OPERATIF! NEWS
Friday,6th August : Fabulous line-up announced for Stage Sensations at Flaxton Gardens ( 17th Sept ) and Opera in the Amphitheatre ( 19th Sept ) . Italian/Australian tenor Virgilio Marino ( seen recently as a principal with Opera Queensland ) will join dramatic soprano Sally Harrison, coloratura Elizabeth Smalley, champion piano accordianist Joseph Castorina and renowned Scottish pianist John Woods.
Monday, 19th April : We are delighted to advise that internationally renowned violinist Dene Olding will be performing in OPERA in Paradise 2011 on Norfolkd Island along with his wife, viloist, Irina Morozova
Thursday, 8th April : National advertsing campaign for OPERA in Paradise under way. View the advert (1.5Mb)
Wednesday,7th April : Internationally-renowned bass David Hibbard confirmed for OPERA in Paradise 2011
Tuesday,6th April : OPERA in Paradise 2011 now on sale through all Noroflk Island specialist travel agents
Wednesday,10th March : Bribie Island patrons have now received a newsletter regarding bus tours to Opera in the Amphitheatre and Brisbane. Read here. ( pdf : 450kb)
Thursday,11th February : 'Viva Italia' confirmed for 30th April at Flaxton Gardens Banquet Hall. Phone now to reserve your place or table. On sale from 1st March.
Monday ,25th January : Opera Dinner at Flaxton Gardens on 6th February heavily booked and just a handful of places left.
Don't delay if you are planning on joining us ! click here to book
Thursday,7th January : HAPPY NEW YEAR !! 2010 Weekday series for Brisbane and Redcliffe - details now available.
CLICK HERE
Wednesday,23rd December 2009: Now on sale Opera Dinner at Flaxton Gardens, Sunshine Coast - 6th February 2010. Join us for this fabulous evening at the newly-renovated and re-opened Flaxton Gardens. Enjoy stunning views during welcome bubbly and canapes followed by a two-course dinner by award-winning chef Alan Thompson. Special guest, Benjamin Makisi. Just $90. Click here to read more or here to book.
Monday,21st December: Fabulous new Dinner show event planned for 6th February,2010. Location is Sunshine Coast. Call back for more information.
Tuesday, 1st December ; Norfolk Pines Group signed as OPERA in Paradise Silver Sponsor . Visit their site
Friday, 27th November : OPERA in Paradise Facebook page just launched. Search for Opera in Paradise and become a Fan !
Tuesday, 17th November : T-shirts for OPERATIF! and OPERA in Paradise now on sale. Click here for order form.
Wednesday, 21st October : Opera in Paradise information pages updated with a lot of new information for patrons and travel agents. Click here.
Thursday, 15th October : Well-known accompanist and opera coach John Colwill announced as new OPERATIF accompanist for OPERA in Paradise 2010.
Monday, 12th October: Our 2010 Brisbane season to be announced on Wednesday, 21st October.
Friday, 9th October : Many emails and calls received enquiring about Benjamin's family in Samoa and Tonga following the devastating Tsunami. We can report that no-one in Ben's direct family were affected, but many thousands of families have been affected. Please donate to the Red Cross or 4EB Tsunami appeals.
Friday,25th September : OPERA IN THE AMPHITHEATRE - 2010 --- 2 May 2010: Now on sale Read more
riday, 18th September : OPERA in the Amphitheatre ( 20th Sept )-ONLINE and PHONE BOOKINGS NOW CLOSED. Concert almost booked out. Please email us to receive information about tickets for sale on the day.
Friday, 5th September : Bookings extremely heavy for Opera in the Amphitheatre on 20th September and some flights to Norfolk Island for Opera in Paradise are filling fast.
Saturday,8th August : Stewart returns from taking tour to Scotland for The Gathering. More info to bcome on this site.
Friday,26th June: Governors Lodge named as Silver Sponsor for OPERA in Paradise.
Advance Hire Cars named as Bronze Sponsor
Friday, 26th June : Rule Britannia receives standing ovations throughout S E Qld. With one performance to go ( Esk, Sunday 28th June ) the Rule Britannia tour has been an outstanding success with many declaring it "the best British concert they have seen ". Click here to view a photo of the full company.
