Opera goes cabaret

Huge coup for Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival

State Opera South Australia will be heading to Penola for this year’s Arts Festival in May, in an exciting coup for regional audiences.

Under the umbrella of G&S FEST, State Opera performers Rosie Hosking (above left) and Rod Schultz (above right), accompanied by Penny Cashman, will present a special Cabaret style performance in Rymill Hall, taking the audience on a quirky, madcap and sentimental journey through the songs and times of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Titled Here’s a How-de-do, the one-off performance is set to recreate zany characters from the famous operettas The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance and H.M.S. Pinafore amongst others.

According to Penola Coonwarra Arts Festival Opera Event coordinator Peter Muller the addition of the State Opera performance to the arts festival program is exciting for regional audiences and testament to the strong reputation of the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival.

“Festival audiences have always embraced an opera style performance as part of the program, and we are thrilled this year to be welcoming the State’s leading Opera company to our town,” said Mr Muller. “It presents an exciting opportunity for audiences to enjoy a world-class performance right here in Penola as part of our wonderful Festival,” he added.

The performance on Thursday, May 18, marks the Opening Night of the four-day Festival, with the prestigious John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize announcement being held at the Penola High School beforehand.

Guests will be presented with a glass of sparkling on arrival and are invited to BYO drinks and nibbles to the Cabaret style seating event in Penola’s Rymill Hall. Tickets available through www.artsfestival. com.au or www.gandsfest.com.au

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