HISTORIC Golden Vale opened its doors to the public for the first time last Saturday to showcase the line-up of 14 Pacific Opera performers in a special picnic performance.
The line-up included Katie Connor, Naomi Johns, Kerry Nicholson, Anna Yun, Warren Fisher, Randall Stewart, pianist Glenn Amer and a chorus of six, which accompanied the performers.
Originally 250 tickets were available but public demand and interest surpassed that number by almost 50, with 295 opera enthusiasts lapping up a musical treat under every shady tree that could be found.
The pieces performed by the talent ranged from heart-wrenching love confessions from the opera titled Snow Maiden, to the humorous performance of the piece Poisoning Pigeons in the Park by composer Lehrer and performed by tenor singer Warren Fisher.
Having started singing professionally in 1999, Fisher has had extensive experience performing, conducting and teaching music and admitted he does have a favourite piece.
“Well, Poisoning Pigeons in the Park because its just too silly, but Mes Amis from the Daughter of Regiment opera because it is just a ripper to sing.”
“I like living on the edge and it’s so high that there’s not that many people in the country that can sing it consistently,” he said.
Fellow up and coming professional singer Naomi Johns was cheered on by her mother in the crowd, Margaret Johns, who said singing was her daughter’s life since she moved to Sydney to attend the Conservatorium of Music over five years ago.
Johns has been singing professionally for just over a year and is looking to get as much experience as possible, which is why this event evoked such excitement for her.
“My job as an opera singer is to tell a story and I love the ability to express and give and to make people feel things whether it be tears or happiness,” she said.
Her passion for singing began at the tender age of eight and it hasn’t wavered one bit.
“When you’re in that nutshell it’s somewhere you want to stay forever because time and space become transient. It’s beautiful, but then that word doesn’t cut it,” she said.
Her performance of four different pieces throughout the show marked the first proper solo concert in her career.
This talent is what Pacific Opera is all about, nurturing and challenging young performers to be their best with regular performances and experiences like this one, said Pacific Opera director, Christine Douglas.
“This is the sort of thing that gives our performers confidence and experience and hopefully it will all happen again next year,” she said.
The event came out of a partnership between the National Trust and Pacific Opera to help bring National Trust properties like Golden Vale to life.
Director of membership and fundraising, Alan Smith said the joint venture was all about bringing members and non-members together for experiences centred around opera and art.
“We’re not just about buildings like a lot of people think, we’re into cultural heritage as well, and this event brings those together,” he said.
Listening visitors were treated to a musical surprise at the conclusion of the opera with performer Bernadette Cullen leaping out of the audience to sing, An die Musik by Franz Schubert, as a tribute to the late owner of Golden Vale Hon W.G. Keighley OAM, who regarded the piece as his favorite.
With the partnership forged between Pacific Opera and the National Trust, Mr Smith hoped there would be many events like this one in the future.
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