A Night with Opera Queensland kicks-off this Friday

Media Release

 

A Night with Opera Queensland’s all star line up to bring local flavour to 12 communities

 

Communities in Sunnybank, Sandgate, Caloundra, St George, Roma, Monto, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Proserpine, Ingham, Hughenden and Mount Isa can each expect a delightful surprise when A Night with Opera Queensland comes to town from 25 August to 16 September.

 

OperaQ’s new, expansive regional tour will offer something unique to each of the 12 communities, with a special all-star show blending moments of shining operatic splendour with theatricality, backstage humour and showbiz sass, all performed at close range in some of Queensland’s most unique venues.

 

From the creamy elegance of the heritage-listed Sandgate Town Hall, to the backdrop of sprawling lilypads at Ingham’s TYTO Amphitheatre and the stark beauty of a quarry outside of Roma, A Night with Opera Queensland has been lovingly designed to celebrate each town's cultural heritage, while transporting audiences to a grand opera house.

 

Concerts include community choruses in Sunnybank, Caloundra and Mount Isa and in Bundaberg at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre, $2 from every ticket will go towards the ‘Our Glad Society’, commemorating national treasure Gladys Moncrieff – a soprano born in 1892 in Bundaberg, who is still revered as the ‘queen of song’.

 

Featuring some of the state’s most adored artists, including soprano Emily Burke, tenor Rosario La Spina and baritone Shaun Brown, the tour will include popular, lighter pieces, snappy Broadway favourites and traditional grand opera. The quartet of singers will bring to life some of the most popular operatic characters from Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto and Don Giovanni, in full costume and with atmospheric lighting, while immersive performances will spill from the stage to the audience.

 

OperaQ Artistic Director Lindy Hume said that audiences for A Night with Opera Queensland will enjoy meeting these opera artists in a surprising range of modes, from relaxed backstage mode to the high drama of a grand opera performance.

 

“A Night with Opera Queensland  will evolve from a purposefully chaotic opening  to culminate in grand operatic splendour worthy of any stage,” Ms Hume said.

 

“Audiences will love the ‘Champagne Song’ from Die Fledermaus, pay homage to Gladys Moncrieff in Lehár’s ‘The Merry Widow Waltz’, and the elegant duets of classics like The Pearlfishers, Lakmé, and La bohème, performed in gala glamour."

 

A Night with Opera Queensland is supported by The Playing Queensland Fund and arTour, initiatives of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, part of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

 

-ENDS-

Creative Team:

Director Lindy Hume

Set Designer Gavin Hampstead

Costume Designer Karen Cochet

Musical Director Narelle French

 

Cast:

Emily Burke

Victoria Lambourn

Rosario La Spina

Shaun Brown

 

Pianist:

Narelle French

 

Tour Schedule:

 

For more information visit operaq.com.au

For images please click here

 

Media Contact

Jaishri Johnstone | Agency North | M: 0404 188 615 | E: jjohnstone@agencynorth.com.au

Jean Smith | Agency North | M: 0474 385 109 | E: jsmith@agencynorth.com.au