Fra Diavolo

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Event Fra Diavolo
Venue Kingaroy, Kingaroy, QLD
Umbrella Event National Opera of Australia Fra Diavolo QLD tour 1957
First Date 25 March 1957
Last Date 25 March 1957
Dates Estimated No
Status Professional
World Premiere No
Part of a Tour Yes
Description Fra Diavolo, ou L'hôtellerie de Terracine (Fra Diavolo, or The Inn of Terracina) is an opéra comique in three acts by the French composer Daniel Auber, from a libretto by Auber's regular collaborator Eugène Scribe. It is loosely based on the life of the Itrani guerrilla leader Michele Pezza, active in southern Italy in the period 1800-1806, who went under the name of Fra Diavolo ("Brother Devil").

Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina, is in love with an impoverished soldier, Lorenzo, but her father wants her to marry the rich old Francesco. Lorenzo is in pursuit of the notorious bandit Fra Diavolo. Diavolo himself arrives at the inn disguised as a marquis and robs two English travellers, Lord and Lady Cockburn. Lorenzo manages to retrieve part of the stolen goods and is rewarded with enough money to marry Zerline. Diavolo is determined to rob the travellers again and enlists the help of his two comical henchmen, Giacomo and Beppo. During the night the three of them sneak into Zerline's room and steal her dowry. Lorenzo appears and mistakes the 'marquis' for a rival in love. The next day Zerline is forced to marry Francesco as she now no longer has her dowry. Diavolo instructs his henchmen to warn him when Lorenzo and his troop of soldiers have left the town so he can safely rob again, but the two are recognised in the crowd by Zerline and Diavolo is tricked into appearing and arrested when the signal is given as arranged. Zerline is free to marry Lorenzo again. [Wikipedia]

Performed as an interstate tour to NSW and Qld by the National Opera of Australia. This performance was cancelled.
Description Source Programme
Primary Genre Music Theatre
Secondary Genre Opera
Comic Opera
Subjects Love
Marriage
Money
Related Events
  • Is part of tour Fra Diavolo , Queensland, QLD, 18 March 1957
Organisations
Contributors
Name Function Notes
Pamela Coleman Actor Lady Allcash (or Ailene Fischer)
Herbert Cox Actor Second Carabinier
Brian De Fouesnel Actor Third Carabinier
Józef Drewniak Actor Beppo
Anthony Fenech Actor Lord Allcash
Ailene Fischer Actor Lady Allcash (or Pamela Coleman)
Brian Johnson Actor First Carabinier
Rosalind Keene Actor Zerlina (or Madge Stephens)
Jeanette King Actor First Girl
Ramon Opie Actor Lorenzo (or Harry Quick)
Douglas Parnell Actor Matteo
Desmond Patterson Actor Villager
John Pooley Actor Giacomo
Harry Quick Actor Lorenzo (or Ramon Opie)
Jean Reeve Actor Second Girl
Walter Rychtowski Actor Fran Diavolo (or Gino Zancanaro)
Madge Stephens Actor Zerlina (or Rosalind Keene)
Gino Zancanaro Actor Fran Diavolo (or Walter Rychtowski)
Brian De Fouesnel Assistant Stage Manager
John Rohde Company Manager
Daniel Auber Composer
Simon Montague Director
Michael Brand Head Electrician
Rolf Johannesen Mechanist
Georg Tintner Musical Director Conducted from the piano.
Simon Montague Producer
Simon Montague Set Designer
Will Thompson Stage Director
Resources
Works
Text Nationality France
Production Nationality Australia
Further Information The 1957 ‘Fra Diavolo’ Interstate Tour was the last opera production of the ‘National Opera Company of Australia’ in which its founder, Mrs C. T. Lorenze, was involved. She resigned due to ill-health towards the end of March 1957 just as the tour was getting underway. The fledging Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust took over the tour management.
Event Status Completed
Data Source
Source Description
Magazine
Programme
Contact / Friend
Newspaper
Data Set AusStage
Event Identifier 164416