The City of Stirling and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts invite you to bring your picnic rug and hamper, relax under the stars and enjoy an evening of exciting musical talent at the annual WAAPA in the Park free concert, to be held on Saturday, March 27 at 7.30pm in Mt Lawley’s Ron Stone Park.

The City of Stirling Mayor, David Boothman, said he welcomes WAAPA to Ron Stone Park for their annual outdoor performance.

“Every year, this event just gets better and better. It’s an evening that’s guaranteed to be enjoyable for all who attend.”

Professor Julie Warn, Director of the Academy adds

“Outdoor concerts have a special appeal. The conviviality of coming along with friends, sharing a picnic and then listening to some outstanding performances from the stars of tomorrow makes for a wonderful evening's entertainment. In its 30th anniversary year, WAAPA is proud to be presenting this exciting event with the City of Stirling”.

Last year’s event was a huge success, attracting over 3,500 enthusiastic audience members. This year’s concert will feature the WAAPA Big Band and Classical Vocal students performing with all the pizzazz and showmanship you’ve come to expect from those studying at one of Australia’s finest performing arts academies.

The Classical Vocal students will take a sentimental journey through the songs of Gilbert and Sullivan, those two venerable writers of cabaret from the Victorian era. Accompanying these musical treats will be crowd-pleasers from the world of opera including scenes from the well loved Tales of Hoffmann, masterpieces from operetta supremos Johann Strauss Jnr (The Waltz King), Franz Lehar and the finale of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, the optimistic ‘Make your Garden grow’, a fitting end to this comic and joyous first half.

The 18-piece WAAPA Big Band aims to provide a specialised learning environment for selected music students, encouraging them to perform big band music at a professional level. See for yourself as they make their way through some stunning originals and breathtaking interpretations of classics from the big-band era by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller and Cab Calloway. They guarantee to have you tapping, bopping and jiving all the way home.

WAAPA Production and Arts Management students will also undertake the stage management, lighting, sound and front-of-house management – making this an all-round WAAPA affair!

For more information visit www.waapa.ecu.edu.au.