PARRWANG LIFTS THE SKY (Deborah Cheetham Fraillon) Melbourne 2024 Sarah Prestwidge, Lisette Bolton, Michaela Cadwgan

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: PARRWANG LIFTS THE SKY  
• Composer: Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (Yorta Yorta/Yuin)  
• Libretto: Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (Yorta Yorta/Yuin)    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: MERLYN THEATRE, MALTHOUSE, Melbourne, Australia  
• Recorded: May 2024
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Sarah Prestwidge, Lisette Bolton, Michaela Cadwgan, Sofia Imperatore, Michtell Sanders, Douglas Kelly, James Billson, Nicholas Beecher, Chloe Taylor, Millicent Brake, Isaac Burgess
• Conductor: Aaron Wyatt  
• Orchestra: Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra  
• Stage Director: Elizabeth Hill-Cooper  
• Stage Designer: Mel Serjeant  
• Costume Designer: Mel Serjeant  
• Lighting Designer: Peter Darby  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: Victorian Opera  
• Date Published: 2024  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  PROGRAM LEAFLET 

  Synopsis
  Parrwang Lifts the Sky is based on a Wadawurrung
  creation story about the first sunrise. The
  Wadawurrung people are from western Victoria in
  the area from Geelong to Ballarat.
  In this story, Parrwang the magpie is preparing
  for a visit from her cousin Gorngany when she
  is interrupted by two human children who have
  climbed her tree.
  The humans have been living on the ground, which
  is covered in darkness. They are amazed by the light
  up in the treetops as they can see all the wonderful
  colours and feel the breeze. After hearing this from
  her new friends, Parrwang works to convince the
  Great Council of Birds, led by Bunjil the Eagle, to lift
  the veil of darkness from the land. But first she has
  to convince her cousin and Mr and Mrs Waa, the
  crows, that the humans can be trusted to share and
  care for Country.
  To the Wadawurrung people, this led to the first
  sunrise and helped explain the beautiful birdsong
  sung by magpies at dawn.

  (Visited 160 times, 1 visits today)