An Isabel Hertaeg & Critical Stages Production
Written by: Isabel Hertaeg
Directed by: Don Bridges
Designer: Derek Ives
Production Manager/Tech: Ryan Shuker
Cast: Isabel Hertaeg and Jo Abbott
Sopranos must die, it’s the rules of opera. Death by Soprano is an A-Z cliff-notes to operatic demise, complete with outlandish props and costumes, an impressive set of pipes and a higher death toll than a Hollywood blockbuster. Catering to the Opera-Curious and the seasoned Operaphile, this tongue-in-cheek performance is guaranteed to enlighten, enchant and entertain.
Death By Soprano satirically catalogues operatic death scenes in an A-Z, cabaret romp through Operatic Occupational Hazards. This is a cabaret work created with a great love of opera that also embraces a loving irreverence for opera’s occasionally over-inflated ego. Its high art with a fun sensibility that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Utilising slapstick, absurdism, dark-clowning and a healthy dose of prop-humour, Death By Soprano portrays the final moments in the lives of operatic heroines. The show is created specifically for ‘non-opera’ demographics, particularly comedy, cabaret and festival audiences but also caters for lovers of classical music.
Available to Tour
2018-20
Artform
Opera Cabaret
Audience
Opera-curious
Duration
75 minutes
Minimum Stage
4m x wide, 3m x deep, 4m x height, wing space: 1m
Previous Tour Dates
Regional Arts Victoria Tour 2016 – 6 venues
Melba Spiegeltent, Melbourne Fringe, 2014
Natimuk Hall, Nati Frinj Festival, 2013
La Mama, Explorations, 2013
What people are saying
Try Death By Soprano – opera’s most morbid moments celebrated with gusto, glee, great stagecraft and an excellent voice.” – Richard Watts: RRR, ArtsHub.
I don’t like opera but I LOVED Death By Soprano – A Punter
Interested in Opera but not sure you could sit through several hours of a foreign language? Then this is the show for you! **** 4 Stars – Adelaide Theatre Guide
Upcoming Tour Dates
1 September Redland Performing Arts Centre
8 September Gladstone Entertainment Centre
12 September Mount Isa Civic Centre
14 September Riverway Arts Centre
16 September Maleny Community Centre
21 September Logan Entertainment Centre
23 September Empire Theatres, Toowoomba
26 September Miles Leichardt Centre
28 September Crow’s Nest, QLD
3 October Gunnedah Shire Council, NSW
7 October Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
11 October Ararat Performing Arts Centre
19 October Burnie Entertainment Centre
Key Market Segments
Death By Soprano is a show created for the ‘opera-curious’. Our target audiences are festival audiences; comedy, cabaret, theatre and music theatre lovers as well as die-hard classical music afficionados.
Death By Soprano is educational by nature and would appeal to high school music students. We don’t generally recommend the work for young children our youngest punter, Bram – Age 9 described it as ‘Like Death Metal’ and ‘Twice as good as Nitro Circus’.
Suitable for lovers of music, cabaret and comedy, but also suited to music loving and arts loving comedy and Entertainment seekers of all ages. Especially suited to those who are interested in opera but not sure if they can bear to stand a full 3-4 Wagner ring cycle.
Contains depictions of violence. Not suitable for young children: Parental Advisory to age 15.
Community Engagement
The show lends itself towards educational purposes and is suitable for secondary school students. Educational and community workshops in music, drama and photography are available as accompaniments to the performance and exhibition.
