On THE PRIESTESS OF MORPHINE, composer Rosśa Crean and librettist Aiden K. Feltkamp create a beautifully haunting portrait of a Gertrud Günther, a young Jewish lesbian caught between her two selves during the Third Reich, who bravely sought her inner truth and passions while forced to live in the shadows.

‘The Priestess of Morphine’ will immerse audiences in scenes from the life of Baroness Gertrud Günther von Puttkamer, the dazzling socialite of the Weimar republic, and her nom-de-plume and alter-ego Marie-Madeleine, writer and poet, whose works were nearly erased from history by the Third Reich.  

This opera stars rising sopranos and WAAPA graduates Jessica Taylor (Gertrud) and Ava Charleson (Marie-Madeleine), led by emerging director Rachel Doulton and producer Hannah Lee Tungate. 

Running at just under an hour, The Priestess of Morphine balances surrealism and operatic grandeur in the tension between artist and muse. This contemporary chamber opera also features the talents of violinist Hannah Brockway, cellist Miranda Murray-Yong, and percussionist Thea Rossen.  

Join us in the foyer for a pre-show drink, doors open 1 hour before the start of the show. Following the show don’t rush off! The cast will join us in the foyer for a meet and greet. 

“…The Priestess of Morphine was an emotional and affective delight, and an exceptional showcase of Perth’s operatic, musical and creative talent. Whether audiences are experienced connoisseurs, or opera newcomers, this show will stay with them far longer than its final bow.” Review by Xpress Mag Jan 2023 

“…those who enjoy tales of queerness, nearness and the darkness of bottomless drug spirals, would more than adore The Priestess of Morphine.” - Review by Artshub Feb 2023

Part of Albany Pride Festival 2024