Julie Lea Goodwin: Interview With Soprano Ahead Of La Bohème

Soprano Julie Lea Goodwin is a world-renowned performer who has held numerous roles in Opera Australia productions. Her recent performances have included Maria in West Side Story, Musetta in La Bohème, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Madama Cortese in Il viaggio a Reims, Wendy Whiteley in the World Premiere of Whiteley and the title role in The Merry Widow. Aged only 19, Julie Lea was invited to sing the leading role of Christine Daae in the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera, starring Anthony Warlow. The following year, she played Maria in West Side Story across Australia.

Other highlights have included the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen for Sydney Chamber Opera and her Green Room Award-nominated performance as Grace in Annie. Julie Lea’s debut classical album Love Went a-Riding (featuring English Art Songs accompanied by Sharolyn Kimmorley) was released by Skylark Classics. Julie Lea has featured as soprano soloist with the Melbourne Symphony (The Music of AR Rahmen), the Adelaide Symphony (Gershwin’s American Songbook) and Sydney Philharmonia (A Cole Porter Celebration).

Ahead of Opera Australia’s final upcoming run of La Bohème, Julie Lea joins us to talk about returning to the stage following the pandemic, her love for opera, and what the future holds.

Hi Julie Lea, thanks so much for talking with us at TheatreArtLife! You’re currently reprising the role of Musetta in OA’s last staging of Gale Edwards’ production of La Bohème (31 Dec – 4 Feb 2022). I understand you’ve played this role at least five times before, so I’m interested in finding out what you love about playing Musetta, and how do you keep the role alive?

Musetta is an absolute extravert and a woman with incredible self-confidence, deep passion and resilience. When I first learnt the role I actually felt a little uncomfortable portraying her. She does some outrageous things on stage and I struggled to connect with the character in an authentic way. I had to really think about people I’ve met who possess some of her qualities and sort of channel them.

I have so much fun with the character now and love her crazy antics.

There are lots of elements that keep the role alive for me. Firstly, as just mentioned, finding that special place of truth will always keep the scene alive. Additionally, production elements are often changing, for example different conductors bring their own energies and ideas, as do cast members, and sometimes even the audience. Performing is a collaboration after all.

What do you think has made La Bohème such a favourite with audiences, and do you see a crossover with what you enjoy about it as a performer?

Puccini’s romantic sweeping melodies are certainly a reason performers and audiences love the opera. I adore this music. It touches my soul every time I watch a performance.

Gale has set this production in 1930s Berlin. The struggling bohemian’s situation is amplified by the grip of Nazism in the city. We know how distressing Germany was at this time with horrendous unemployment and poverty. I think audiences find this production extremely powerful, particularly as desperation builds and the characters connect and support one another in beautiful ways.

It’s an incredibly moving story, with plenty of light to balance out the tragedy.

The beauty of the falling snow, of finding love and connecting with friends juxtaposes the tragedy, as does the colour and excitement of Christmas Eve in Act 2 and the glamour of Cafe Momus. It really is an eye-catching act! Ultimately I think audiences like being taken on a journey and this production certainly delivers.

Returning to the stage after the Covid closures and restrictions must present a cacophony of emotions after such a long break, and I imagine you must be incredibly excited to start performing again on New Year’s Eve, no less! How are you feeling as opening night approaches, and how are all the preparations going for the production?

Absolutely. It’s been a really challenging two years. That old saying of ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone’ is something we can all relate to in some way. Audiences have missed live theatre and of course we’ve missed performing.

Ultimately I think I feel more appreciative to be able to earn a living doing what I love. I know I’m one of the lucky ones!

I did feel a powerful wash of emotions when I arrived at the Sydney Opera House after such a long time away. It was really beautiful and I just had to stop and take a minute. I think a similar feeling might come when we have our first audience muddled with the sense of fun, excitement and hope that New Year’s Eve brings.

And in the wider music and performing arts industry in Australia, how is the situation looking where you are at the moment? For our international readers, what have the challenges been for the arts industry during the pandemic, and how is the nation overcoming these?

Oh gosh… the industry has suffered in a profound way. We’ve been locked in our homes on and off for two years. The financial and creative strain is enormous. I have colleagues who were constantly being shut down just as they were about to perform. It’s been tough. Over the past several months the only performance I had was singing at a funeral where five people were allowed, but now I’m about to open in La Bohème at the Sydney Opera House!

