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Opera meets underground

Live music at the Kimberley Underground Mining Railway
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A night at the opera. Barbara King and Michele Cusson perform last Saturday at the undergound station

Opera Underground was presented in five parts to a very appreciative audience. Part one occurred before the train carrying the audience even entered the tunnel. The train was stopped across the Mark Creek Valley from the side entrance to the Underground Interpretive Centre where Soprano Michele Cusson & Mezzo Soprano Barbara King sang a duet clearly audible to the audience on the train. Part two of the performance occurred at the Underground Station where the singers above & Bass-Baritone Uwe Dambruch sang additional pieces with musical accompaniment. Miner Bill Roberts then presented some mining demonstrations followed Mezzo Soprano Barbara King performing a solo from a balcony which miner Bill calls a “drill platform”. After Miner Bill explained how a blast works & ran the jackleg drill the audience discovered the keyboard had been moved from the Station platform to the heated Refuge Station for Part four of the performance. After then watching Miner Bill scoop up rocks with the mucking machine everyone reboarded the train for Part Five of the performance at the wine & cheese reception at the Station. Tremendous performance!