Lorelei

Lorelei, a seductive opera cabaret, kicks off Opera Queensland's 2021 season in style at the Concert Hall, QPAC from March 6-13, 2021. 

The sumptuous production tells the story of the Lorelei, three sirens of song who sit atop the cliffs of Germany’s Rhine River, singing sailors to their watery graves. 

Moral dilemmas begin to arise for the irresistible sirens however: are they tiring of singing sailors to their deaths, and honestly, do they even really deserve to die?

Conceived by Helpmann Award-winner and ARIA nominee Ali McGregor, the boundary-breaking new work rewrites an ancient myth for modern women. 

Opera Queensland Artistic Director and CEO Patrick Nolan explained, “Lorelei subverts the traditional siren’s tale."

“We encounter three different versions of the siren, each questioning the assumptions of their mythical status, changing their tune and their sense of identity in the process.” 

Ali McGregor is joined by Dimity Shepherd and Antoinette Halloran to bring this powerhouse performance to Brisbane. 

“I’ve always been fascinated by the Lorelei myth and how it essentially blames feminine wiles for the foibles and failings of men. This is a theme we see a lot of in traditional opera and Dimity, Antoinette and I had always wanted to do something to address this," said Ms McGregor.

McGregor enlisted composer Julian Langdon to create the contemporary score and librettists Casey Bennetto (Keating! The Musical) and Gillian Cosgriff (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child) to write the sharp and witty lyrics. The result is a work that traverses musical genres across tango, pop and classical. 

Good to know - Lorelei premiered with Victorian Opera in November 2018 to a sold-out season at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre. 

Need to know - The 75-minute cabaret-opera is sung in English and is accessible for all audiences. Recommended for ages 15+

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