Member for Northern Tableland Richard Torbay has welcomed an announcement this week of a $10,000 grant to Delungra’s annual Opera in the Paddock staged by Bill and Peta Blyth at their property ‘Mimosa’ in conjunction with Opera North West.
The funding is part of the 2010 Regional Flagship Event Program and is designed to support events that promote regional areas as destinations for visitors through a diverse range of events.
Mr Torbay said that Opera in the Paddock is an event that has become well loved and anticipated by a growing number of people each year. “Opera in the Paddock is one of those events that, once you’ve enjoyed it, you can’t miss,” Mr Torbay said. “Each performance attracts more visitors to Bill and Peta’s paddock in Delungra with many travelling long distances so this $10,00 funding grant will give the event a real boost. “I understand that this year’s program will once again feature up-and-coming stars of Opera – Milica Ilic, the winner of the 2009 National MBS Young Performer of the Year Award, and Zoe Taylor, a young Australian mezzo-soprano.
"Also new to the stage at Delungra at next years event will be the popular tenor Rosario la Spina, a former bricklayer from Brisbane who has become an established international performer, and baritone David Wakeham, the internationally acclaimed Australian artist.”
Mr Torbay said that in addition to the direct grant funding under the program, the NSW Government will also contribute $162,000 towards print and online promotion of the 20 regional events being funded.
In the year ending 30 June 2009, Regional NSW received almost 46 million international and domestic visitors who stayed 66.5 million nights and injected $11.2 billion into regional economies. “The Regional Flagship Event Program gives communities across NSW the resources to market and promote their event to a wider audience than would otherwise be possible,” Mr Torbay said. “These events attract thousands of visitors and reflect the identity and character of each region.”
The popular concert under the stars will be held on Saturday March 20 next year with a Recital on the previous night in the Inverell Town Hall. For more information on the 2010 Regional Flagship Events Program visit www.tourism.nsw.gov.au
