Have you ever walked away from a performance feeling like someone quietly rearranged your heart? If not – let me introduce you to something unforgettable.
In 2026, Gente, gente! Productions is doing what few companies even dare – they’re reimagining opera with a bracing, modern, deeply human edge. And they’re doing it through women’s voices, stories, leadership, and lived experience in a way that feels both timeless and thrillingly alive.
So … what exactly is this about?
Riders to the Sea – A Story the Sea Won’t Let You Forget
Picture this: the relentless Atlantic, salt on your skin, wind in your hair, and the kind of family story that’s not just heard – it’s felt in your bones.
Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Riders to the Sea – drawn from the raw drama of John Millington Synge’s play – tells the tale of Maurya, an Irish mother on the Aran Islands who has already lost nearly everything to the brutal, beautiful sea around her. Her husband. Her father-in-law. Four of her sons.
When the opera begins, two of her daughters receive a message – a body, possibly their brother Michael, has washed ashore after another tragic loss. And Maurya’s only remaining son, Bartley, intends to travel to the Galway fair.
She begs him not to go.
This is not hype. This is heartbreak served with a score so lush and intimate you can practically hear the gulls crying through the strings.
The music doesn’t just accompany the story – it illuminates it. It gives voice to a landscape, to love, to loss, to mothers who endure where others might break.
As conductor Dr Joanna Drimatis puts it,
“Riders to the Sea… portrays the strength of women so dynamically in Vaughan Williams’ score.”
And it’s true – this isn’t opera as distant spectacle. It’s opera that feels like life. Deep, hard, quiet, and unforgettable.
And Then – Elizabeth Maconchy
Here’s where the program gets even more special.
Alongside Riders to the Sea, Gente, gente! presents selected works by Elizabeth Maconchy – a composer whose voice was once overshadowed but whose music now bursts through with vivid imagination and emotional depth.
Maconchy studied with Vaughan Williams – but she stood on his shoulders to write music that is surprising, tender, and gorgeously expressive.
In this program, seven sopranos and mezzos bring to life a collection of songs that explore themes of:
- mermaids and myth,
- life before birth,
- solitude and renewal,
- the radiant mystery of the natural world.
Imagine music that feels like a dream you remember when you wake up – that’s what Maconchy delivers. These pieces are quiet and powerful, swaying between introspection and awe.
It’s the perfect echo to Riders to the Sea – voices rising out of silence, introspection meeting raw elemental power.
Women in Every Role – Onstage and Off
Here’s the part that makes this opera not just art – but change.
Too often, women in opera are framed only as characters onstage. But this time? Women are leading this ship in every role that matters.
- Bec Moret brings her directorial vision to the stage.
- Dr Joanna Drimatis conducts with insight, depth, and empathy.
- Sarah Cherlin, the Artistic Director, champions bold storytelling and performances that are as relevant as today’s headlines.
Sarah says it best:
“It’s wonderful music and a real gut punch of a story – to bring it to life with such magnificent female artists spotlighting women's stories and the work of a female composer... it’s a joy.”
This is opera from women for all of us.
Plus – A Mission Bigger Than a Performance
Gente, gente! doesn’t just produce opera – it builds community and careers.
Unlike other programs that stop at age 26, Gente, gente! offers professional opportunities for early and mid-career artists, fostering mentorship and growth far beyond entry-level labels.
This is about long-term artistic sustainability, not just one fleeting season.
And if you’ve ever thought opera feels exclusive – this’ll shift your thinking.
Accessible, Welcoming, and Designed to Move You
Performances are fully staged in beautiful, local spaces:
- 25, 28 Feb & 1 Mar – Hunters Hill Town Hall
- 27 Feb – Leichhardt Town Hall
- All shows at 30pm
Running time? About 70 minutes – just enough to wrap your senses and soul in something powerful.
And here’s the best part: Gente, gente! offers entry on a completely optional donation basis – making opera financially and culturally accessible to everyone.
Book your ticket:
https://events.humanitix.com/riders-to-the-sea-or-works-of-elizabeth-maconchy
Why This Matters – Even If You Think You're "Not an Opera Person"
Okay – real talk.
You might think opera isn’t for you.
But this isn’t dusty wigs and distant stories. This is now. This is emotional truth. This is music and narrative that speaks without barriers.
Stories about people, not icons. Women who endure. Music that feels alive.
If you’ve ever:
- Felt the pull of a story,
- Been struck silent after a performance,
- Felt deeply moved by music you didn’t even know could affect you –
then this is for you. Accessible. Powerful. Unforgettable.
Photos by Rob Studdert