Paul Selar
@operachaser.bsky.social
Call Melbourne home. Call the world damn exciting. Reviewing opera for Australian Arts Review and Limelight Arts.
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Paul Selar
@operachaser.bsky.social
· Feb 4
OperaChaser Critics Awards 2025 Winners Announced | Australian Arts Review
artsreview.com.au
Thank you to #AustralianArtsReview for reporting on the winners of the inaugural OperaChaser Critics Awards (OCCAs)! artsreview.com.au/operachaser-...
A complex dynamic and moments of genuine depth — perhaps not as much as the themes it explores demand — exist in @VictorianOpera’s premiere of Jane Hammond & Therèsa Borg’s adaptation of Helen Garner’s 2008 novel, The Spare Room. My thoughts @arts_review: artsreview.com.au/the-spare-ro...
The Spare Room | Australian Arts Review
Paul Selar takes a look at Victorian Opera's production of The Spare Room, adapted from Helen Garner's 2008 novel of the same name by Jane Hammond and Therèsa Borg - currently playing at the Playhouse...
artsreview.com.au
October 9, 2026 at 2:42 AM
A complex dynamic and moments of genuine depth — perhaps not as much as the themes it explores demand — exist in @VictorianOpera’s premiere of Jane Hammond & Therèsa Borg’s adaptation of Helen Garner’s 2008 novel, The Spare Room. My thoughts @arts_review: artsreview.com.au/the-spare-ro...
It has been so long since I’ve been to @artscentremelb’s fine Playhouse Theatre. It’s the premiere of @VictorianOpera’s The Spare Room. I haven’t read Helen Garner’s novel, which the work is based on, but this is opera — and I’m putting my trust in its power to move.
October 7, 2026 at 12:26 PM
It has been so long since I’ve been to @artscentremelb’s fine Playhouse Theatre. It’s the premiere of @VictorianOpera’s The Spare Room. I haven’t read Helen Garner’s novel, which the work is based on, but this is opera — and I’m putting my trust in its power to move.
Today’s streetscape view — various shapes and sizes, styles and textures, on @StonningtonCity’s Toorak Road, South Yarra.
October 4, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Today’s streetscape view — various shapes and sizes, styles and textures, on @StonningtonCity’s Toorak Road, South Yarra.
Pairing unrelenting eeriness with an Early-Victorian era modest aesthetic, @VictorianOpera’s The Turn of the Screw aligns truthfully with Britten’s original vision — and its musical and vocal qualities are an operatic triumph. My thoughts @arts_review:
artsreview.com.au/the-turn-of-...
artsreview.com.au/the-turn-of-...
The Turn of the Screw | Australian Arts Review
Paul Selar takes a look at Victorian Opera's production of The Turn of the Screw - which is currently playing at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, until 1 October 2026.
artsreview.com.au
October 1, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Pairing unrelenting eeriness with an Early-Victorian era modest aesthetic, @VictorianOpera’s The Turn of the Screw aligns truthfully with Britten’s original vision — and its musical and vocal qualities are an operatic triumph. My thoughts @arts_review:
artsreview.com.au/the-turn-of-...
artsreview.com.au/the-turn-of-...
Pairing unrelenting eeriness with the modest aesthetic of the Early-Victorian era, @VictorianOpera’s production of The Turn of the Screw aligns truthfully and powerfully with Britten’s original vision. On top of that, its musical and vocal qualities are an operatic triumph.
September 29, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Pairing unrelenting eeriness with the modest aesthetic of the Early-Victorian era, @VictorianOpera’s production of The Turn of the Screw aligns truthfully and powerfully with Britten’s original vision. On top of that, its musical and vocal qualities are an operatic triumph.
An evening of haunting opera with question upon question to speculate on — opening night of @VictorianOpera’s The Turn of the Screw coming up at the magnificent @PalaisTheatre.
September 29, 2026 at 9:27 AM
An evening of haunting opera with question upon question to speculate on — opening night of @VictorianOpera’s The Turn of the Screw coming up at the magnificent @PalaisTheatre.
A delightfully melodic treasure in a riverside bush setting — and a helluva hoot, both in the heavens and in hell — this arvo’s @acoco_go Orpheus in the Amphitheatre @YarraCouncil’s Fairfield Park gleamed from start to finish.