Life is getting going again and that’s encouraging.

Reduced audience capacity and decreased tourism is of course still impacting the major companies, but I know Australian audiences are thrilled to experience live music and theatre in all its varying forms.

It’s wonderful to see a ‘normal’ season of programming ahead at Opera Australia for 2022. Looking ahead for you personally, what can we look forward to seeing from you next following La Bohème, and can you share anything you’ll be working on in the future?

Sure, well the first thing I’ll be working on is Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro. I’m covering the role whilst performing in La Bohème. It’s always a test to work on two very different styles of opera simultaneously. I have some beautiful concerts lined up next year outside of Sydney, such as in the Southern Highlands and Lithgow. I’ve not performed regionally much before so I’m very much looking forward to these. I’m also really looking forward to working on a fabulous new role in a stellar new production soon to be announced.

The final run of La Bohème at Sydney Opera House

Visitors to the Sydney Opera House this summer will have the opportunity to enjoy Gale Edwards’ much loved production of Puccini’s La Bohème for the very last time as Opera Australia announces 2022 will be its final Sydney season.

The first opera Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini commissioned for OA, this beloved telling of Puccini’s opera was created by the dream team of internationally renowned director Gale Edwards, OAM-recipient set designer Brian Thomson, Helpmann Award-winning costume designer Julie Lynch and acclaimed lighting designer John Rayment. Terracini explains:

“This La Bohème was so well-received when it premiered in 2011 that we’ve started almost every year with it since. It quickly became a crowd favourite and now feels familiar and brings a sense of comfort, which is something we all need right now, so I wanted to give our audiences the chance to see it one more time, before we present a new production in 2023.”

Running in the Joan Sutherland Theatre this January, this popular production will have been performed 183 times across the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne by the time it closes on February 4. Described as “a masterpiece…a feast for the eyes”, this 2011 version opened to critics claiming it’s “a dramatic and emotional journey that is at times overwhelming” as audience members experience “a truly wonderful time,” (Stage Noise).

Stellar Italian soprano Valeria Sepe will bring the role of Mimì to life opposite internationally successful Australian-Chinese tenor Kang Wang as the poet Rodolfo, both reprising their characters from OA’s 2020 season.

Opera Australia principal singers Julie Lea Goodwin will reprise her successful role as Musetta and Haotian Qi will make his role debut as Marcello. Shane Lowrencev, Richard Anderson, Andrew Moran, Clifford Plumpton, Malcolm Ede and Benjamin Rasheed complete the cast.

Italian maestro Lorenzo Passerini will conduct the first half of the opera’s 2022 run, followed by outstanding Australian conductor Paul Fitzsimon, leading the Opera Australia Orchestra, Opera Australia Chorus and Children’s Chorus.

Set in 1930s Berlin, La Bohème explores the lives of four bohemians as they become entangled through love, jealousy and loss. Puccini’s music will soar, expressing what words alone cannot, as the curtain rises on Gale Edwards’ La Bohème one last time.

Creatives

Conductor Lorenzo Passerini 31 Dec – 15 Jan

Conductor Paul Fitzsimon 20 Jan  – 4 February

Director & Choreographer Gale Edwards

Revival Director Shaun Rennie

Set Designer Brian Thomson

Costume Designer Julie Lynch

Lighting Designer John Rayment

Cast

Mimì Valeria Sepe

Rodolfo Kang Wang

Musetta Julie Lea Goodwin

Marcello Haotian Qi

Schaunard Shane Lowrencev

Colline Richard Anderson

Benoît / Alcindoro Andrew Moran

Officer Clifford Plumpton

Sergeant Malcolm Ede

Parpignol Benjamin Rasheed

Opera Australia Chorus

Opera Australia Children’s Chorus

Opera Australia Orchestra

Performance information

Evenings at 7.30pm

4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 20, 25, 31 January

4 February

Saturday Matinee at 12.30pm

29 January

Running time

Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes including one interval

Performed in Italian with English subtitles

Please note this performance contains partial nudity

Bookings

Adult tickets from $79 (fees may apply)

Opera Australia Box Office (02) 9318 8200 www.opera.org.au

 Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Links:

Opera Australia is committed to COVID Safe practices.

La Bohème 

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