A hit at the 2022 Adelaide Festival, where it received five stars from Limelight, Joe Twist, Alana Valentine and Christos Tsiolkas’ oratorio-cum-opera explores events surrounding the drowning of lecturer Dr George Ian Ogilvie Duncan in 1972. Alleged cover-ups and international outrage led to South Australia decriminalising homosexuality ahead of the rest of Australia. The libretto fuses inquest transcripts and press clippings spanning five decades. Neil Armfield’s acclaimed production features Mark Oates in the dual roles of Duncan and SA Premier Don Dunstan, Tomáš Kantor as the narrator and Pelham Andrews singing the rest of the roles, with Blake Appelqvist as the lost boy. Brett Weymark conducts the Opera Australia Orchestra and Choir.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

It’s half a century since the infamous drowning of Dr George Ian Ogilvie Duncan; a moment in time that triggered an alleged police cover-up, a city-wide scandal, national outrage, a Scotland Yard investigation… and a glaring absence of convictions.

Most importantly, Dr Duncan’s death led South Australia to decriminalise homosexuality, ahead of the rest of the country.

Watershed, a ravishing new operatic work and the hit of the 2022 Adelaide Festival, is a collaboration between some of Australia’s most acclaimed creative talents.

Helpmann Award-winning playwright Alana Valentine and author Christos Tsiolkas (The Slap) have created a searing, no-punches-pulled libretto. Brisbane composer Joe Twist’s score is luscious and ultimately transcendent. And Australian theatre and opera legend Neil Armfield’s production is as deeply felt as it is thrillingly physical.