Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street A Musical Thriller

Ben Mingay

Sweeney Todd

An actor, musician and international musical theatre performer, Ben was originally a construction worker from Newcastle who fell into classical music when he was dared to audition for the Conservatorium of Music by his mates. He subsequently won a scholarship and went on to train in Opera Voice for several years – a twist of fate that changed the trajectory of his life forever. 

Recently delighting screen viewers around the world in the acclaimed ABC/Sky UK/HBO Max series Frayed with Sarah Kendall, Ben’s screen credits include Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge playing the role of Grease Nolan and on the small screen playing Alan Bond in Nine Network’s House of Bond, Jim Delaney in Amazing Grace, Trystan Powell in Home and Away, Buzz in Packed to the Rafters for the Seven Network and prior to that Ben starred for three seasons as Rob Duffy in the Network 10 series Wonderland. 

Ben’s stage credits include Shrek in Shrek The Musical (GFO), Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd (WAO & SOSA), the Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance (SOSA) Evan in Vivid White (MTC), Jud Fry in Oklahoma (TPC), Achilles in Paris - A Rock Odyssey (MTM) and numerous concerts around Australia with the hit singing group Swing on This. Other stage credits include Thomas in Rolling Thunder Vietnam, The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, Zack Mayo in the World Premiere production of An Officer and a Gentleman. In 2011 Ben received rave reviews for his portrayal of Tommy DeVito in the award-winning musical Jersey Boys, which was his first Australian performance since he originated the role of Billy Kostecki in the World Premiere of Dirty Dancing in 2004. In Dirty Dancing, Ben's unique vocal ability won him the same role in every English-speaking production worldwide for almost 6 years, including the West End, Canada, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles. 

Antoinette Halloran

Mrs Lovett

One of Australia’s most accomplished and best-loved sopranos, Antoinette Halloran performs regularly with all the major Australasian opera companies and symphony orchestras and appears frequently on national television and radio. In 2021/2022, she sang Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Olive in Summer of the Seventeenth Doll for State Opera South Australia, Lorelei for Opera Queensland and Victorian Opera, Brünnhilde in Die Walküre and Jenny in Mahagonny for Melbourne Opera and A Christmas Carol for Victorian Opera. Earlier this year, she starred as Brünnhilde in Melbourne Opera’s landmark production of Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Recent appearances include the title roles in Tosca for West Australian Opera and The Merry Widow for State Opera South Australia, The Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen in Melbourne and Adelaide and Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) in Perth; she was also associate artist for José Carreras’ National Tour.
For Opera Australia, Antoinette has performed the title roles in Madama Butterfly and Rusalka, Mimi in La bohème, Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire (Green Room Award); for Opera Queensland – the title role in The Merry Widow; for New Zealand Opera – Mimi, Cio-Cio-San and Mrs Lovett; for Victorian Opera – Fiordiligi in Così fan Tutte, Adina in L’elisir d’amore and Mrs Lovett.

In concert, she has sung with Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet for the Sydney Festival, Mozart’s Requiem with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and Nick Cave with the Melbourne Symphony.

Antoinette featured as a guest judge and panelist on the ABC television series Operatunity Oz and has appeared regularly on the hit show Spicks and Specks; she was a presenter for ABC’s Art Nation – covering stories on opera and music theatre.

Antoinette is also been a regular visitor to Japan, China and Indonesia where she is much in demand as a guest artist.  She recorded Puccini Romance for ABC Classics with tenor Rosario La Spina and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Stuart Maunder AM

Director

Beginning his career in stage management at the then Australian Opera, Maunder has a long history in opera, as a director and arts administrator. He served in senior management roles at Opera Australia from 1999 to 2008 before being appointed General Director of New Zealand Opera in 2014. He was appointed Artistic Director of State Opera South Australia in 2018. In his time at State Opera, Maunder has proved a passionate advocate for finding a distinctive Australian voice, championing Australian repertoire, developing the next generation of Australian artists while still pursuing a balanced repertoire designed to reach the widest possible audience.
 
His acclaimed work as a director has ensured Maunder has remained a consistent presence on Australian stages for over three decades.
 
A frequent collaborator with Victorian Opera, Maunder has directed several popular productions including four musicals by Stephen Sondheim (Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Little Night Music), Janacek’s Cunning Little Vixen and a co-production of Richard Meale’s Voss with State Opera South Australia. Maunder’s production of Sweeney Todd was co-produced with New Zealand Opera and toured New Zealand and Australia following its debut in 2015.
 
Stuart Maunder AM has been named the next Artistic Director of Victorian Opera, and will commence in the role in October 2023.