Review – Pleasure Opera

Pleasure Opera combines the sophistication and intensity of traditional opera and fuses it with burlesque; adding strip tease and sex appeal to this classic art form. This is the story of one man’s quest to find true love, which takes him into the path of five diverse, yet equally stunning, women who each seduce him with their unique virtues. This bevy of opera singing beauties are flawlessly played by Katie Stenzel, Julie Lea Goodwin, Michaela Leisk, Stephanie Acraman and CJ White. Along for the journey, the audience are treated to stunning solos and beautiful harmonies as the performers sing and dance through classic opera tunes, as well as adding classical twists to mainstream popular music.

Pleasure Opera impressed from start to finish. The performers were faultless and the entire performance was well executed. Joshua Thomson was charismatic, funny and a bit cute (wait till you see him naked) as the lovelorn young man. The female performers were resplendent, belting out arias with huge strength and amazing physical presence. The costumes were exquisite and the choreography excellent. The depth of emotion portrayed in classical opera was perfectly captured in both individual and group performances but the real magic of this show was the fusion with burlesque and the clever blend of sexuality, sentiment and comedy. Outstanding moments included an amazing rendition of The Beatles’ “Because” and a scene where the accompanying music was stopped, allowing the audience to hear the sheer power and tone of the performer’s voices, which was magnificent.

This is highly recommended if you like your opera to include gorgeous women and lashings of sexual desire. But be warned, Pleasure Opera will expose you to opera’s naughty side.