Lake Macquarie Music Society proudly presents A Spectacular Afternoon of Myth, Magic and Music
- Date & Time: Sunday 15th March 2026, 2pm.
- Venue: Warners Bay Theatre.
Join us for our annual celebration of the Hunter Region’s rich choral Lake Macquarie Music Society, in partnership with Lake Macquarie City Council, is delighted to present the Lake Macquarie Philharmonic Orchestra in an evocative concert titled Myths & Legends.
Under the baton of Christopher Bearman OAM, the orchestra will bring to life a sweeping program of dramatic storytelling and musical brilliance. Joining them is acclaimed soprano Galatea Kneath, whose dazzling vocal artistry will be a highlight of the afternoon.
Program Highlights
Audiences will be treated to a rich and varied selection of orchestral masterpieces, including:
- Wagner’s Rienzi Overture – a grand and powerful opening
- Gounod’s Ballet Suite from Faust – elegant, lyrical, and full of colour
- William Walton’s Henry V: Pieces for Strings – stirring and noble
- Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld Overture – spirited, witty, and irresistibly fun
Featuring Soprano Galatea Kneath
Galatea Kneath will perform three show-stopping arias:
- The electrifying “Queen of the Night” from Mozart’s The Magic Flute
- The shimmering “Bell Song” from Delibes’ Lakmé
- A moving excerpt from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, featuring a beautiful flute obbligato performed by Jennifer St. George
This concert promises an unforgettable journey through some of the most iconic tales and characters in classical music. A perfect afternoon for lovers of orchestral drama, virtuosic singing and timeless storytelling.
Tickets
Tickets are available at stickytickets.com.au
- Adult – $50
- Concession – $45
Enquiries: merciabuck@outlook.com
Tickets
Available from Sticky Tickets
- Adult – $50
- Concession – $45
Galatea Kneath Bio
Greek-Australian soprano Galatea Kneath holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Voice) and a Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she studied with Dr Rowena Cowley.
In 2025, she was a Young Artist with Pacific Opera Studio and received the Justice François Kunc & Felicity Rourke Scholarship. The year before, she travelled to Germany to perform Die Königin der Nacht in Lyric Opera Studio Weimar’s Die Zauberflöte. In 2023, she completed an exchange program at the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK.
During her final year at the Conservatorium, Galatea premiered the roles of Angelina Crescnezi (M.T.H.R, Oliver John Cameron) and Scout (Menarche, Jessica O’Donoghue) as part of Mother, a collaboration between the Conservatorium and NIDA creating new Australian works.
Her other stage roles include Violetta (La Traviata), Musetta (La Bohème), Damigella (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Josephine (HMS Pinafore), Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance), Angelina (Trial by Jury), and Attendant, Fairy 1, and Woman 1 (The Fairy Queen).
Throughout her studies, Galatea has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Greenburg-Gurney Jenson Fund Scholarship (2024), George Henderson Scholarship (2023, 2024), John Holt Todd and Florence Todd Scholarship (2023), Dean’s List of Excellence (2022), Quinquin Foundation Scholarship (2021), AMusA in Classical Voice (2020), and the Opera Australia Regional Scholarship (2018).
Christopher Bearman OAM Bio
Born in Sussex England he studied the violin with Peter Carter at Dartington College and then with Eli Goren at Guildhall School of Music.
Christopher worked for over twenty years in London playing with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and other leading orchestras and ensembles.
In Australia he was appointed Director of the Central Coast Regional Conservatorium in NSW a position he held for twelve years.
Christopher had also taught at Newcastle Conservatorium where he was Cohort leader of strings and conductor of the University Orchestra.
Since moving to Tasmania he has been Director of Camerata Obscura and also Chief Conductor of The Tasmanian Youth Orchestra a position he held for four years.
Currently he is conductor and mentor at the LYCO the youth and community programme in Launceston.