‘TIS PITY

Victorian Opera, Melbourne Recital Centre 2017

Composer and Arranger - Richard Mills
Operatic Libretto - Richard Mills
Additional Material - Meow Meow, Cameron Menzies
Concept - Richard Mills, Meow Meow, Cameron Menzies
Conductor - Richard Mills
Director - Cameron Menzies
Design - Meow Meow, Cameron Menzies
Lighting Designer - Eduard Inglés
Sound Designer - Jim Atkins
Choreographic Consultant - Kate Denborough
Illusion Consultant - Ross Skiffington

Cast

Meow Meow
Kanen Breen

Dancers
Alexander Bryce
Thomas Johansson
Patrick Weir

Orchestra Victoria

An operatic fantasia on selling the skin and the teeth

An operatic fantasia by Richard Mills, ’Tis Pity reunites the creative forces of international chanteuse Meow Meow and director Cameron Menzies to create a brand new work, following their acclaimed production of The Seven Deadly Sins. 

Richard Mills composes a flight of fancy on ‘selling the skin and the teeth’. A song cycle on the complexities of sex, pleasure, survival and salvation, trade transactions and razzle dazzle rouge through the ages, from Ishtar to the Internet, the vamp, the saint and the mirror, suckers and succour, preaching and pragmatism.

Be drawn into a fantastical history of the concubine, the courtesan, the conqueror, the queen and the sing song girl. With texts ancient and modern, old and original.

“Meow Meow captivates in an enjoyable romp through the history of the “oldest profession”.” Limelight, 6 February 2017 

“Dolled-up Meow Meow and flamboyant Kanen Breen work superbly as a duo, both strikingly versatile.” Herald Sun, 6 February 2017 

“Fast and furious”
The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 February 2017

Photo: Magnus Hastings. Production photos: Pia Johnson