September 27, 2026 at 7:40 AM
A delightfully melodic treasure in a riverside bush setting — and a helluva hoot, both in the heavens and in hell — this arvo’s @acoco_go Orpheus in the Amphitheatre @YarraCouncil’s Fairfield Park gleamed from start to finish.
Something fun for Sunday arvo — Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld reimagined by @acoco_go in the great outdoors at @YarraCouncil’s Fairfield Park with the Yarra River in the background. This could be a performance that’ll have everyone holding onto their hats!
September 27, 2026 at 5:30 AM
Something fun for Sunday arvo — Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld reimagined by @acoco_go in the great outdoors at @YarraCouncil’s Fairfield Park with the Yarra River in the background. This could be a performance that’ll have everyone holding onto their hats!
On my way home with @Qantas QF154 AKL-MEL after a fab week of family research and opera. Sure to be back for more of the same!
September 24, 2026 at 1:15 AM
On my way home with @Qantas QF154 AKL-MEL after a fab week of family research and opera. Sure to be back for more of the same!
Final hours in @AklCouncil spent taking a good walk to Parnell and back from the CBD, brekky at ‘biskit on Parnell Rd —opposite St John the Baptist RC Church — and glad for the gorgeous sunny morning!
September 23, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Final hours in @AklCouncil spent taking a good walk to Parnell and back from the CBD, brekky at ‘biskit on Parnell Rd —opposite St John the Baptist RC Church — and glad for the gorgeous sunny morning!
Today’s streetscape view — crowning the top of @AklCouncil’s St Stephen’s Avenue, Parnell, like a stock exchange crash, the 1960s-built Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral adds to the variety of its surroundings.
September 23, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Today’s streetscape view — crowning the top of @AklCouncil’s St Stephen’s Avenue, Parnell, like a stock exchange crash, the 1960s-built Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral adds to the variety of its surroundings.
In #NewZealandOpera’s new production of The Pearl Fishers, The White Pearl Resort and Spa forms the glamorous setting and host to the luxury jewellery house Pêcheur & Perles. It’s an audacious concept, somewhat amusing, occasionally on point and, in the end, just a little freaky.
September 23, 2026 at 11:21 AM
In #NewZealandOpera’s new production of The Pearl Fishers, The White Pearl Resort and Spa forms the glamorous setting and host to the luxury jewellery house Pêcheur & Perles. It’s an audacious concept, somewhat amusing, occasionally on point and, in the end, just a little freaky.
Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers — a new production from #NewZealandOpera, directed by Stephen Barlow and conducted by Benjamin Bayl, that is going to give ancient Ceylonese exotica a considerable makeover.
September 23, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers — a new production from #NewZealandOpera, directed by Stephen Barlow and conducted by Benjamin Bayl, that is going to give ancient Ceylonese exotica a considerable makeover.
Tonight, coming to @AklCouncil’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre took me a while, considering it’s just across the pond from Australia, but here I am, making it 101 with @NewZealandOpera’s new production of The Pearl Fishers.
September 23, 2026 at 7:06 AM
Tonight, coming to @AklCouncil’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre took me a while, considering it’s just across the pond from Australia, but here I am, making it 101 with @NewZealandOpera’s new production of The Pearl Fishers.
Today’s streetscape view — a stone’s throw from my @AklCouncil CBD accommodation, the mixed offerings on Wyndham Street, its jewel surely St Patrick’s R.C. Cathedral, reconstructed and dedicated in 1908.
September 23, 2026 at 5:53 AM
Today’s streetscape view — a stone’s throw from my @AklCouncil CBD accommodation, the mixed offerings on Wyndham Street, its jewel surely St Patrick’s R.C. Cathedral, reconstructed and dedicated in 1908.
The final stop of this amazing family research trip was a visit to the Pompallier Diocesan Centre in @AklCouncil’s Ponsonby — where I met the archivist who helped me so much over the years, and was stoked to finally see the original of my GGM’s baptism record, dated 15 Nov 1868.
September 23, 2026 at 5:38 AM
The final stop of this amazing family research trip was a visit to the Pompallier Diocesan Centre in @AklCouncil’s Ponsonby — where I met the archivist who helped me so much over the years, and was stoked to finally see the original of my GGM’s baptism record, dated 15 Nov 1868.
