If opera in a city theatre is a swanky night out, high heels, champagne and glossy programs, Opera Queensland’s Festival of Outback Opera is all about community. Connecting to fresh audiences in Winton in Matilda Country and Longreach is paramount. Accessibility is the driver.
Day and night enjoyable happenings are offered, included a trivia game, a children’s opera, school workshops, a communal singalong led by the irrepressible baritone Jason Barry-Smith, a Long Lunch at Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach, a bird-watching tour with Red Dirt Tours culminating in an airing of arias by UQ undergraduates and morning tea at Bladensburg Homestead.
Opera Queensland’s CEO Patrick Nolan’s festival shakes and stirs the preconceptions, the pomp and ceremony and mythologies surrounding opera. Ironically, I witnessed a meltdown, not from a diva, but a chef catering for a large crowd queueing for dinner after an enjoyable recital at Winton’s Royal Open-Air Theatre. Incidentally, due to the massive influx of visitors from across Australia and OQ’s staff the festival boosted the economies of Winton and Longreach by $1.7 million last year.
Delivering European arias might seem incongruous in Queensland’s cattle farming heartland. How can arias sung in Italian, German or French resonate with big hats and road trains, black kites wheeling above Winton’s main street, brolgas hanging outside the Outback Motel, wallaroos springing across flat open plains?
In All Together Now! a singalong presented by soprano Gabrielle Diaz, mezzo-soprano Maddy Stephens and stunning pianist Luke Volker; popular baritone Jason Barry-Smith told the crowd at Dustarena, a recently renovated theatre in a paddock, ‘music sings feelings’ and with lyrics peddling sex, passion and death they’re relatable in any language.
There are many reasons to attend OQ’s Festival of Outback Opera. Ticket holders confess it’s unique, an adventure, an excuse for a road trip, something different, an introduction to opera. Another attraction is the chance to mingle with performers. OQ’s young artists, the soloists, University of Queensland Students, the conductor and orchestral players spill into the streets of Winton and they are chatty, dressed down in shirts and jeans, grabbing a coffee in between rehearsals.
Alfresco performance is another winning element. Pop-ups occurred in Winton at the Matilda Centre, Truck Museum and North Gregory Hotel. In Longreach, there was a performance at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and another near a shed of prize-winning hens which was followed by a dachshund race.
Fun though it is for the listeners, it takes a toll on the artists. Brendan Joyce, artistic director of Camerata says ‘dry, cold air or direct sun are the greatest enemies. So, it takes a lot of flexibility, fly nets – yes really fly nets and a lot of layers under the concert garb. It’s particularly challenging for double reed players where dry lips and dried out reeds come into play. You have to want to make it work. Camerata certainly values and practices agility, so we are ok with the situation.’
Then there’s the menace of insects. Bush flies are easily swallowed. No-one could have guessed OQ young artist mezzo-soprano Aylish Ryan literally swallowed a fly in her sultry incarnation of Bizet’s Habanera in Dark Sky Serenade located at The Age of the Museum of Dinosaurs on a 75-metre jump up on the outskirts of Winton. Winton Shire Council has achieved official recognition as Queensland’s first International Dark Sky Community and the sky is the hero of this event.
Headlining tenor Filipe Manu, an international superstar and a favourite on all of the world’s premiere stages, sang against a backdrop of a blood orange sky. Although a star-filled heaven didn’t materialise young OQ artist Ryan sang like one. She leaned in towards the audience to amplify meaning. Most people walk on stage, Ryan swallows it whole, slaying the crowd with charismatic storytelling framed in a glorious rounded tone.
Watching Mills conduct Camerata, Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and how he discharges several roles reliably even in windy conditions, the festival’s banner on the rim of the stage flapped like a giant fish, is inspiring. Everyone warmed to him through his anecdotal tales. In between leading and balancing the soloists and orchestra, Mills occupied the piano, spinning breathless arpeggiation up and down the keys in underpinning Baritone James Rosa’s heartfelt One Enchanted Evening.
Singing in the Night at Camden Park Station was a stunner the kind of concert that takes root in the memory. Conditions were advantageously still. Audio Geoff McGahan and his technicians did a superb job in creating an optimal sound stage for the singers and the super professional Camerata who must be every Festival’s go-to support band.
Coloratura soprano Katie Stenzel compered the event and sang an uplifting Zeffiretti Luisinghieri from Mozart’s Idomeneo. Ryan’s brooding dignity in Dido’s Lament had emotional depth recalling the legendary Janet Baker’s gold standard portrayal. Camerata’s sighing ground bass and Richard Mills’ sophisticated Baroque pacing milked the pathos from this aria.
Leanne Kenneally inhabits anything she sings, investing every nook and cranny of the music with colourful lively narrative. Her impeccably phased high notes in Elektra from Idomineo were thrilling like shooting stars streaking through space. Superstar tenor Filipe Manu with his down-to-earth-persona thrilled Festival goers.
His imploring, silvery, athletic vocals concluding a most entertaining concert with an empowering and celebratory Una Furtiva Lacrima from Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. Walking off the stage he understandably placed a hand on Mills’ shoulder in passing.
Opera Queensland’s Festival of Outback Opera took place 19 – 25 May 2026. For more information, visit: www.festivalofoutbackopera.com.au for details.
Images: Leanne Kenneally performing at Singing In The Night at Longreach – photo by Murray Summerville Photography | Luke Volker (piano), Gabrielle Diaz, Jason Barry-Smith and Maddy Stephens performing at All Together Now! at Winton photo by Omar Nolan Photography | Filipe Manu performing at Dark Sky Serenade – photo by Murray Summerville Photography
Review: Gillian Wills