Opera Queensland's genre-crossing new production, Are You Lonesome Tonight, will rope in a cast of local singers when it plays a free event at Mount Isa on Tuesday.
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The show will be held outside on the grounds of the Buchanan Park Entertainment Centre from 6.30pm and people are invited to "come in your jeans and boots or your tuxedos and ballgowns."
The state opera company has partnered with Mount Isa Mines to stage the free premiere production and a 150-strong choir of local students will take to the stage as a support act before Are You Lonesome Tonight to perform the repertoire they learnt in workshops before the event.
Opera Queensland Director of Learning, Regional and Community Mark Taylor said the workshops would sharpen the students' vocal and presentation skills, stagecraft techniques and self-confidence.
"We will work with students of all ages, across independent and state schools, to present what we know will be a dazzling celebration of young talent," Mr Taylor said.
Are You Lonesome Tonight weaves a story about life on the road through the arias of composers such as Puccini and Verdi and songs by Slim Dusty and Dolly Parton, directed by Laura Hansford alongside designer Penny Challen, the star-studded cast includes Irena Lysiuk, Marcus Corowa and Jonathan Hickey.
The cabaret-style production explores the extraordinary qualities and surprising similarities of opera and country music and director Laura Hansford said the tour is equal parts a celebration of opera and of country tunes, forming a creative and eclectic ensemble of iconic music.
"There is something for everybody, we love that audiences will get a mix of both opera and country music and a bit of something in between," Ms Hansford said.
"Our premise for Are You Lonesome Tonight is to just to play good music, no matter where that sits or where it comes from. Good music doesn't belong to a genre, it belongs to the people and the landscapes that we will be embracing wholeheartedly when we perform to audiences across Queensland."
This a free event but a QR code will be required for COVID purposes.
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