About Melbourne City Opera

Melbourne City Opera was formed in 1997 to fulfil two prime objectives:

• to provide a platform for young Australian artists establishing their careers
• to provide opera at affordable prices for Victoria's opera-loving audience.

Our Mission

The Company hopes to accomplish these aims in a creative and stimulating environment in which young artists can develop their performing skills with a sense of flair and excitement.

The Company

Melbourne City Opera (MCO), is the successor to the highly successful Melbourne based company, Globe Opera, and the intention is to carry on with those traditions, objectives and achievements.

That this is highly achievable can be confirmed by the examples set by MCO's predecessors.   Perhaps few people attending those early Globe Opera concerts or it's first stage opera, The Merry Wives of Windsor, at St Martins Theatre in June 1978 would have believed that from such beginnings a major company would develop.

A company that would for many years make its home at the National Theatre, The Comedy Theatre and later at the Athenaeum Theatre, and employ such legendary names as Suzanne Steele, Ronald Dowd, Margaret Nisbett, Maureen Howard, and Ron Stevens in major productions of La Bohème, Faust, Carmen, I Pagliacci, Cavalleria Rusticana, Madama Butterfly, The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, The Student Prince, and many others.

This then is the operatic history which has spawned the Melbourne City Opera, and which both nurtures and drives this very talented group of young artists.

The Board

Patron
Sir Gustav Nossal AC,CBE, FRS, FAA

Executive Chairman
Dr Joseph Talia OAM

Directors
Dr Gary Simpson - Secretary
Mr Keith Beecher OAM - Treasurer
Mr James Long BM JP Front of House, Public Relations and Publications
Mr Ern Arnholdt
Mr Stuart Cole
Mr Don Heathcote
Dr Mervyn Jacobson

Ms Suzan Harvey
Mr Ian Lowe
Ms Licia Rebuffel
Mrs Ann Sanciolo

The Future

While MCO is proud of this heritage, the young artists populating this new company have their own vibrant visions for the future and exciting talent on which to draw, and are presently engaged in writing their own illustrious chapter in the musical life of Melbourne.

Melbourne City Opera is grateful for the generous sponsorship of The Italian Institute of Culture and the Italian Consul-General. We would also like to acknowledge the many commercial organizations that have lent their support to Melbourne City Opera.