Tuesday, 16th June : OPERA in Paradise and OPERA in the Amphitheatre now on sale ! Click here for OIP or here for OIA
Thursday , 4th June. Bribie island performance of Rule Britannia changed from Sunday 21st to Saturday 20th June.
Wednesday , 20th May . Brisbane concert today postponed due to extreme weather conditions. New date Tues 26 May
Monday , 11th May . Our daytime patrons newsletter now available for download. MS Word version PDF version
Friday, 8th May: OPERA IN PARADiSE launched. 14th to 21st February 2010. Norfolk Air named as Major Sponsor.
Now on sale. View the info page
Friday, 17th April : Our new CD, Serenade, is finalised and will be released on 1st May. Featuring special guest, tenor, Benjamin Makisi along with Jennifer, Lynne and Stewart this will feature many of your favourites. To read more, go to our CD page.
Saturday, 4th April : Stewart Cameron's ' Queensland Opera Chorus School' is launched in Brisbane. Members travelled from as far as the Sunshine and Gold Coasts and many areas inbetween for the first rehearsal. Performances and engagements are planned for 2nd half of 2009 . Now Queensland singers have a second professional training environment to prepare for professional solo and chorus auditions. Read more
Friday, 3rd April : Operatif! blog site is launched. Go here to let us have your views,sugestions and comments
Wednesday,25th March : March newsletter now online. Click here to read
Wednesday,18th March : Following the huge success of OPERATIF!'s sell-out performance at the Lyceum Hall, Esk in February, another concert has been scheduled in June for this wonderfully supportive and musical community. The likely date is the 28th but do check back into our website for confirmation. Online bookings will be available using our PayPal secure system so have a go if you've not booked online before. It's safe and easy. You can't go wrong..but if you manage to, you can always call us and we'll be able to 'undo' any disasters !! The Esk program will be 'Rule Brittania' and we expect some healthy 'sing-a-long' supprt from the Esk Community Choir members in the audience. Last time people came from as far afield as Toowomba, Bribie Island and Wondai and just over 200 enjoyed a lovely concert and a simply marvellous afternoon tea. We are all looking forward to the next vist so if you know any music lovers in the Brisbane Valley, Ipswich, Toowoomba or beyond...do let them know!
Friday, 12th March : At last the final tracks for our new CD are being mastered..i.e. they are all now in order and the sound engineer is now editing out the footsteps onto the stage...dulling the odd loud cough or sneeze from the audience...and generally tidying it all up into a smooth progression of, we hope, lovely sounds ! The cover design is also well underway..so it's not long until we all hear and see the finished CD in the 2nd week of April. This will be a limited release of just 200 copies. You can pre-order online now and there are some samples on our site also. Click here to go to CD page.
Monday,2nd March : Opera in the Ruins a 'Sell-out' success. For the past 5 years, OPERATIF! have headlined this Festival on Norfolk Island, as well as organising, producing and promoting. All seats were sold well in advance, leaving many dissapointed.This year people travelled from as far away as Western Australia and NZ's South Island to attend the seven events, which included a stunning outdoor Opera concert in the Prison Compound ruins. Invitations have come in to replicate the event in other overseas locations. Travel with us in 2010. Click here
Tuesday, 20th January : Our star Tenor Benjamin Makisi has today been signed to sing with Dame Kiri te Kanawa in Wellington on 14th February. He will fly out at dawn the next day in order to perform with us on Sunday.
Monday, 19th January : Fabulous new brochures for 2009 Daytime Concerts now at the printers. All tickets to be sent out this week.
Monday, 19th January : Exciting new outdoor event being planned for The Plantation, Cooroy for April 2009. Make sure you are on the e-mail list to receive priority booking.
Friday, 16th January : Opera in Ruins on Norfolk Island almost sold out with limited flights from some departure points. Other flights completely full with wait-list. Call us today if we can help you still get in for this memorable event.
Wednesday 14th January : New CD entitled 'Serenade' to be released in March. Advance sales now available. Line-up is guest Ben Makisi, with Jennifer, Stewart and Lynne live at City Hall. The best of 'My Song goes Round the World 08' and 'Be My Love 09 '