Pinchgut Opera | The Fairy Queen
7 June, 2025, Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay, NSW
Wow! Pinchgut does it again… From the first downbeat to the final shimmering chord, The Fairy Queen had me completely enthralled. The thrilling blend of baroque brilliance and modern wit had me pinned to my seat, not wanting to miss a moment of this cleverly imagined, musically sublime production.
Henry Purcell’s semi-opera first performed in 1692, is a testament to his genius in blending English theatrical traditions with continental musical flair. While loosely based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this is no straightforward Shakespearean adaptation. Instead, Purcell offers a series of masques – musical interludes full of humour, beauty and emotion that explore the kaleidoscope of love. As director and designer Netia Jones notes, the themes span “from excitement to agony, and from despair to joy.” Pinchgut’s production captures that full emotional range through a brilliantly clever concept that feels entirely true to Purcell’s themes: each masque is reimagined as a vignette unfolding across a modern city over a 24-hour period
From a bustling airport to a suburban park barbecue, from a late-night bar to a surreal international radio station at 4am, each scene is more than a setting, it’s a portal into human longing, tenderness, awkwardness and elation. And yes, this is Pinchgut, so it’s unapologetically stylish, more than a little bit saucy and utterly seductive.
Every element is interwoven with care, making even the most old-fashioned text feel relevant. “Gentle Spirits of the Air” felt entirely at home in its midnight radio booth, and the lilting refrain of “If Love’s a Sweet Passion” sounded perfectly apt sung from a deserted city bus stop. I felt that the reinterpretation was thoughtful, inventive and, well, clever.
The music was of course glorious. Erin Helyard led the Orchestra of the Antipodes with his usual mix of precision and flair, drawing out the colour, tension and lyricism in Purcell’s exquisite score. The upper strings under Matthew Greco at times moved like a single living organism, flowing and breathing as one. The fanfares were joyous and plentiful, the recorders sparkled (especially in the duet at the top of Act II), and the theorbo and guitar textures added intimacy and richness. Everyone in the band deserves a personal credit.
The choreography and staging were meticulously crafted to synchronise with the music, even transforming everyday sounds, like camera shutters and ambient noises related to resetting the scene, into percussive elements that enriched the performance.
Among the vocal highlights: Andrew O’Connor’s hilarious Drunken Poet, and Kanen Breen’s gloriously over-the-top Phoebus, throwing feathers and attitude in equal measure. Also the jolly duet between Mopsa and Coridon, Breen again this time with partner in crime Anthony Mackey, was utterly outrageous – though we have come to expect that from this consummate comic performer. But The Fairy Queen isn’t all jollity and folly. Morgan Balfour’s “Night” aria gently lulled and “Hush, no more…” was one of the most languid, suspended moments of the evening, with silences stretched out just enough to make your heart hold its breath. Keara Donohoe’s aching rendition of “The Plaint” was exquisitely sung and paired tenderly with oboe, one of those pin-drop moments.
Visually, this production was a feast. The mirrored stage floor offered depth and movement, reflecting the sweeping projections encompassing small briefly captured bits of magic. Lighting design was essential to this vision, and Matthew Marshall deserves praise for created an integrated visual world.
And then came the parade: a glorious Mardi Gras of the seasons. Security guards held back a “crowd” as the celebrity deities of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter arrived, dripping in sparkles, feathers, sequins and satire. They strutted and posed and preened, a riot of colour and cabaret that delighted the audience. These were not generic personifications of the seasons, they were draggy, dazzling and fabulous.
So, what of the venue change? Pinchgut’s move from City Recital Hall to Roslyn Packer Theatre marks a new era. Yes, the acoustic is different, and some regulars may need a moment to adjust, but the creative potential of this space is vast. The scale, the AV capacity, the theatricality: this production proves why Pinchgut deserves a bigger stage. They’re not just expanding audiences; they’re expanding what’s possible.
I left the theatre exhilarated. The crowd was generous in its applause, visibly moved and deeply entertained. The Fairy Queen may be more than 300 years old, but in this sparkling, surreal and sublimely musical production, it felt fresh as ever. Whether you’re a Baroque devotee or a newcomer, you’ll find something to fall in love with here. Bravo, Pinchgut.
Photo credit: Cassandra Hannagan
