Opera in the Ruins on Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island has announced that its Georgian era convict settlement will provide a dramatic backdrop to the island’s third annual Opera in the Ruins, to run from February 21-24, featuring New Zealand tenor Benjamin Fifiti Makisi, known as the ‘Polynesian Pavarotti’, with the program including classics as Carmen, Tosca, Rigoletto, Samson and Delilah and La Boheme.
A High Tea Concert will feature classic favourite songs from the British Isles along with South Pacific gems to celebrate Norfolk’s rich history as home to descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives.
The highlight of the event will be a Masked Grand Finale, in which performers and the audience will don masks to set the scene for a selection of such immortal Viennese operettas as Vilia, My Hero, The Merry Widow Waltz, Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss and My Heart and I.
Violinist Eric Craig, a former Sydney resident now living on Norfolk Island, will provide plenty of variety during the masked ball with a virtuoso selection of gypsy music.
Baritone Stewart Cameron and other members of the celebrated Brisbane-based operatic company, Operatif! – soprano Jennifer Parish, mezzo Dorothy Williams and pianist Lynne Sterling Jordan will also be joining the event and Norfolk Island Tourism General Manager Steve McInnes said, “Opera in the Ruins has become one of the most successful events on the island’s social calendar, and we are delighted to have such a talented cast to head the bill.”
He added, “Between concerts, visitors will have adequate time to enjoy or restaurants, visit museums and other colonial era attractions or just walk along our uncrowded beaches, clifftops and beautiful National Park.”
Norfolk Select has special ‘Opera in the Ruins’ holiday packages including return flights, four nights twin share accommodation, car hire, taxes ex Australia, airport transfers and a opera/dinner package available from $1199 per person from Brisbane and $1272 per person from Sydney with add-on flights available from other centres.
The opera/dinner package includes a dinner concert, a welcoming dinner and a high tea concert. Conditions apply.
Call Norfolk Select toll-free on 1800 724 400 or visit www.norfolkselect.com.au
For general information on Norfolk Island, visit www.norfolkisland.nf
Report by The Mole – who looks a bit like Pavarotti!
John Alwyn-Jones
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