State Opera South Australia to Present National Tour of LOVE BURNS Beginning This Month

State Opera South Australia has announced the return of 'the honeymoon killers' in a two-month national tour of the hugely popular opera, Love Burns.

The storyline is based on the 1940's true crime American serial killer couple 'the honeymoon killers,' and delivers mischievous comedy with masterful musicality.

State Opera South Australia Artistic Director, Stuart Maunder AM said Love Burns is sure to delight for newcomers and lovers of opera alike!

"Following a sensational short season in 2021 we are thrilled to announce this national tour which starts this month," Maunder said.

Love Burns also joins the Lost Operas of Oz series championed by Maunder.

"Three years ago, we launched the Lost Operas series - our commitment to put Australian opera where it belonged - on centre stage. Product ions such as Love Burns have been met with acclaim and have reached a place in the hearts and minds that grand canon cannot," Maunder said.

Audiences around the country can now bear witness to this darkly funny chamber opera by Graeme Koehne with libretto by Louis Nowra.

The main protagonist, Jack, is a con and a ladies' man, feigning love to steal money from lonely widows. Angela, initially one of his victims, pairs up and assists him in his deception. She loves the con but not the ladies and when jealousy sets in, she persuades Jack to kill his victims.

Critics and audiences alike have responded with delight to the unique voice that is Australian opera in all its intimate, grand, and quirky forms and even brings waltz and tango to the stage.

In conjunction with Country Arts SA, the first performance of this national tour will take place in Noarlunga, SA. The show will then travel nationally to Darwin, Townsville, Toowoomba, Margaret River and Perth before returning to regional SA for performances in Mount Gambier, Renmark and Port Lincoln.

Don't miss a thrilling night out at State Opera's Love Burns. The two-month national tour runs from Wednesday 19 October to Saturday 26 November. Tickets on sale now: www.stateopera.com.au.

PERFORMANCE & TICKET INFORMATION:

South Australia

Date & Time: Wednesday, 19 October 2022 at 6:30pm

Location: Hopgood Theatre, Ramsay Pl, Noarlunga Centre SA 5168

Ticket Costs: All admission $40

Book Tickets: https://www.countryarts.org.au/events/love-burns/

Date & Time: Tuesday, 22 November 2022 at 7:30pm

Location: Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, 10 Watson Terrace, Mount Gambier SA 5290

Ticket Costs: Starting From $10

Book Tickets: https://www.countryarts.org.au/events/love-burns/

Date & Time: Thursday, 24 November 2022 at 7:30pm

Location: Chaffey Theatre, Seventeenth St, Renmark SA 5341

Ticket Costs: Starting from $10

Book Tickets: https://www.countryarts.org.au/events/love-burns/

Date & Time: Saturday, 26 November 2022 at 7:30pm

Location: Nautilus Arts Centre, 66 Tasman Terrace, Port Lincoln SA 5606

Ticket Costs: Starting from $42

Book Tickets: https://au.patronbase.com/_NautilusArtsCentre/Productions/LOVE/Performances

Northern Territory

Date & Time: Friday, 21 October 2022 at 7:30pm

Saturday, 22 October at 7:30pm

Location: Darwin Entertainment Centre, 93 Mitchell St, Darwin City NT 0800

Ticket Costs: Starting from $35

Book Tickets: https://www.yourcentre.com.au/#!/events/-N5O70bkEdKQGbFKuieL/

Queensland

Date & Time: Tuesday, 25 October 2022 at 7:30pm

Wednesday, 26 October 2022 at 7:30pm

Location: Townsville Civic Theatre, 41 Boundary Street, South Townsville QLD 4810

Ticket Costs: Starting from $30

Book Tickets: https://whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au/events/love-burns

Date & Time: Friday, 28 October 2022 at 07:30 PM

Saturday, 29 October 2022 at 07:30 PM

Location: Empire Theatre, 54-56 Neil St, Toowoomba City QLD 4350

Ticket Costs: Starting from $28

Book Tickets: https://www.empiretheatre.com.au/event/1042

Western Australia

Date & Time: Thursday, 17 November 2022 at 7pm

Location: Margaret River HEART, 47 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River WA 6285

Ticket Costs: Starting from $22

Book Tickets: https://www.margaretriverheart.com.au/event/love-burns/

Date & Time: Saturday, 19 November 2022 at 7:30pm

Location: State Theatre Centre, 174-176 William St, Perth WA 6000

Ticket Costs: Starting from $40

Book Tickets: https://www.artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au/venues/state-theatre-centre-of-wa/whats-on/love-burns/

More Information: www.stateopera.com.au

CREATIVES:

CONDUCTOR - Josh van Konkelenberg
DIRECTOR - Nicholas Cannon
SET & COSTUME DESIGNER - Simone Romaniuk
LIGHTING DESIGNER - Ben Flett

CAST:

Angela - Jessica Dean
Jack - Mark Oats
Ensemble - Rosie Hosking, Rachel McCall and Jeremy Tatchell

BIOGRAPHIES

Jessica Dean - Soprano (Angela)

Australian Soprano Jessica Dean is a Masters graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, where she studied with Lillian Watson. At the RAM, she was awarded the Kohn Foundation scholarship as a soloist for the inaugural Royal Academy's Bach Cantata concert series.

Her Australian and UK awards include the EMR Overseas Scholarship, The Dame Ruby Litchfield Scholarship, The John Lewis Award and The Jennifer Vyvyan Award.

Full bio https://stateopera.com.au/artist/jessica-dean/

Mark Oates (Jack)

Mark is an award winning and respected South Australian performer. His credits include the Adelaide and Brisbane Festivals, State Opera of SA, SINGular Productions, Ding! Productions, Six Foot Something Productions, Aerial Artists Australia, and MOatesArt Productions.

As well as numerous concert and music theatre credits, Mark has appeared in the Adelaide Fringe in his sold out, self-produced Fringe show Mark Oates and the Daniel Brunner Pretty Big Band.

Full bio https://stateopera.com.au/artist/mark-oates/

Josh van Konkelenberg - Conductor

Josh van Konkelenberg studied piano (with Stefan Ammer and Lucinda Collins) at the University of Adelaide and the Australian National Academy of Music before relocating to London to study organ and improvisation with David Graham and Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin at the Royal College of Music. He received the degree of Master of Music with distinction in 2012, and completed the Ph.D. in Composition (at the University of Adelaide) in the same year.

Josh was awarded the Walford. E. Davies Prize for Dux of the Organ Faculty at the Royal College of Music, and has been the recipient of grants from the Australia Council for the Arts and the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, an University of Adelaide Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement, and an Australian Postgraduate Award.

Full bio: https://stateopera.com.au/artist/josh-van-konkelenberg/

Nicholas Cannon - Director

Nicholas is a versatile director, singer, actor and teacher. Nicholas has studied Lecoq Technique in Barcelona and Paris and holds a Music Theatre Degree from WAAPA.

Director credits include Love Burns, Christina's World, Dido and Aeneas and La Vida Breve for State Opera South Australia. A Little Night Music for Watch This Company, Melbourne. Acis and Galatea in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Don Giovanni, La Clemenza di Tito, Cosi Fan Tutte, Suor Angelica and Eugene Onegin for Co-Opera touring regional Australia. Other productions include Price Check - Loaded Productions, Adelaide, L'Heure Espagnole/Gianni Schicchi (co-director) - Lyric Opera of Melbourne and The Gondoliers - Pacific Opera, Sydney.

Full bio: https://stateopera.com.au/artist/nicholas-cannon/