The Wire

Australia’s first Indigenous opera lights up Sydney’s Opera House tonight. Written, starring, and about Indigenous Australians, ‘Pecan Summer’ tells the story of the 1939 Cummeragunja walk-off.

The show was created by Deborah Cheetham,  recipient of the Order of Australia, a soprano, composer, playwright, producer, director and educator. Gungarri baritone Don Bemrose was there when it all began, and talked to The Wire about Pecan Summer’s beginnings, and a deep love of opera.

For Don, opera is the European version of corroboree.