Took @AklTransport’s Swanson-bound train to Glen Eden, about 15km southwest of the CBD, had a nice brekky and then trawled through the beautiful, sprawling, Waikumete Cemetery in search of, among others, the graves of three of the Hartneady children.
September 23, 2026 at 5:20 AM
Took @AklTransport’s Swanson-bound train to Glen Eden, about 15km southwest of the CBD, had a nice brekky and then trawled through the beautiful, sprawling, Waikumete Cemetery in search of, among others, the graves of three of the Hartneady children.
Today’s streetscape view — the long and the narrow of @AklCouncil’s CBD High Street, with the intermittent, enticing scent of Asian cuisine in the air.
September 22, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Today’s streetscape view — the long and the narrow of @AklCouncil’s CBD High Street, with the intermittent, enticing scent of Asian cuisine in the air.
So long Pukekohe! Hello @AklCouncil and #ArchivesNewZealand! Just checked out a few pre-ordered Hartneady-related items in the reading room, including Michael Hartneady’s will dated 15 Sept 1899, and a land survey map from abt 1878 showing his allotments 12, 31, 75, 77, and 78.
September 22, 2026 at 1:59 AM
So long Pukekohe! Hello @AklCouncil and #ArchivesNewZealand! Just checked out a few pre-ordered Hartneady-related items in the reading room, including Michael Hartneady’s will dated 15 Sept 1899, and a land survey map from abt 1878 showing his allotments 12, 31, 75, 77, and 78.
It wasn’t critical, but the final stop in Pukekohe was at @AklCouncil’s Pukekohe Cemetery. Jeez, it’s a pretty spot! And beautifully maintained! Thought I’d check out the grave of Lionel Cronin, to whom Michael Hartneady Jr. left the remainder of his father’s estate.
September 21, 2026 at 7:46 AM
It wasn’t critical, but the final stop in Pukekohe was at @AklCouncil’s Pukekohe Cemetery. Jeez, it’s a pretty spot! And beautifully maintained! Thought I’d check out the grave of Lionel Cronin, to whom Michael Hartneady Jr. left the remainder of his father’s estate.
Today’s streetscape view — it’s a mixed bag of works along @AklCouncil’s West Street, Pukekohe, images of which include portions of early settler Michael Hartneady’s allotments that covered 25 acres.
September 21, 2026 at 7:25 AM
Today’s streetscape view — it’s a mixed bag of works along @AklCouncil’s West Street, Pukekohe, images of which include portions of early settler Michael Hartneady’s allotments that covered 25 acres.
It was another full-on day on the Hartneady trail. Took @AklTransport train from Pukekohe to Papakura for an appointment with the museum archivist who is interested in my research. Thankfully, I’m getting closer to sorting out the early paperwork for Michael Hartneadys holdings.
September 21, 2026 at 6:49 AM
It was another full-on day on the Hartneady trail. Took @AklTransport train from Pukekohe to Papakura for an appointment with the museum archivist who is interested in my research. Thankfully, I’m getting closer to sorting out the early paperwork for Michael Hartneadys holdings.
Maybe just a little kooky? After scouting the suburban streets that were once the land farmed by the Hartneadys, I returned to the Catholic Cemetery, bit the bullet and attended 5pm Mass at St Patrick’s RC Church overlooking it, then caught sunset over the grave as I left.
September 20, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Maybe just a little kooky? After scouting the suburban streets that were once the land farmed by the Hartneadys, I returned to the Catholic Cemetery, bit the bullet and attended 5pm Mass at St Patrick’s RC Church overlooking it, then caught sunset over the grave as I left.
Back in @AklCouncil’s Pukekohe, I had time to head to the Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre for a 1.5km swim in their 25m indoor pool. Not great, but perfectly adequate while I’m here.
September 20, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Back in @AklCouncil’s Pukekohe, I had time to head to the Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre for a 1.5km swim in their 25m indoor pool. Not great, but perfectly adequate while I’m here.
Another Sunday congregation encounter in tiny Drury, this time at the historic St John’s Anglican Church of 1861, today called Hoani Tapu. I knocked on the church door. Next thing, I was invited to the altar to share the story of why I was there. Perhaps God sent me to his flock!
September 20, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Another Sunday congregation encounter in tiny Drury, this time at the historic St John’s Anglican Church of 1861, today called Hoani Tapu. I knocked on the church door. Next thing, I was invited to the altar to share the story of why I was there. Perhaps God sent me to his flock!