Heroes and Villains

Friday 25th August 2017 at 7pm

St Paschals Catholic Church, 30 Warraba Ave. Wavell Heights

Bookings -  ph 3359 0239 ($30 inc. light supper)

"The Brisbane City Pops Orchestra is very proud to present  "Heroes and Villains".  It is an exciting selection of music that showcases many well-known pieces that have been written to celebrate the good and the bad characters that feature in all Operas, Operettas, Musicals and Films!!

We will perform the very exciting Marriage of Figaro Overture by Mozart as well as a wonderful selection of favourites from the Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Music from some great movies will remind you of a superhero like Superman (Superman Returns Selection by John Williams) and a couple of rogues from the movie The Sting (featuring The Entertainer by Scott Joplin).  An exciting selection of Star Wars music from Episode II by John Williams will also feature.

Who can forget the great Frank Sinatra? - a bit of a hero as well as a villain!  We will present A Salute to 'Ol Blue Eyes.

We welcome Our Lady of the Angels Choir who will perform a selection of pieces,  and our own Leslie Martin-Nightingale will delight you singing "My Hero" from The Chocolate Soldier, "Habanera" from Carmen by Bizet.  The beautiful piece  "Songs My Mother Taught Me"  by Dvorak will be sung by Leslie to celebrate someone who is often a hero in our personal lives - our Mothers.

Come and join us for an evening of great entertainment as we present a musical celebration of Heroes and Villains".

Neil Flottmann - Conductor   

After studies in flute and piano at the University of Sydney, Neil Flottmann went on to a varied career as a flautist, music educator and conductor. A former member of several major Australian orchestras, including the QLD Symphony Orchestra, he has also worked as Chorus Master for the Lyric Opera of Queensland, The Australian Opera and The Canadian Opera Company. He has been at various times a member of the professional staff at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music, the QLD Conservatorium of Music and QUT lecturing in flute, musicianship, opera studies and conducting.

In 1984 Neil was awarded the prestigious Willem van Otterloo Memorial Conducting Scholarship, leading to studies in Sydney and London with Myer Fredman and Sir Charles Mackerras. Since then he has appeared as guest conductor with the Sydney, Queensland, Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the ABC Sinfonia, the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and the Australian Ballet. Neil has conducted thirteen seasons for the Queensland Ballet including the widely acclaimed Australian premiere of Peter Maxwell- Davies' Salome in 1986 and Francois Klaus’s 1998 production of Peer Gynt. In 2010 he was a member of the creative team for the Brisbane performance of Havergal Brian’s “Gothic Symphony”. He is currently Director of Curriculum at West Moreton Anglican College. 

Leslie Martin-Nightingale - Soprano

Leslie has been performing professionally for over 25 years, working with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland and internationally. Her enthusiasm for sharing her love of opera and the stage has also seen her perform for Corporate functions, Festivals, in parks, restaurants and local halls, in schools, with circus performers, and on the beach.

A regular performer in Brisbane, Leslie looks forward to concerts with the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra, a relationship that has been built over many years. With the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra, Leslie can celebrate her love of operetta and other treasures from the repertoire that are rarely performed these days.

Other concert highlights include: New Year’s Eve at QPAC with the Queensland Pops Orchestra; the Armidale Bach Festival; the Royal Australian Navy Band; and the Australian Army Band Brisbane. Audiences have enjoyed her performances at the Brisbane City Hall and Sydney Town Hall, where she sang solos plus duets with David Hobson.

Leslie puts her vast performance experience and vocal expertise to use by sharing her knowledge with aspiring Brisbane singers of all levels, ages and styles. Through her business, Success on Stage, Leslie teaches how to sing as well as how to perform and, most importantly, provides real performance experience for her prodigies.

Leslie enhanced her real industry expertise with knowledge gained through vocal pedagogy studies at the Queensland Conservatorium and took an active interest in the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing being both a director of the Board and the Vice President of the Queensland Chapter.

Over the years, Leslie has assisted emerging performers launch their careers in the music industry locally, nationally and internationally. Her career advice has introduced young artists to Opera Queensland, with another currently performing professionally in Europe and in West End productions.

Her knowledge of singing has been utilised by various Schools, Councils, Summer Schools and Eisteddfods through adjudicating, presenting workshops and masterclasses.

As a creative director, Leslie has produced iconic opera events such as Opera on the Beach in Sydney, and opera concerts on Broadbeach and Kings Beach, Caloundra. For 4MBS Classic FM she has created and directed various shows for the Festival of Classics including Verdi’s Women, a comparison of the real women in Verdi’s life to his operatic heroines; and a cut down version of Puccini’s opera Tosca, which was performed at the Powerhouse Theatre. This year’s performance was entitled Come Into the Parlour, Maud, a performance of Edwardian Parlour songs with David Hibbard and John Woods at Newstead House.

Leslie regularly performs with Italian Tenor, Raffaele Pierno as Raffaele and The Nightingale and this year organised a concert series taking opera and Italian Song to Brisbane suburbs. Future concerts include Primavera at Sandgate and Enoggera (September) and a Christmas Concert Buon Natale at Hamilton Town Hall. Tickets available online through Trybooking.com.

Raffaele and Leslie have a recording of Italian songs and arias, Sogno d’Italia (Dream of Italy) and Leslie’s own CD, Treasures, showcases music made famous by Gladys Moncrieff, June Bronhill, Jeanette MacDonald and Kathryn Grayson. Treasures and Sogno d’Italia are available for purchase at today’s concert. Leslie also appears on Opera Australia’s video-recordings of Patience and Die Fledermaus, Say Hello to the Opera for ABC Kids and Vavachi Classic Occasions’ recording Showstoppers.