Opera star in Albany magic Fairy Queen production

An aquatic-themed Midsummer Night’s Dream is the inspiration for theatre production Fairy Queen opening at Albany’s Entertainment Centre on Saturday night and featuring opera star Sara Macliver.

Fairy Queen, a collaboration between The University of Western Australia’s Conservatorium of Music and arts organisation Breaksea, is a reinvention of William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream set to Henry Purcell's baroque opera Fairy Queen.

UWA musicians and singers will join regional performers, artists and musicians in what producers describe as a ‘magical theatre show’ which includes shadow puppetry and extravagant costumes.

Conservatorium head Professor Alan Lourens said it was an exciting production that was being taken into Western Australia’s Great Southern.

“We are incredibly excited to be heading to Albany this week to work with Breaksea and to celebrate regional community engagement and the incredible talent and wealth of creativity in the region,” Professor Lourens said.

Image: Accomplished soprano Sara Macliver stars in Fairy Queen

“Fairy Queen is part opera, part play and part contemporary dance.”

Fairy Queen’s cast includes actors, the About Face Youth Choir, performers from other children's choirs, dancers, visual artists and Breaksea youth mentorship participants.

UWA’s Conservatorium of Music Chamber Orchestra will be led by Shaun Lee Chen and the principal cast includes Dr Macliver and Pia Adriana Harris.

Mr Lee Chen, who is the Simon Lee Foundation Artist in Residence at UWA and Concertmaster of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, welcomed the opportunity to take part in the production.

“I’m very excited to be engaging with the music community in Albany,” Mr Lee Chen said.

“This is a terrific project for emerging artists in the south of WA to work with professionals in a fully staged production."

Tickets are available here.