Talking of opera, I enjoyed chatting to Camilo Lopez one of the founding directors of the boutique opera company Voxalis when I was commissioned to write an article about this company’s 2026 season. 

I was so impressed when he told me this:

“I struggled to plan the season with so many harsh things happening,” he says. “As much as I love opera it can feel disconnected from the world. I went on a mission to find beautiful music which reflects some of the hardcore themes currently impacting people’s lives.”

Bravely, because Voxalis is small – only a 5-year-old company where resources are tight – he’s programmed three short operas which have significant relevance and resonance with today’s world.

The first of these is Poulenc’s The Human Voice, a monodrama about a heartbreaking conversation a man has had with his former lover. Liam Jackson is the lead. (As pictured above.)

Secondly, Iain Bell’s Comfort Starving is an Aussie premiere about a teenager suffering from body dysmorphia.

And the third, Jake Heggie’s Facing Forward, Looking Back, is an intense song cycle about a mother and daughter’s complex relationship.

You can read the article here.

In terms of the interest and commitment to opera in Brisbane, there are the following companies:

• Opera Queensland
• Voxalis
• Underground Opera
• Springboard Opera
• Brisbane Lyric Opera

It’s clear that love of opera is alive and well in Brisbane.