It was a slightly surreal atmosphere entering this production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella), with Brisbane bracing for Tropical Cyclone Alfred in the coming days.

When the Opera Queensland social media team has to post reassurances that the show is going ahead, you know things are not as they usually are.

So, I went into the performance not particularly ready to be swept away by a fairy tale, thinking instead of more pressing matters like sandbags, wind speeds, and insurance policies. Within minutes, though, I was totally captivated. Opera Queensland has a real winner here, delivering an opening night that was both beautifully performed and superbly timed for comedy.

Sarah Crane, Hayley Sugars and Mara Gaudenzi in La Cenerentola. Photo © Jade Ellis

The story is familiar, of course, though with a few small differences. Here, there are no magical coaches, no midnight escapes, and no glass slippers (instead, it’s two matching bracelets). However, there are two wonderfully awful stepsisters – Clorinda and Tisbe (Sarah Crane and Hayley Sugars, respectively) – channelling the worst traits of Edina and Patsy from...