Tongala will come alive to the sound of opera this weekend thanks to regional Victoria-born Charlotte Goode.
Ms Goode, who was born in Kyabram, is the organiser of Opera in the Country, which brings opera performances to the regions.
The group has appeared in Kyabram and Girgarre and is set to perform in Tongala on Friday, March 15 and at the Numurkah Town Hall on Saturday, March 16.
The Numurkah performance will be performed in conjunction with the Balaa Creek Festival.
Ms Goode said she had a deep love for opera, which led her to move to Melbourne to pursue her dream of performing it.
“I love that an opera experience brings out incredible emotions for its audiences,” she said.
“I see it as a genre that audiences become completely immersed in. I love the athleticism of the singing and how highly skilled of an art form it is.”
Like all artists, she has her favourite performances and artists; in her case, they are Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten and the Italian soprano Mirella Freni, respectively.
Her biggest gig has been performing with Melbourne Opera at the Athenaeum Theatre.
Asked what is the difference between performing in the metropolitan areas versus the regions, Ms Goode said it was the sense of community.
“All of our performers have been delighted with the regional audiences we have performed for,” she said.
“The sense of community and connection is so strong that it truly feels special to engage with attendees afterwards.”
Ms Goode also said the ability to walk out after a performance into the open night sky as opposed to busy city streets allowed performers to live in the moment that bit longer.
Live performances can be nerve-racking, even for seasoned professionals such as Ms Goode.
The knowledge that, unlike performing for movies and TV shows, there are no second chances or takes, makes performing opera fraught with challenges.
“The most nerve-racking part is getting everything right, the notes, the rhythms, and having the stamina to sing for hours without microphones,” Ms Goode said.
Ms Goode said she was motivated to help bring opera to the region because she knew first-hand the expense of travelling to Melbourne to see a performance.
“I grew up in this area and relished opportunities to see and experience classical music and musical theatre,” she said.
“I know that it can be difficult and incredibly expensive to go to Melbourne for opera, and for this reason, I have been really motivated to bring opera to the country.”
Another driving force is Ms Goode’s desire to get young people interested in opera, and she vehemently disagrees with the idea that opera is for older people.
“It can be fun and flirty one minute and deeply emotional the next,” she said.
The two performances, one in Tongala and one in Numurkah, will feature a variety of genres from different operas — some modern, some old.
Ms Goode said she and her fellow performers enjoyed performing the classics but also liked to perform lesser-known pieces, as well as pieces from musicals such as Carousel and Phantom of the Opera.
For those unsure about attending the performances, Ms Goode said the performances were a great way to experience opera locally and inexpensively.
“The performance runs for two hours, and we perform such a variety of pieces that there’s bound to be something that resonates with you,” she said.
Tickets are $20, including a free supper of finger sandwiches and slices afterwards.
There is also the chance to purchase local sparkling wine and beer, both before the show and at intervals.
To book tickets, go to: https://www.trybooking.com/COTSC
There will also be tickets available at the door on performance nights.