Charlotte Church did it. And then grew an enormous pair of breasts, advocated teen binge drinking, released a pop album, hosted a television show, got married and had a baby. Then she turned 22. Millions of records (of the musical and Guinness Book variety) later, she and her husband now sit comfortably at #49 of Britain’s Young Rich List with an estimated net worth of 10 million pounds.

 Taking a more tabloid free path, Katherine Jenkins edged out Church’s seemingly unbeatable stats when she became the fastest selling mezzo-soprano to date, the first British classical artist to have two number one albums in the same year, and the first female artist to win two consecutive Classical BRIT Awards. And then, she went global, with Mont Blanc naming her as their international (and rather beautiful) face in 2007.

 Of course, opera isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. It is the music playing in the background of glossy movies, where the lovers exchange illicit glances through the eyes of their masks, as down on stage an enormous velvet clad soprano plunges a faux dagger into an enormous be-vested tenor. It’s the type of music reserved for Dad’s car and is usually played against the backdrop of pleading voices of people under 40 begging him to turn it down.

 And let’s not lie, Dad’s-car-music is a tough stigma to shake. Not only does Opera come saddled with this baggage, but there exist very few opportunities for young singers to hone their craft and performance skills. Aspiring popstars have Idol (and we, the audition process) wannabe Z listers have reality TV and the super serious would-be Cates have all manner of acting schools to rehash Truman Capote scenes in. But what about aspiring opera singers? And don’t say ‘Australia’s Got Talent’, as soothing as Danni Minogue’s face is, an encouraging botoxed smile does not a mentor make.

Enter the Pacific Opera Company, which boasts a roster of Australia’s most promising operatic voices and a production program designed to foster and showcase this demanding talent. The Pacific Opera Company produces ‘opera with a twist’, appropriating classic operas to contemporary times. The opera is sung in English by the next generation of beautiful, young divas (sans Paulini and Kate) and tickets never cost more than $50. In delighting audiences with its fresh take on an old art form, Pacific Opera ensures a platform exists for the opera stars of tomorrow. And these opera stars of tomorrow are less enormous and velvet clad than they Australia’s answer to the Welsh divas who have hitherto dominated the scene.

Pacific Opera is a not for profit company that stays alive thanks to generous sponsorship and tireless fundraising. It is here  the fundraising Shiraz must be mentioned. Yes, some genius in the Pacific Opera offices came up with the idea of the Pacific Opera shiraz, and let me tell you, this writer has supped her fair share of this lovely wine and if there exists any incentive to support the future of opera in this company, this is it.

The future of opera in Australia is alive and well, as long as Pacific Opera is around. And okay, there is some headway to make before kids are pumping Dame Joan Sutherland through their I-Pods, but give a Pacific production a go, and not only will you feel oh so smugly cultured, you’ll never see opera the same way again.

To find out more about Pacific Opera and its upcoming performances, how you can support, and the Shiraz, go to www.pacificopera.com.au.

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Headline image by Patrick 2978 on Flickr, courtest of creativecommons.org

Editorial images courtesy of www.pacificopera.com.au