Friday 7 August 2026

Review by Paul Neeson (Arts Wednesday)

The Drover’s Wife is a story that has endured over 130 years through many iterations, to become firmly embedded in the Australian psyche. From Henry Lawson’s short story (1892), Russel Drysdale’s painting (1945) to Leah Purcell’s reimagining as a play (2016), a novel (2019) and a film (2021). Now Leah Purcell has collaborated with composer George Palmer to create a powerful opera that had its Sydney Opera House premiere last night. She has taken the original Lawson story and reshaped it “to reclaim the narrative through a First Nations woman’s lens, and to give voice and depth to those who were absent, silenced or marginalised in the original telling.” And what we witnessed was an emotionally charged theatrical masterpiece that is often violent and confronting but also interwoven with love and tenderness. This is the very stuff of all great operas throughout the 430 year history of the genre.

The Drover’s Wife – The Opera – Nina Korbe

Our two leads, Nina Korbe as Molly and Marcus Corowa as Yadaka were perfectly cast. Two truly outstanding voices with the dramatic skills able to hold the audience transfixed from the opening scene to the dramatic conclusion. Korbe gave a stalwart performance full of courage, strength and resolution – and tragedy. Her clear soprano voice ranged from aggression to tenderness as the libretto required, and every word was clearly audible negating the need for the surtitles. Corowa was a real surprise as his stage presence was warmly endearing, sympathetic and solid, and his vocal performance was flawless. Nick Smith as Danny, the young son, was enthusiastic and portrayed the character’s growing maturity with a sensibility beyond his years. His aria at the end of Act I was exquisitely beautiful, but having said that, at times he drifted into overacting making his performancemore suitable to a musical than an opera. Yes the difference is subtle but important to opera aficionados.

George Palmer’s score was brilliant, expanding the vast scenery of the High Country through the sweeping lush strings, underscoring the confrontation and violence with dramatic percussive effects, and creating beautiful romantic scenes and arias in a seamless progression of constant change. One or two interludes came across as somewhatcartoon-like, but they were brief, and what followed left them feeling more like a moment in which to reflect on what had just happened.

Isabel Hudson’s Set Design was a true hero in the production. The revered snow gum gave shelter and protection and delineated the performance space, while evoking the foothills of the alpine regions of Australia perfectly. It was also a suitably functional stage design allowing different height levels and depths for the simultaneous live action, memories and dreamtime stories to co-exist.

Which brings us to the First Nations dancers and musicians. This element more than anything else took the production to the absolute pinnacle of dramatic theatrical creativity. This allowed memories and real-time conflicts to be expressed simultaneously elevating the drama to new levels. The ethereal nature of the choreography (Yolande Brown) and the costumes (Tess Schofield) let our imaginations run freely across the exhilarating landscape. It brought home the tragic history of the region that was unexpressed in the Lawson story. In the current cultural debates this element struck a chord. A quick but important mention of the Video Design (Craig Wilkinson) that cleverly and cinematically portrayed time passing, changing seasons as well as the breathtaking beauty of star filled night skies and the shifting light in the surrounding forest.

The Drover’s Wife – The Opera – Marcus Corowa & Nick Smith

At the end of Act I we were all feeling a bit underwhelmed. All the tension had been set up. Yes Yadaka was in trouble with the troopers and that wasn’t going to go well. Danny had expressed a desire to grow and learn from Yadaka, and Molly was starting to have confusing feelings towards Yadaka. It seemed obvious where this was all going. How wrong were my assumptions? The curtain came up on Act II, the set hadn’t changed, but within seconds all that was forgotten as one plot twist after another raised the drama to fever pitch. And more rewardingly, the music, the lighting, the choreography and all the other production elements only embellished the dramatic crescendo. The absolute horror and despair of the penultimate scene was devastating, but somehow Purcell and Palmer managed to bring some kind of comfort and resolution, drawing us back from the brink.

This brand new opera is a courageous and determined production that has been created with love and devotion by all the creatives and cast. The Drover’s Wife – The Opera deserves to become a fixture in the operatic cannon, not just in Australia but on all the great stages throughout the operatic world. Bravo OPERA AUSTRALI⎹A.