Opera on the Beach: The Magic Flute

Under cloudy skies, the magnificent set of the OA’s Magic Flute seemed at home with the surrounding high rise apartments. As if on cue, the clouds started to part as the Overture commenced and thus began a fabulous event!

Billed as a world first, Opera On The Beach was an experience not to be missed and the capacity crowd of over 3,500 in beach chairs, banana lounges and sleeping bags enjoyed every minute. Sung in English, the story was easily to understand.

The cast was a mix of international and local singers and (fittingly) lifesavers and the Orchestra and Community Choir, under the baton of Simon Kenway were brilliant.

As the Queen of the Night Milica Ilic was superb and the well matched principal line up included Pamina, Janet Todd; Tamino, Jonathan Abernathy; Papageno, Jason Barry-Smith, First Lady, Hannah Dahlenburg; Second Lady, Emma Castelli; Third Lady, Anna Yun; Papagena, Jessica Dean; Monostatos, Benjamin Rasheed and local Gold Coast resident Conal Coad was Sarastro, who made an entrance in a Sudan Chair supported by Surf Life Savers from the local Tweed Heads and Coolangatta Surf Club situated at Greenmount  Beach.

Roger McKenzie

Photograph by Darcy Grant for Opera Australia