Opera / The Opera Australia Gala Concert. At Canberra Theatre, October 9. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Directed by Claudia Osbourne and hosted by Laura Tingle, the impressive gala featured Opera Australia’s full orchestra under the baton of Tahu Matheson, its acclaimed 32-member chorus, and six of the company’s leading soloists.

They included Canberra soprano Lorina Gore, tenor Diego Torre, soprano Jennifer Black, mezzo soprano Sian Sharp, baritone Luke Gabbedy and bass David Parkin who performed popular selections from the great opera composers. 

Impressively arranged on the Canberra Theatre stage, which had been decorated with flowers, the full Opera Australia Orchestra and chorus began with a stirring performance of the overture and third act chorus for Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. 

Host Laura Tingle set a convivial tone with her wry and informative introductions, especially when introducing Jennifer Black, Sian Sharp and David Parkin, who delighted with their rendition of the trio from the Mozart opera, Cosi fan tutte.

Then followed a succession of glorious arias, duets and choruses performed by ladies in gorgeous gowns and gentlemen in elegant formal wear, selected from the most popular operas in the repertoire. 

Sian Sharp offered a sensuous rendition of the Seguidilla from Bizet’s Carmen, followed by a rousing Toreador’s Song from the same opera from Luke Gabbedy. 

Lorina Gore had the audience on the edge of their seats with her dramatic rendition of the poison aria for Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, contrasting this later with a glittering Jewel Song from Gounod’s Faust. 

Diego Torre joined Luke Gabbedy for a thrilling rendition of the famous duet from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers matched later in the program by Lorina Gore and Sian Sharp with their luscious version of the Flower Duet from Delibes, Lakme.

Torre won hearts with several stunning solos during the evening but most particularly with his matchless rendition of the magnificent Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s opera Turandot, which brought the audience to its feet.

Teije Hylkema’s glowing cello introduction heralded David Parkin’s pensive King Philip’s aria from Verdi’s Don Carlos. Parkin later thrilled with his rendition of Banquo’s aria from another Verdi opera, Macbeth. 

Highlights scattered throughout the program were superb renditions by the Opera Australia Chorus of Va, Pensiero, the Hebrew slaves lament for a lost homeland from Verdi’s Nabucco, which struck a surprisingly relevant note, and The Anvil Chorus from Verdi’s Il Trovatore. 

A non-vocal highlight was the superb violin solo by concertmaster Matthieu Arama of the Grand Adagio from Glazunov’s ballet, Raymonda. 

There is room here to mention only a few of the many highlights of a memorable evening notable for its succession of brilliant performances, the magnificence of the sound achieved, and perhaps a preview of future opera performances by Opera Australia in Canberra with the completion of the new lyric theatre.

Although staged as a key event among a year of celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Canberra Theatre Centre, this Opera Australia Gala Concert also served as a fitting acknowledgement of the work of Alex Budd, who on Friday relinquishes his role as director of the Canberra Theatre Centre to take on his dream job as CEO of Opera Australia.

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