Talented young singer Lexi Hutton, from Bingara, will join two other Tablelands divas to make it Opera in the Paddock 2009 on Saturday, March 14 to make it a more homegrown event.

The young soprano will perform with her former teacher and fellow soprano Peta Blyth, who organises the Paddock concert at Mimosa, Delungra each year, and well known mezzo soprano Elizabeth Campbell who grew up in the Inverell.

Ms Hutton first sang at the Paddock in 2006 as a Sydney Conservatorium of Music student and for the last two years has performed with Oz Opera, appearing in Mozart’s The Magic Flute and the title role of Rossini’s Cinderella.

This year she is heading for auditions in London for Opera Masters Courses, an audition for a production with Madrid Opera and for some master classes in Vienna. Ms Campbell is one of Australia’s leading singers having performed extensively with all the country’s major opera companies and orchestras. Later this year she returns to Opera Australia to perform the roles of Amneris in Aida and Mrs Sedley in Britten’s Peter Grimes.

The three divas will join Richard Greager, Shaun Brown, David Hibbard and pianist David Miller on the Paddock stage this year for the eighth annual concert under the stars, which will be the biggest yet with six singers, a pianist, 14 orchestral players and guest conductor Timothy Sexton.

Sexton, Head of Music at the State Opera of South Australia, conductor of the Adelaide Art Orchestra and a ABC Classic FM announcer will also double as compere and as he is a singer will join in for some numbers.

This year’s program which includes excerpts from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Bellini’s Norma, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, , Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann, Puccini’s La Boheme with the final act of Verdi’s Rigoletto as a focal point. Operetta excerpts come from the music of Sigmund Romberg The Student Prince, The Desert Song & The New Moon. Selections from Kismet & The Phantom of the Opera will also feature. A Recital, featuring the opera singers will also be held on, Friday March 13 in the Inverell Town Hall. Sponsors include Tourism NSW, DSRD, New England Credit Union, Allianz, Inverell Shire Council & Tourism, Country Energy, Qantaslink, Malachite Resources and the German Consulate General

© 2009 Inverell Times

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