award for a young Australian or New Zealand conductor or pianist. We will also be introducing a new book Chalet Monet: Inside the Home of Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge, recently published by Melbourne Books this lavish coffee table book has over 1000 photographs which brings to life the home of two of Australia’s greatest cultural icons and will have it available to sale via our box office. More about the book here
The concert is financially supported by Tait Friend, Elsbeth Turner Laing who we thank most sincerely for her very generous support.
About Richard Bonynge AC CBE
Throughout his illustrious career, Richard Bonynge has conducted in the world’s leading opera houses in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand and Asia. He has received world-wide acclaim as a scholar of bel canto opera and is celebrated for leading the renaissance of eighteenth and early-nineteenth century musical theater, such as Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer), Semiramide, Sigismondo (Rossini), La Fille du Régiment, Maria Stuarda, Anna Bolena, Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti), Esclarmonde, Le Roi de Lahore, Thérèse (Massenet), Medea (Pacini), Orfeo (Haydn), I Masnadieri (Verdi).
In recent seasons he led performances of La Traviata in Athens, I Capuleti ed I Montecchi in London, Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Scala di Seta, Signor Bruschino, Roméo & Juliette in Sydney, Lucia, Norma and Faust in the United States, La Favorite in Barcelona, I Lombardi in Buenos Aires and Semiramide (Meyerbeer) at the Wildbad Festival, Germany.
Mr. Bonynge’s extensive career includes innumerable performances with his wife, Dame Joan Sutherland, culminating in her farewell engagements in opera and recital throughout the world. The two artists also toured the United States with the Sydney Symphony in celebration of Australia’s Bicentennial, with concerts at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the United Nations.