Scandal, Shipwreck, Seduction and SongAn adventurous life that reads like fiction. A woman, scandalised, offended polite society to pursue her own artistic career and tour the world, singing.
Before Melba... There Was Anna Bishop.Long before women could vote, let alone take centre stage, one woman rewrote the rules.OPERA’S BAD GIRL is a thrilling, one-of-a-kind theatrical experience that tells the untamed true story of Anna Bishop — opera’s original rebel. A Victorian-era trailblazer (and early Suffragette) who defied her time; she lived fast, sang farther, and dared to do what no woman had done before.From scandal to spotlight, Anna Bishop was unstoppable. She left her famous composer husband and defied polite society by travelling with her genius harpist lover — embarking on a globe-trotting adventure so wild it reads like fiction: shipwrecks, tiger attacks, hostage-takings, war zones, boom-bust fortunes and epidemics ... through it all, she sang. To royalty. To rebels. To packed houses on every continent, including three history-making tours of Australia, where she performed in the goldfields and shaped our musical identity. Set as a Victorian Parlour soiree, part concert, part storytelling, Opera’s Bad Girl is not just for opera lovers. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt the pull to break free, to dream bigger, to fight harder for the life they want. It’s history with heart, high notes, and a heroine who deserves her place among the legends.Sarahlouise Owens channels Anna’s bold spirit, fierce independence, and infectious charisma through songs and arias of the era, such as 'Home Sweet Home', 'Lucia Mad Scene' and 'The Last Rose of Summer'; she breathes life into a woman who lived on her own terms. This show will move you, inspire you — you'll wonder why you’ve never heard her name before.One woman. One voice. One unforgettable story.The rebel diva you never knew you needed."...a tour de force...""...a perfect evening of theatre...""...exquisite! the humour, the music, the story..."
