Sopranos must die, it’s the rule of Opera, but when Isabel Hertaeg takes to the stage at Redland Performing Arts Centre at 7.30pm on September 1 she will die 26 times over, one for each letter of the alphabet.
Death by Soprano satirically catalogues operatic death scenes in an A-Z, cabaret romp through operatic occupational hazards. Utilising slapstick, absurdism, dark-clowning, a healthy dose of prop-humour and Hertaeg’s incredible operatic voice, Death by Soprano portrays the final moments in the lives of operatic heroines.
Hertaeg, an opera singer and teacher, describes the show as cabaret work with a great love of opera that also embraces a loving irreverence for opera’s occasionally over-inflated ego.
“It’s high art with a fun sensibility that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” she said.
If you are “interested in opera but not sure you could sit through several hours of a foreign language, then this is the show for you!” according to the Adelaide Theatre Guide. While ArtsHub exclaimed that you can look forward to "opera's most morbid moments celebrated with gusto, glee, great stagecraft and an excellent voice".
Tickets to enjoy these 26 re-enactments are $33. Bookings can be made by calling the RPAC Box Office on 3829 8131 or by visiting www.rpac.com.au (booking fees are $4.30 by phone and $5 online per transaction).
