Melbourne, Cheremushki

Details About The Show Creatives & Cast Ticket Information

Dimitri Shostakovich

Melbourne, Cheremushki

22–25 March 2023 Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse

A housing crisis, income inequality and the pitfalls of progress — who’d have thought a Russian operetta from 1958 would ring true today?

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Details About The Show Creatives & Cast Ticket Information

“Melbourne, Cheremushki is a light-hearted exploration of a depressing reality...made all the more absurd by a dose of magic realism”

— Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, The Age

This witty production transports visionary composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s score and Vladimir Mass and Mikhail Chervinsky’s sarcastically funny libretto from a Soviet-era Khrushchev-style apartment complex to contemporary Melbourne.

But this operetta makes light work of heavy issues through its darkly comedic use of magic realism into everyday struggles with a truth-telling park bench, a phone booth for the pure of heart and a garden where flowers bloom for good people and wither for bad.

Featuring our ‘VO Emerges’ cast, this will be your chance to see the next generation showcase their talents and innovative perspectives on the challenges we still face in Melbourne today. So step into a world where social issues are examined through a lens of comedy, satire and magic.

“In Melbourne, Cheremushki, the cost of living is so high, even the bribes have gone up.”

— Alexander Petrovich Bubentsov (Sasha), Resident

Fully-Staged Operetta

Dates & Info

Wednesday 22 March, 7.30 pm
Thursday 23 March, 7.30 pm
Friday 24 March, 7.30 pm*
Saturday 25 March, 2.00 pm, 7.30 pm

Duration
110 minutes, with one interval

Language
Sung in English.

This production is recommended for ages 15 and up.

*Audio Described Performance

Venue

Arts Centre Melbourne
Playhouse Theatre

This performance takes place on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded — this land is stolen land. We pay respects to Wurundjeri Elders, past & present.

About the show

Relevant yet magical – It’s undeniable, we’re in the grips of a housing crisis – but in the imaginary suburb of Melbourne, Cheremushki, magical realism is an ironic antidote to harsh realities.

Humour – Using comedy to analyse hardship is an effective lens. So don’t expect a lecture on longing, but enjoy the comedy of life’s struggles.

Layered, uplifting, chaotic music: Composer Dimitri Shostakovich was a genius at mixing styles from jazz to classical to film scores. He blended influences to create meaning, when asked to write for the Soviet regime he famously used circus music to undermine the powers that be.

New stars: Featuring the talented next generation of opera stars, this production is world-class while also giving you a glimpse of faces and names that will be set for bigger stages.

"Moscow, Cheryomushki, the only operetta written by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, explored housing problems in the Soviet Union through a group of friends living in a residential complex. Sydney-based director Constantine Costi sensed an opportunity to bring it into the modern day, where similar issues are not only still playing out, but worsening."

— Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, The Age

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Photo by Charlie Kinross

Programme

Download PDF (3 MB)↓

Creatives

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich
Librettist Vladimir Mass and Mikhail Chervinsky
Conductor Simon Bruckard
Director Constantine Costi
Set Designer Dann Barber
Costume Designer Sabina Myers
Lighting Designer Lisa Mibus
Sound Designer Sam Moxham
Movement Director Shannon Burns

Cast

Alexander Petrovich Bubentsov (Sasha) Matan Franco
Masha Syrah Torii*
Semyon Semyonovich Baburov Eamon Dooley
Lidochka Teresa Ingrilli
Boris Borya Koretsky Douglas Kelly
Sergey Seryozha Glushkov Michael Dimovski
Lyusya (Lucy) Leah Phillips
Fyodor Mikhailovich Fedya Drebednyov Alastair Cooper-Golec**
Vava Amanda Windred
Afanasi Ivanovich Barabashkin Nicholas Beecher

Chorus

Maya Charles Sedergreen, Alisya Irawan, Leyland Jones, Yu-Tien Lin, Tiernan Maclaren, Elise Morton, Sidra Nissen, Phoebe Paine, Kate Pengelly, Caitlin Rowe, Noah Straughan, Wei Tang, Samuel Thomas-Holland, Anushka Tiwari and Michael Zuccala

Orchestra

Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra

* The appearance of Syrah Torii is generously supported by The Family of the late Frederick R Davidson AM

** The appearance of Alastair Cooper-Golec is generously supported by Dr Michael Stubbs & Malcolm Roberts

Single Tickets ($39–$150)

Price Type

Premium

A-reserve

B-reserve

C-reserve

Adult

$150

$120

$69

$39

Concession

$140

$110

$59

$39

Senior

$145

$115

$64

$39

30 Years & Under

$30

Group (6+)

$140

$110

$59

$39

Arts Access Victoria

$30

Subscription Tickets ($35–$120)

Price Type

Premium

A-Reserve

B-reserve

C-reserve

Adult

$120

$96

$55

$35

Seniors

$112

$88

$47

$35

Concession

$116

$92

$48

$35

30 Years & Under

$30

2023 Concession include: Pension and Health Care Card holders, Full-time Students, and MEAA Members. Other Discount prices available: Senior, 30 Years and Under, and Child (12 years and under) for select performances. Companion Card ticketing available.

Subscriptions available from Monday 21 November, 11.00 am. | Single Tickets available from Monday 12 December, 11.00am.

For assistance with Season 2023 Subscriptions, contact our Subscriptions team on 1300 822 849 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm).

Fees & Charges: A delivery fee may apply for Single Tickets tickets booked via Arts Centre Melbourne depending on delivery method chosen.

Prices are correct at time of publishing and may vary. Pricing displayed are for full-priced tickets. Subscription discounts are calculated on full-priced Single Tickets. Information on our Privacy and Ticketing Policies can be found here. We strongly advise that tickets should only be purchased via authorised ticket sellers. For Melbourne, Cheremushki this includes Arts Centre Melbourne, TodayTix and Halftix. Subscriptions are sold via Arts Centre Melbourne. Tickets purchased through unauthorised sellers cannot be guaranteed.

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The safety of our audience and team is paramount. Current COVID-safe procedures will be adhered to for every performance. Our venue partner has worked diligently to develop and update their COVIDSafe Plan as circumstances change.

If you or a member of your household is unwell or displaying COVID-19 symptoms before a performance, please stay home. To exchange or refund your tickets due to feeling unwell, simply contact us prior to the scheduled performance via ticketing@victorianopera.com.au or phone (03) 9001 6412 (Monday to Friday, 10 am – 5 pm).