They say it takes a village to put on a show, let alone a festival. That’s certainly true when it comes to Lyndon Terracini’s latest venture, Handa Opera at Millthorpe. Jansson J. Antmann talks to the former Artistic Director of Opera Australia, his patron Dr Haruhisa Handa, and some of the artists and community members who are bringing the event to life.

Lyndon Terracini. Photo supplied

When Lyndon Terracini and his wife, opera singer Noëmi Nadelmann, moved west of the Divide to make a home for themselves among the cool-climate wineries and cattle country outside Orange, the thought of mounting a brand-new opera festival couldn’t have been further from their minds.

It didn’t take long, however, for memories of Hans Werner Henze’s...