Paul Smith Composer

Paul is a lecturer in music at the University of New England where he teaches composition and music theory. He holds a Doctorate of Creative Arts from Western Sydney University where his research focused on music's connection with visual art forms.

His works for theatre include the chamber opera "Fancy Me Dead", first performed as part if the New Music Network Mini Series in 2015, and "The Spider Maiden and the Runaway Plum Blossom", commissioned by Chamber.Sounds and premiered in Singapore in 2016. He also composed and performed a piano score for a collaborative theatre work, "Frankenstein", at The Q in Penrith in October, 2016. He is currently composing a new work in development - Chop Chef: The Opera - with librettist Julie Koh for the The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre Southlands Breakthrough Award 2017.

Paul's instrumental compositions include numerous pieces for keyboard. He has collaborated regularly with Italian pianist, Antonietta Lofreddo who has performed his work in Australia and Italy. She has released his pieces, "Kawaii Suite", "Iceberg Variations", and "Holding Masks" on three albums with Wirripang. "'Holding Masks" was performed at the Associazione Carducci in Como in May 2017. Other commissions include "The Death of Baldr" for sextet by the Sirius Chamber Ensemble.

His published research explores music and Japanese visual culture and can be found in the volumes "Manga-Vision" (2016, Monash University Press) and "Music's Immanent Future" (2016, Ashgate Publishing).

John Thiering Sand Artist

John is a sand painting artist based in Coffs Harbour, NSW. In 2018, John's most recent engagement has been for Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony where he created 6 vignettes sand artworks to represent each of the 6 regions of the Commonwealth. Screened at the opening ceremony, Gold Coast. His local performances in Coffs Harbour include SWIFF (Screenwave International Film Festival) Lightbox, Sand Art produced as part of an architectural video projection project, in collaboration with Illuminart, Coffs Harbour Jetty.

Throughout 2017-2018, John's main line of work has been as a Guest Entertainer on Princess Cruises. John has been a art teacher in primary and secondary schools for over 15 years. His education background has given him the skill set to run sand painting workshops with school children, including Aboriginal and Refugee students. Most notably 'Gunganbu - Gardens of Belonging', a multicultural sight and sound spectacular, at Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Hr, 2016 where local indigenous students created performance of the local Gumbaynggirr 'Creation Story' in sand painting.

http://johnthieringart.com/

Rebecca Moret Spidermaiden

Melbourne-born soprano Rebecca Claire Moret is currently based in Sydney, where recent highlights include Giorgetta in Il Tabarro, the title role in Suor Angelica, and the Australian premiere of Paul Smith's new chamber opera The Spider Maiden and the Runaway Plum Blossom, as well as scenes as Mozart's Donna Anna and Elettra with the QSO. She has sung with Opera Australia, Pacific Opera, Blush Opera, and Opera Projects Sydney. She was a Young Artist with Pacific Opera and since performing in Rossini's The Barber of Seville with the Opera Australia Schools Company, she has performed as a member of the Opera Australia Chorus. She received her Bachelor of Music (Performance) from Melbourne University, and her Advanced Diploma of Opera from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Jermaine Chau Plum Blossom

Jermaine recently trained at the IFAC New Zealand Singing School 2017 where she worked with international coaches. A graduate of the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Summer School in Brisbane (2014), she studied opera at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (2013-2014) where she took on the role as a sassy aunt Fidalma in Cimarosa’s comic opera Il Segreto Matrimonio. She took the lead role in Menotti’s Old Maid and the Thief and has performed as Cecilia in Mark Adamo’s Little Women.

2016 was thrilling year as Jermaine made her debut at the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra Gala; performed as Lady Bertram in Operantics’ production of Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park and will again join Operantics and the Penrith Symphony Orchestra in their production of La Sonnambula as Teresa. She revelled in the gluttonous role of Suor Dolcina in Opera Projects Sydney’s Suor Angelica; La Frugola in Puccini's Il Tabarro with Constantine Costi & Luke Spicer and in November, Jermaine was part of the cast of OperaAustralia’s The Eighth Wonder in the role of Madame Magda performing on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House. In 2017-2018 she performed in Carmen and La Boheme as part of Opera Australia's chorus on Sydney Harbour.

Spidermaiden-script.pdf