Worried the pearls of the opera repertoire are out of your price range? Since its inception in 2015, Opera Queensland’s special ticket initiative has allowed thousands of Queenslanders to see their first opera for less than the price of a beer and a pizza. This year, the company has released 2,500 $25 tickets to Bizet’s The Pearlfishers.

^{With José Carbo in OA’s The Pearlfishers. Photo by Jeff Busby}

“We want to encourage as many people as possible to share the emotion of seeing a real opera for the first time,” said OperaQ Artistic Director Lindy Hume, “of hearing the power of the voices and seeing this amazing 400 year old art form up close.”

What’s more, ticket holders will automatically be entered into the draw to win a pair of Australian South Sea keshi pearl earrings from Paspaley valued at $1,580.

Despite its famous duet, Bizet’s Pearlfishers has often been overlooked in favour of the composer’s more popular opéra comique Carmen, but has been seen more frequently on opera stages around the world in recent years – and it has enjoyed something of a cult-following in Australia. “It’s kind of an iconic favourite...