STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS - Handa Opera at Millthorpe, Craven Creek Music

Tuesday, 4 February 2025

Mr FLETCHER (Bradfield—Manager of Opposition Business) (13:50): At Easter this year there will be a three-day opera festival in the New South Wales country town of Millthorpe, near Orange. It's being put together by Lyndon Terracini, who was formerly the artistic director of Opera Australia. He's secured sponsorship from the billionaire Japanese businessman and arts patron, Haruhisa Handa, the same man who has long sponsored Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, one of Lyndon's signature initiatives in his previous role. The festival in Millthorpe will feature the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, which is much loved in my electorate of Bradfield and features many talented musicians who have day jobs. Lyndon Terracini was recently interviewed and he said:

I wanted to start modestly this year, and I haven't applied for any government funding.

As a former arts minister, I love that attitude, just like I love the Craven Creek Music Festival—organised by Greg Lindsay, former director of the Centre for Independent Studies—near Gloucester in country New South Wales, which is typically held in the second half of the year. I went last year and loved it. There is great music at events organised by great Australians, with no government handouts involved. So google them—Handa Opera at Millthorpe and Craven Creek Music Festival. Get yourself some tickets. You won't regret it. These are terrific events in wonderful parts of country Australia, organised by very distinguished Australians. I congratulate them both. There's going to be some great music.