Boutique Opera

The First decade (2002-2011)

Boutique Opera is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing operatic, choral and other performing opportunities for singers in the greater Wellington area. Founded in 2002 by Lesley Graham (Wellington-based singing teacher and past-President of NEWZATS) and husband Ian, Boutique Opera offers stage experience to aspiring singers ranging in experience from novices to semi-professionals affiliated with NBR New Zealand Opera.

Boutique Opera Major Productions

Comus

1 November 2002, Drama Suite Onslow College Hall

2 November 2002, Kapiti Playhouse Paraparaumu

3 November 2002, Wesley Wing Masterton

Director

Alison Hodge

Musical DirectorLesley Graham

Dido and Aeneas 21 & 22 February 2005, Brierley Theatre Wellington College 24, 25 & 26 February 2005, Coasters Theatre Paraparaumu

Director

Jan McLean

Musical DirectorPeter Averi

King Arthur

2, 3 & 4 March 2007, St Andrews on the Terrace

10 & 11 March 2007, Kapiti Playhouse Paraparaumu

Director

Alison Hodge

Musical DirectorMichael Vinten

Trans-Atlantic 27, 28 February & 1 March 2009, St Andrews on the Terrace

7 March 2009, Otaki Civic Theatre

Director

Alison Hodge

Musical DirectorMichael Vinten

Mid-Winter Mozart 20 & 21 June 2009, St Andrews on the Terrace

Directors

Ian Graham and Kate Harcourt

Musical DirectorLesley Graham

Tom Jones 14, 15 & 15 October 2011, Wellington High School Hall

22 October 2011, Otaki Civic Theatre

23 October 2011, Expressions Upper Hutt

Director

Alison Hodge

Musical DirectorMichael Vinten

Boutique Opera concerts

In addition to major productions, singing pupils of Lesley Graham have performed a number of costumed and un-costumed concerts over the years (note that not all of these have been billed as Boutique Opera).

Shakespeare As You Like It26 November 2000, Johnsonville Terrace Centre

Music of Stage and Screen13 March 2001, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

America

28 October 2001, J’ville Terrace Ctre & Pines Cabaret

Folk, Jazz & County

5 October 2002, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

The Celtic World

10 June 2003, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Music of Gilbert & Sullivan11 November 2003, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Shades of Tarantara 3, 4 & 5 June 2004, Coasters Theatre Paraparaumu

Christmas Songs

14 December 2004, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Music of Gilbert & Sullivan25 August 2005, Miramar Bowling Club (Greypower)

Enchantment

2 November 2005, St Andrew’s on the Terrace

Burns Night

11 July 2006, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Montana Poetry Day

21 July 2006, Museum of Land and Sea

Music of Robbie Burns20 September 2006, Miramar BC (Greypower)

NZ Poetry in Song

1 November 2006, St Andrew’s on the Terrace

Songs from the Shows26 September 2007, Miramar BC (Greypower)

Songs for Christmas

5 December 2007, St Andrew’s on the Terrace

Seasonal Songs

11 December 2007, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Ngaio Festival

10 May 2008, Ngaio Church

Music from Stage & Screen13 May 2008, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Land & Sea

9 September 2008, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Christmas Festivity

8 December 2009, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Christmas Theme

16 December 2009, St Andrew’s on the Terrace

Songs of the Sea

10 May 2011, Pines Cabaret Houghton Bay

Boutique Opera Notables

Lesley Graham has prepared the singers and assisted with costumes and publicity for every production, and musically directed Comus and Midwinter Mozart

Ian Graham has production managed in every production, and performed in all of them except Midwinter Mozart, which he co-directed

Alison Hodge has directed and co-designed all productions except Dido & Aeneas (in which she played the lead), and Midwinter Mozart

Michael Vinten has musically directed and co-designed King Arthur, TransAtlantic and Tom Jones, arranging the music and assembling and conducting the band.

Two other people have performed in six of the seven shows: Barbara Graham (not Tom Jones) and Jane Shallcrass (not Midwinter Mozart)

Janet Houghton has sponsored and performed in four of the six productions

Financially, the Boutique Opera shows have all made a small profit, with relatively modest amounts of sponsorship (greatly appreciated!). To date, 2646 people have seen the shows, with a high of nearly 700 attending King Arthur.

Expenditure

Venue

Band

Directors & Singers

Publicity & Programme

Costumes

& Props

Admin

Total

Comus

$410

$300

$0

$339

$438

$592

$2,079

Dido & Aeneas

$0

$1,200

$400

$793

$407

$1,630*

$4,479

King Arthur

$1,168

$5,810

$5,915

$458

$312

$715

$14,378

TransAtlantic

$850

$2,050

$6,000

$1,087

$267

$886

$11,139

Midwinter Mozart

$500

$750

$2250

$1,488

$469

$322

$5,779

Tom Jones

$1,572

$3,650

$10,000

$1,796

$1,324

$1,003

$19,319

$4,500

$13,760

$24,565

$5,961

$3,217

$3,518

$57,173

8%

24%

43%

10%

6%

6%

100%

*Includes score hire and royalties

Income

Tickets

Sold

Total

Audience

Profit

Ticket Sales

Sponsorship

Levy

Total

Comus

$1,614

$465

$300

$2,379

171

177

$300

Dido & Aeneas

$5,777

$1,290

$0

$7,067

385

400

$2,589

King Arthur

$14,728

$520

$0

$15,248

669

699

$870

Trans-Atlantic

$11,440

$1000

$0

$12,440

536

582

$1,301

Midwinter Mozart

$7,990

$250

$0

$8,240

375

398

$2,461*

Tom Jones

$15,215

$4,798

$0

$20,013

528

567

$694

$55,150

$7,858

$0

$63,008

2493

2646

$5,454

88%

12%

0%

100%

*Shared with NZ Opera Society

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