Lots of performing arts companies claim to be either national or statewide, but do they put their money where their mouths are? Sometimes not, as it turns out.
Being regional is a kind of Holy Grail quest for Queensland companies and many are now embracing the vast expanses of Queensland. Opera Queensland is going further afield … as far as Adelaide, in fact.
Nobody does it better (pardon the Bondism) than Opera Queensland, which is behind what we now consider to be the best truly regional festival in Australia – the Festival of Outback Opera, which is on again in May.
One of the company’s other triumphs and one that proves that they really are bringing opera to the people is Are You Lonesome Tonight. This show is Opera Queensland’s most successful regional tour ever – and it’s hitting the road again in 2025 thanks to a Playing Australia grant. This is a tour of national significance, so take note those companies who aren’t quite cutting it regionally.
Returning for a second season, this cross-genre production (a clever way to engage a wider audience) will be visiting more than 20 communities and travelling some 8765km this year.
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Are You Lonesome Tonight is a unique celebration of country music and opera, featuring arias and songs by Puccini, Verdi, Slim Dusty, Troy Cassar-Daley and Dolly Parton. Show director Laura Hansford says she is constantly asked about its return.
‘music is the great connector, bringing people across genres together to celebrate a love of storytelling’
“After Are You Lonesome Tonight toured Queensland in 2021 I have been repeatedly asked when it was coming back,” Hansford says. “It is proof that music is the great connector, bringing people across genres together to celebrate a love of storytelling.”
This tour spans a remarkable range of locations, from major cultural hubs such as Adelaide and the Gold Coast to regional centres such as Griffith, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. There are even some of Australia’s most remote towns, including Winton, Longreach and Barcaldine. The diversity of venues – from grand theatres and civic halls to outdoor amphitheatres and community spaces – reflects a deep commitment to bringing the power of song and storytelling to audiences far and wide. This journey not only showcases the accessibility of the art form but also highlights the rich cultural fabric of cities, country towns and outback communities, alike.
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The star-studded cast includes Gabrielle Diaz, Jonathan Hickey and one of the country’s most in-demand talents, First Nations artist Marcus Corowa.
Directed by Laura Hansford, and with design by Penny Challen, Are You Lonesome Tonight weaves a story about life on the road through popular country hits and famous operatic arias. The cabaret-style production explores the extraordinary qualities and surprising similarities of opera and country music.
The tour opened at the Adelaide Festival Centre (in association with State Opera South Australia) on April 4 and is now on the road to play to more than 20 communities, stopping off in Winton and Longreach at the Festival of Outback Opera along the way. The Winton performance will mark the opening night of Crackup Sisters’ new outdoor performing venue – the Opera House of the Outback.
‘we love that audiences will get a mix of both opera and country music and a bit of something in between’
Hansford says 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,” Hansford says.
“Our premise for Are You Lonesome Tonight is to just 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 Australia. Come in your jeans and boots or your tuxedos and ball gowns – this is opera at its most diverse, accessible and exciting.”
For performance dates, venue information and to reserve tickets, visit oq.com.au