Orchestra Victoria
Founded1969
LocationMelbourne, Australia
Concert hallState Theatre orchestra pit
Websitewww.orchestravictoria.com.au

Orchestra Victoria is a full-time salaried orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia, and wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Ballet. Founded in 1969, the orchestra is now a principal performance partner for the Australian Ballet, Opera Australia and larger productions of Victorian Opera.

History

The orchestra was established in 1969 as the Elizabethan Melbourne Orchestra, initially with just 32 players. Over the next decade, the orchestra expanded both its numbers and repertoire as it accompanied some of the world's leading performers, including Rudolf Nureyev and Dame Joan Sutherland, and worked with renowned conductors such as Richard Bonynge, Stuart Challender, Carlo Felice Cillario and John Lanchbery.

In 1986, ownership of the orchestra was transferred to the Victorian Arts Centre and its name was changed to the State Orchestra of Victoria. Its initial management and artistic team: concertmaster: Anthony Conolan, administrator: Peter Narroway, orchestra manager: Kevin Morgan.

In 2001, the orchestra left the Victorian Arts Centre to become an independent and self-governing organisation. The newly named Orchestra Victoria moved to the former Army Band Barracks in Albert Park.

On 1 July 2014, Orchestra Victoria became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Ballet. Since then it has expanded activities, continued to perform with leading artists from around the world, revitalised its philanthropic program, appearing in broadcasts, recordings and open-air events and toured interstate for the first time in many years.

At the end of 2016, the orchestra was forced to move out of its home in Albert Park to make way for a new primary school.[1] In January 2023 it further relocated from Joan Hammond Hall in Southbank, Melbourne, to a site in North Melbourne[2] to allow for the Melbourne Arts Precincts Transformation[3] project to proceed.

Activities

Performances:

Leading staff

  • Executive director: Jacinta Ewers[4]
  • Concertmaster: Sulki Yu[5]

Discography

TitleDetails
Ludwig Minkus, Don QuixoteJohn Lanchbery (conductor), The Elizabethan Trust Melbourne Orchestra.

• Released: 1973 • Label: EMI • Cat #: CSD 3749

Ludwig Minkus/Arr. John Lanchbery. (LP, Vinyl)John Lanchbery (conductor), The Elizabethan Trust Melbourne Orchestra.

• Released: Sep, 1977 • Label: World Record Club • Cat #: R-03711

Giacomo Puccini, Madama Butterfly (CD)State Orchestra of Victoria – John Lanchbery (conductor)

• Released: 1996 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 454 499-2

Albert Arlen, The Sentimental Bloke (CD)John Lanchbery (conductor), Orchestra Victoria

• Released: Jun, 1998 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: ABC4768366

Michael Easton, Concerto on Australian Themes, An Australian in Paris (CD)State Orchestra of Victoria, Brett Kelly (conductor), Bernadette Conlon, Len Vorster, Margaret Haggart

• Released: Jun, 1998 • Label: Naxos • Cat #: 8.554368

Franz Lehár, The Merry Widow (CD)State Orchestra of Victoria, John Lanchbery (conductor)

• Released: 1999 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 465 426-2

Don Quixote (CD)State Orchestra of Victoria

• Released: 1999 • Label: Unknown • Cat #: 59567129 (Libraries Australia)

Graeme Koehne, 1914: ballet music. (CD)Mark Sommerbell (conductor), State Orchestra of Victoria

• Released: 1999 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 4652092

Sean O'Boyle, Villean Sunrise, (CD)Robert John (violin), State Orchestra of Victoria

• Released: 2000 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 465682-2

Constant Lambert The Bird Actors: Pomona; Romeo and Juliet. (CD)John Lanchberry (conductor), State Orchestra of Victoria.

• Released: 2000 (Colchester, Essex, England) • Label: Chandos • Cat #: CHAN9865

Various composers, Australia Unite! The road to federation: Songs and dances of colonial Australia. (CD)Richard Divall (conductor), Merlyn Quaife (singer), John Bolton Wood (singer), State Orchestra of Victoria.

• Released: 2001 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 00028948141203

Ferdinand Hérold, La Somnambule (CD)Richard Bonynge (conductor)

• Released: 2008 • Label: Melba Records • Cat#: MR301087

Various composers, Villains: sinister songs and arias. (CD)John Wegner (singer), Richard Divall (conductor), State Orchestra of Victoria.

