An original recording of the voice of Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music voice lecturer Garrick Jones features in an opera recently released on compact disc by the Australian Broadcasting Commission and Australian Opera.

Mr Jones sings the role of Mordecai Meisl in Larry Sitsky’s opera The Golem.

“This recording is a milestone in contemporary Australian opera because it is the first commercial release recording of a contemporary Australian Opera in over 10 years,” he said.

“It was the last role I sang with the Australian Opera before returning to finish my contract in Frankfurt and thence on here to CQCM.

“I did not realise that it would be my last performance to date with Opera Australia as, after returning to Frankfurt, I made the decision to retire from full-time performance, so singing this work brings back fond memories.”.

Mr Jones is currently running a series of lunch time concerts at CQCM and soon will present a performance of Leon Caron’s Australian pantomime/operetta Djin Djin on June 4-5 in the CQCM theatre.

This will be the first performance of this important Australian work in over 100 years and was painstakingly reconstructed from manuscript fragments and orchestral parts, obtained from the National Library and private collections.