No hang up in this opera
The Telephone an opera that doesn’t take itself too seriously
Singer Lindsay Yeo’s versatile voice could give birth to many a ringtone. But as Ben in The Telephone all he wants is his girlfriend Lucy’s phone to stop ringing.
The Telephone is a one-act comedic opera written by Gian Carlo Menotti in 1946.
Yeo says it could have been written today as its themes are still relevant.
The opera is also silly, has a lot of heart and Sunday’s audience at the Globe Theatre is likely to see someone they know in the characters.
In response to those who turn their noses up at opera, Yeo recommends they come along and try it — they might be surprised at what they enjoy. It is also all in English and short so people will not be sacrificing three to four hours.
The Telephone has all the beautiful music and vocals of opera but doesn’t take itself too seriously. The humour is Monty Python-esque at times.
Yeo, a Palmerston North psychologist, is as well known for his Act Three Productions’ musical theatre roles as for his choral work.
He was Nick Massi in last year’s
Jersey Boys and in 2021 played Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde and Billy Flynn in Chicago.
To those of a certain vintage, Yeo’s name intrigues. Is he named after the long-serving Wellington broadcaster Lindsay Yeo, who created the muchloved children’s character Buzz O’Bumble?
Yeo the Younger says his mother just liked the name Lindsay so he is not named after Yeo the Older — but the retired broadcaster is his father’s
older brother.
He saw his uncle regularly growing up and says he was always so funny. Yeo the Older was the MC at Yeo’s wedding.
The Yeo side of the family is
musical and his parents always pushed him to try different instruments.
He was more interested in drama but through that got into music.
While at Palmerston North Boys’
High School, he met Mary Ayres, who would later be his singing teacher.
She would find performances for him and then tell him rather than ask him first.
Opera and classical music were
her passions and she was a vocal purist, Yeo says.
Ayres taught him solid technical skills such as breath control and not
relying on his throat. This has allowed him to adapt to musical theatre.
Ayres, who died last year, continued to teach Yeo until her early 90s, saying it kept her young.
Yeo is also grateful to Liz O’Connor who was the musical director for the Boys’ High production of Copacabana in 2008.
She pushed him when he was doing a half-hearted job, told him she loved his voice and encouraged him to keep going.
He successfully auditioned for the nationally acclaimed school choir OK Chorale.
Yeo is grateful for the support of his wife, Michaela Yeo.
Rehearsals and shows are usually in the evening and getting their three daughters, aged 6, 5 and 3, to bed is often the hardest time of the day. Yeo says Michaela sacrifices her wits to let him prance around.
Soprano Nadya Slack performs the role of Lucy. After passing her ATCL (equivalent in standard to the first year of an undergraduate degree) with distinction in 2018 she toured New Zealand with concert violinist Hayden Wiseman. Since then, she has sung in various performances, including the Renaissance Singers’ Squaring Up concert in 2021.
Paul Lyons has directed and acted in scores of plays and sings bass in the Renaissance Singers. He paints watercolours, has appeared in ballets, designs loudspeakers and makes leadlights.
Pianist Christine Archer Lockwood has loved Menotti’s music for many years.
“In 1990 I saw The Telephone in Washington DC and fell in love with the music and the libretto. So last year when Paul approached me about performing The Telephone I jumped at the opportunity.”
The programme also includes duets from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, Mozart and Puccini arias, and a premiere of Songs and Memories by New Zealand composer Rod Biss.
The concert is presented by the Occasional Operatic Production Society in association with the Globe Sunday Matinee Series.