• Released: 2001 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 00028948141272

Various composers, Dance of the Hours: Beautiful Music for Every House of the Day (CD)Richard Divall (conductor)

• Released: Oct, 2005 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: ABC4768366

Georges Bizet, Divergence (DVD)State Orchestra of Victoria, The Australian Ballet, Stanton Welch (choreographer, Stephen Burstow (director/producer).

• Released: 2007 • Label: West Long Branch, NJ: Kultur • Cat #: D4252

Camille Saint-Saëns, Hélène/Nuit Persane (CD)Rosamund Illing, Steve Davislim, Leanne Kenneally, Zan Mckendree-Wright, Belle Époque Chorus Guillaume Tourniaire (conductor)

• Released: 2008 • Label: Melba Records • Cat #: MR 301114-2

Richard Strauss, Seduction (CD)State Orchestra of Victoria, Simone Young (conductor), Steve Davislim (tenor)

• Released: 2008 • Label: Melba Records • Cat #: MR301108

Rhapsodie: Fantasie: Poème (CD)Ben Jacks (horn), Orchestra Victoria, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Barry Tuckwell (conductor)

• Released: 2008 • Label: Melba Records • Cat #: MR301117

Franz Lehár/John Lanchbery, The Merry Widow: ballet music based on the Lehár opera (Lustige Witwe) arr. John Lanchbery. (CD)Alan Abbott (conductor), State Orchestra of Victoria.

• Released: 2009 • Label: Naxos Digital Services/ABC Classics • Cat #: ABC465426-2

Camille Saint-Saëns, ELAN (CD)Orchestra Victoria, Guillaume Tourniaire (conductor)

• Released: 2010 • Label: Melba Records • Cat #: MR301130

Giacomo Puccini, Puccini = Passion (CD)Orchestra Victoria, Cheryl Barker (soprano), Richard Bonynge (conductor)

• Released: Jan, 2011 • Label: Melba Records • Cat #: MR301110

The Australian Cities Suite (CD)Orchestra Victoria with Judith Durham (singer)

• Released: 2012 • Label: Decca • Cat #: 279 7918

Various composers, The Australian Ballet – The Music of Dance: Celebrating 50 Years. (CD)State Orchestra of Victoria, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Richard Mills, John Lanchbery, Werner Andreas Albert, Vladimir Verbitsky, Nicolette Fraillon, David Stanhope, John Hopkins, David Porcelijn (conductors)

• Released: Jan 2012 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 480 6403

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty (CD)Orchestra Victoria, Nicolette Fraillon (conductor), David Wenham

• Released: 2015 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 481 2234

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker (CD)Orchestra Victoria, Nicolette Fraillon (conductor), Geoffrey Rush (narrator)

• Released: Nov, 2016 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 4814668

Léo Delibes, Coppélia (CD)Orchestra Victoria, Barry Wordsworth (conductor)

• Release: 2018 • Label: ABC Classics • Cat #: 481 7212

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2022 Live at Hamer Hall (with The Teskey Brothers) Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EP Nominated [6][7]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1999 Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote Best Original Cast or Show Album Nominated [8]
2000 The Merry Widow (with John Lanchbery) Nominated
2022 Live at Hamer Hall (with The Teskey Brothers) ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album Pending [9]

References

  1. "Orchestra Victoria told to vacate its Albert Park home". Music Australia. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  2. "Redevelopment plans put Meat Market in a tight squeeze". Arts Hub. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  3. "Melbourne Arts Centre Transformation Project". artsprecinct.melbourne. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  4. "Orchestra Victoria Management". Orchestra Victoria. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  5. "Sulki Yu Orchestra Victoria". Orchestra Victoria. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  6. "Nominees Announced For AIR Independent Music Awards 2022". Music Feeds. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  7. Tyler Jenke (5 August 2022). "Genesis Owusu Wins Big At The 2022 AIR Awards". Music Feeds. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  8. ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  9. Lars Brandle (12 October 2022). "Rüfüs Du Sol Leads 2022 ARIA Awards Nominees (Full List)". The Music Network. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
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