Freeze Frame Opera may have just started a new Christmas tradition for me and my family with their A Magical Christmas at the Quarry concert. Although it was my first Christmas concert with FFO, this annual event is now in its seventh year, and it’s not hard to see why.
From Elvis to Verdi, the two-act concert is filled with uplifting and moving selections from an array of genres and artists, performed by 11 singers accompanied by Trio Tiramisu. As aptly described by the concert’s MC and singer, Penny Shaw, the evening begins with a “soprano smorgasbord,” featuring Sara Macliver, Rachelle Durkin, Emma Pettemerides, Bonnie Staude, Michelle Pryor, and FFO Artistic Director Hattie Marshall. Each singer brings sparkling vocals and stunning gowns. The performances even inspired some passionate lip-syncing from entranced children in the crowd—future performers on the horizon!
Vin Trikeriotis and Kohsei Gilkes are then unleashed onto the audience as they dramatically attempt to woo everyone with their performance of Mattinata/O Sole Mio, setting off bursts of laughter.
Act One concludes with two back-to-back tracks from The Phantom of the Opera, appealing to the musical theatre buffs in the crowd, before all the singers joined on stage to perform the final songs. Although each singer shines individually, the combination of all their voices and energy in the group numbers is particularly special.
Freeze Frame Opera- A Magical Christmas at the Quarry with FFO
Act Two begins with a gorgeous arrangement performed by Trio Tiramisu—Le Banquet from the film Amélie. This flows magically into the best rendition of Silent Night I’ve ever experienced, collectively performed by all the singers.
The energy certainly shifts when Kohsei Gilkes slides onto the stage adorned in a golden cloak as he croons Love Me Tender, before a dramatic reveal into Elvis’s iconic white jumpsuit for Blue Christmas.
The costume changes didn’t stop there as the women returned to the stage, all dressed in nun’s habits, for one of my highlights of the evening—I Will Follow Him from Sister Act. Aside from the lively performance and spirited vocals, this moment was made extra special by glimpses of glittery skirts peeking out from under the nun garments—or, in Hattie’s case, fluffy feather sleeves.
With more crowd-pleasers in the mix, the concert ends on an absolute high. Freeze Frame Opera struck just the right balance in their approach to this concert program, mixing Christmas and non-Christmas tunes while keeping heart and fun at the centre. This event will certainly be on my Christmas to-do list in 2025!
A Magical Christmas at the Quarry with FFO is on at the Quarry Amphitheatre in City Beach from Thursday 19 December 2024 – Saturday 21 December 2024.