Perth Voice Interactive

SOPRANO Penny Pavlakis is known in opera circles as the “singer’s singer”, and her impressive resumé is diverse, including working with Aussie director Baz Luhrmann, Irish/Norwegian Eurovision winners Secret Garden, and the late Dame Joan Sutherland and maestro Tommy Tycho.

The Sydney-based opera singer remembers Sutherland as “an amazing mentor”, while Luhrmann apparently has none of the pretentiousness associated with Hollywood.

“He’s very down to earth—like a lot of Australian performers,” she says. “We just get on with the job.”

Pavlakis heads up the Ten Sopranos, which has been wowing audiences for eight years.

“We were the first all-female act, we are the original and real McCoy.”

It was after one of her many overseas tours that Pavlakis’ manager suggested a female version of the Ten Tenors.

“I had thought ‘who on earth would want to go and see 10 tenors?’. But they are an Australian landmark now,” she smiles.

Her manager convinced her Ten Sopranos would work just as well: “and the rest is history, really.”

Their first CD went into a third reprint, “and we just missed out on an Aria.”

She’s performed throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, where she led Carols by Candlelight.

Singing carols on a stage in Beirut, jutting over the Mediterranean was exhilarating.

As was being asked by Lebanon’s first lady 12 years ago to establish the country’s first national opera company.

Performing at the Astor Theatre the Ten Sopranos will bring their distinctive style to classics such as Nessun Dorma, and Amigos Para Sempre, along with pop classics A Hard Day’s Night, and John Denver’s Aye Calypso.

“You are not going to hear a lot of women screeching all night…we are a true fusion of contemporary and classic music,” Pavlakis says.

The Ten Sopranos are at the Astor Theatre, Mt Lawley September 25. Booking 9370 5888.

by JENNY D’ANGER