Mary Motorhead / Trade

“This Irish double bill by composer Emma O’Halloran is about as far from the powdered wigs and screeching sopranos of [Timothée] Chalamet’s imagination, as it could possibly get… …Between the subject matter, the close proximity of the performers and the amplified chamber ensemble (including electronica) the intensity never lets up.”

Bridget Davies, The Age ★★★★

MARY MOTORHEAD

Locked up for stabbing her husband in the head with a 12 inch carving knife, the compelling monodrama Mary Motorhead invites us to hear Mary’s “secret history” – disappointments and betrayals that shaped her life. In her ACOCO debut as Mary, Australian mezzo soprano Emily Edmonds faces the ugly side of life, and invites audiences to examine their own secret histories.

TRADE

A clandestine meeting in a seedy hotel room between a ‘rent boy’ and his closeted client. The older man has blood on his shirt. In a cheap hotel room, they wrestle with their own inner demons and need for each other. Leading Australian baritone Christopher Hillier portrays a family man whose world is crumbling, determined to take charge of his future.

Led by Grammy-nominated Irish conductor Elaine Kelly in her Australian debut, Elaine is known for her expressive interpretations and innovative approach to contemporary opera, bringing a powerful emotional depth to the stage. She describes Mary Motorhead and Trade as “devastating and beautiful at the same time”.

The Beckett, Malthouse Theatre | Australian Contemporary Opera Co.

Costume Design

Composer: Emma O’Halloran

Librettist: Mark O’Halloran

Conductor: Elaine Kelly

Music Direction: Coady Green

Stage Direction: Greta Nash

Sound Design: Alex Dowling

Production Management: Matthew Nash

Photography: Kate Cameron