Opera in the Vineyard 2019 dazzled at Ballandean Estate on Sunday 5 May. Over 550 people attended the charity gala, co-hosted by Rotary Stanthorpe, with all funds raised going to charity.
Sunday was our first frost of the season, and from a chilly start of 1 degrees in the morning, the day blossomed into a crisp, cool day, bathed in sunshine and cerulean skies.
2019 is our 27th Opera event, and we are thrilled to work in partnership with Rotary Stanthorpe. Over $1 million for charity has been raised since the event’s inception. This year’s fundraising will be distributed by Rotary to charities End Trachoma 2020, Hummingbird House and several more.
This year’s theme was Diamonds Are Forever. Guests bedazzled in black tie, kilts, we even had a Lady Penelope! A huge thanks to our major sponsor Stanthorpe Jewellers, who donated a spectacular champagne diamond ring worth over $2500.
Leeanne-Puglisi-Gangemi’ daughter of Ballandean Estate owner and event founder Angelo Puglisi
Opera attendees were delighted by husband and wife operatic stars Rosario La Spina and Milijana Nikolic, who lit up the stage with a passionate performance. It was a rare opportunity for Serbian-born mezzo-soprano Milijana Nikolic to perform with her real-life husband, powerful international tenor Rosario La Spina, as tenor and mezzo is an uncommon pairing. The sizzling duo fell in love at the Academy for Soloists at Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
Glenda Riley took some glorious photos on the day, see our gallery below.
Don José’s Flower Song  was an audience favourite, an aria sung as Don Jose’s relationship with Carmen reaches its first crisis, high drama indeed!
Rosario’s tenor brought goose bumps to the skin as it reverberated through the valley, Nessun Dorma—the thrill! He soars with breathtaking clarity. Incredible acoustics!
To witness Milijana bring Carmen to life onstage was extraordinary, her voice just oozes elegance and passion. Brazenly seductive, unrepentantly exotic, recklessly strong-willed: the character of Carmen has enthralled the world’s imagination for more than a century and a half.
Our stage certainly got heated when Carmen (performed by Nikolic) discovers Jose (La Spina) Is heading straight back to the barracks instead of frolicking in the boudoir at the tavern to celebrate his release from prison. Carmen throws an almighty tantrum, to which José responds with the most heart-rending aria about how a withered flower she flung at him helped him through his miserable month of incarceration.
Carmen was mollified, then used her femme fatale powers to persuade him to run away completely and become a smuggler!
Musical director Mark Taylor, Opera Queensland’s Head of Learning, Regional and Community and compere on the day.
The program of songs ranged from iconic tenor arias to sparkling melodies from the world of operetta—complemented by musical insights, personal stories, and a few surprises.
Opera in the Vineyard was born of a friendship between Angelo and his neighbour, the late David Pugh. Listening to opera and watching the sun set over the vineyards with a glass of Angelo’s shiraz was a cherished tradition, From humble beginnings, this event is now the jewel of the Granite Belt’s social calendar and one of South East Queensland’s premier cultural experiences. The 2019 performance was created and directed by Opera Queensland.
Husband and wife operatic stars Rosario La Spina and Milijana Nikolic will be lighting up the stage with a dazzling performance at Opera in the Vineyard 2019, a gala charity event held in the spectacular vineyards of Ballandean Estate on the Granite Belt this Sunday 5 May.
Mezzo-soprano meets tenor
This is a rare opportunity for Serbian-born mezzo-soprano Milijana Nikolic to perform with her real-life husband, powerful international tenor Rosario La Spina, as tenor and mezzo is an uncommon pairing.
The sizzling duo fell in love at the Academy for Soloists at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Rosario was asked to interpret for the Belgrade beauty, who had won a scholarship at the academy—two weddings, Carmen and certain-to-be-gifted progeny later, this talented couple treasures every moment together.
There will be some true classics performed that everyone will know, so it’s a joyful way to experience opera with celebration of Granite Belt food and wine.
Event founder and Ballandean Estate patriarch Angelo Puglisi
La Scala lovers
Milijana is a femme fatale blessed with a voice that oozes elegance and passion. Her most recent performances include the title role in Carmen for Opera Australia; Amneris for Seattle Opera and Opera Australia; and Jane Seymour (Anna Bolena) for The Metropolitan Opera New York.
Australian-born international tenor Rosario La Spina was trained at the young singers’ academy at La Scala, Milan. In 2002, Rosario won first prize in the Mario Del Monaco International Opera Competition and made his principal role debut at La Scala as Riccardo (Oberto) reprising the role in Genoa. Since then, he has taken leading roles in the Italian and French repertoire around the world. His tenor is exquisitely pure and soars over an orchestra with breathtaking clarity.
Diamonds are forever
The glittering duo will be joined on stage by pianist providing a luscious accompaniment on grand piano. The program of songs ranges from iconic tenor arias to sparkling melodies from the world of operetta—complemented by musical insights, personal stories, and a few surprises.
Rotary Stanthorpe raises over $1 million for charity
Event founder and Ballandean Estate patriarch Angelo Puglisi is looking forward to the 27th iteration of the gala event which has raised over $1 million for charity in partnership with Rotary Stanthorpe. Funds raised will be distributed to Rotary charities Ending Trachoma, Hummingbird House in Brisbane and several more.
Opera in the Vineyard was born of a friendship between Angelo and his neighbour, the late David Pugh. Listening to opera and watching the sun set over the vineyards with a glass of Angelo’s shiraz was a cherished tradition, From humble beginnings, this event is now the jewel of the Granite Belt’s social calendar and one of South East Queensland’s premier cultural experiences. The 2019 performance will be created and directed by at Opera Queensland. For more information visit https://ballandeanestate.com/events/opera-in-the-vineyard/
Our Shiraz Vineyard Party was a soiree to remember. Fifty years since the first wine grapes were legally planted on the Granite Belt—at Queensland’s oldest operating winery—now THAT’S worth celebrating!
Over 230 guests gathered to revel in the vineyard overlooking the Opera Block Shiraz vines, planted 50 years ago in 1968. The current vintage of 2016 Opera Block Shiraz was flowing, and guests enjoyed a smoker BBQ lunch, live music, croquet, bocce and a 50th birthday cake.
Angelo Puglisi took guests on a tour of the Opera Block vineyard to give them the chance to experience the 50-year-old vineyard. The thick trunks of the Shiraz vines have been lovingly tended to by Angelo’s hands for 50 years. As we witnessed the new flowers bursting on the vines for the 51st vintage to be created in 2019, Angelo was bursting with pride.
Across the weekend attendees were given the opportunity to pre-purchase the 2018 50th Anniversary Edition Opera Block Shiraz, created in a spectacular yet low yielding year. This wine will be released and delivered in November 2019.
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Shiraz plantings on the Opera Block vineyard at Ballandean Estate, Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery. This makes our wine unique, as most Shiraz vines in Australia are under 15 years old—and the older the vines, the lower the yield and more luscious the fruit. In a nation where most producers pulled up their vines in the late eighties at government behest, this is a remarkable achievement, and testament to the vision of Angelo and Mary Puglisi, pioneers of the wine industry in Queensland.
