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Byron Shire
June 17, 2026

A night at the opera in Ballina

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Katie Stenzel
Katie Stenzel

Opera.Q are presenting Open Stage, High Notes, A Night at the Opera this weekend in Ballina.

Opera.Q has been thrilling audiences with high-quality concerts and Opera performances for many years, and is thrilled to be performing in Ballina for the first time in 2015.

Whether you’re an opera enthusiast, music lover or just up for the adventure of new experiences, there’s sure to be something for you in this full concert starring three of Opera.Q’s fine singers and their accompanist.

Three extraordinary talented performers will sing the program on Saturday – Katie Stenzel,  Jason Barry-Smith and Hayley Sugars.

Katie Stenzel is a dynamic, young coloratura soprano from Brisbane. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music from QUT in 2007 and went on to complete her Masters of Music Studies at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2009.

Katie has performed the excerpts of roles of Yum-Yum from The Mikadoand Cunegonde from Candide for Opera Queensland’s season launches (2012 ad 2015). She also covered the role of Yum-Yum in 2012 for the company and will cover Cunegonde in 2015.

Katie will soon be performing at Opera Queensland’s inaugural Cloud Song event.

Jason Barry Smith
Jason Barry Smith

Jason Barry-Smith studied at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich.

Jason has been Artistic Director of the Queensland Youth Choir, Director of the Opera Queensland Young Artistic Program, Creative Director for Opera Queensland’s Open Stage program, and a member of the 2013 Emerging Leaders Development Program at the Australia Council for the Arts.

Mezzo Soprano Hayley Sugars commenced her vocal training at the University of Southern Queensland and subsequently undertook postgraduate study at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

During her studies, Hayley was the recipient of many academic and performance awards including the Elizabeth Muir Postgraduate Scholarship (QCM) and the Joyce Campbell Lloyd Overseas Scholarship (USQ).

Hayley Sugars
Hayley Sugars

Hayley was a member of the Opera Queensland Young and Developing Artist Program (2007 – 2009) and has enjoyed success in national competitions, including performing as a finalist in the MacDonald’s Aria and the Dame Joan Sutherland Award.

In 2010 Hayley won the German-Australian Opera Grant, which resulted in contracts with the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden and the Landestheater Coburg.

A Night at the Opera will be held at the Anchorage Lounge and Auditorium at the Ballina RSL this Saturday May 30 from 6.15pm.

Pre event entertainment by Brian Pamphilon, Canapes and a complimentary glass of wine or Beer on arrival.

Act 1: delivers a concert of delectable arias and songs at Ballina RSL Club with Opera Queensland’s High Notes.

Ticket Price: $85.90  – book here: www.ballinarsl.com.au.



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