Lorelei

After being cancelled last year because of Covid 19, this production of the Lorelei has finally made it to the stage in Brisbane. Billed as an opera/cabaret, this concept of the Lorelei legend was first conceived by Ali McGregor, who is part of this production. McGregor, working with Julian Langdon, Casey Bennetto and Gillian Cosgriff, has taken this tale of the siren who hypnotized men who came under her spell and lured them to their death, opened it up, and given it a 21^st century feminist coat of paint. The result is a witty, imaginative, and totally engrossing original work with music that combines classical, pop and Latin.

There are three Loreleis, Dimity Shepherd, Antoinette Halloran and McGregor, who play the role of seductress from different points of view, swathed in the most stunning couturier design costumes by Marg Horwell, and singing this score, which owes a little to Kurt Weill and Weimar cabaret, and also a little to Evita.

Accompanied by a twelve-piece Queensland Symphony Orchestra which included guitar, conductor Phoebe Briggs seamlessly brought out the color of Langdon’s orchestrations which evoked the turbulence of the river and the ethereal beauty of the siren’s call.

The mezzo voice of Shepherd blended beautifully with the soprano ranges of McGregor and Halloran. Each Lorelei was encased in a box with surtitles splashed across their lower half. All had three doors that eventually opened and allowed them to mingle as they shed their inhibitions, clothes, and impressive platform heels.

The Bennetto and Cosgriff text was satiric in intent, had wit, and was awash with non-maiden-aunt language, with liberal use of the ‘f’ and ‘c’ words. Sarah Giles kept tight control of the action, whilst Paul Jackson’s lighting brought its own dimension to the performance.

Opera Q’s Artistic Director Patrick Nolan first saw this in its premiere season at the Malthouse, Melbourne, and thanks to him, and his foresight, Queensland audiences can now be enchanted by this gorgeous and memorable production.

Peter Pinne

Photographer: Pia Johnson