Brea Holland plays a major role in our one-act opera Arlecchino (Harlequin) - part of our 2025 Bernstein & Busoni double bill. She brings a bold, assertive physicality to the role of the Harlequin's wife, Colombina. Read our interview with her below.
Brea Holland is an Australian lyrical soprano with a background in classical voice and theatre.
She holds a Bachelor of Music Performance (Classical Voice) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, has studied internationally, and is currently a Young Artist with Pacific Opera Studio.
Her most recent productions include Die Zauberflöte with Pacific Opera, A Little Night Music (Mrs. Nordstrom) at the Hayes Theatre and La Traviata (Ensemble) with the Accademia Europea di Firenze.
Alongside her operatic work, Brea is known for blending traditional repertoire with theatricality, movement, and multidisciplinary performance. Her artistry is defined by a commitment to storytelling that is both musically rigorous and visually compelling, bringing fresh perspectives to classic works while making them accessible to contemporary audiences.
Brea talks about playing Columbina
Why do you think you were cast as Columbina?
Columbina is young and excited. She wants to change her life and she will do whatever it takes. Christine (Logan) saw the same excitement in me; that I’m not afraid to explore and play. I’ll jump at anything, always. I’ve got enough energy to be Columbina!
I am a soprano but my training in other styles – jazz and musical theatre – has strengthened my capacity as a lower-register mezzo soprano. It’s not a common combination. Singing Columbina requires a wide vocal range – sometimes two to almost three octaves in one song. There’s a lot of mezzo-based singing, but out of the blue there’s a couple of high B’s!
You bring an incredible talent for physically-demanding movement to Columbina, what do you see as the challenges?
The main challenge is to prepare the musical side so well I can be confident enough to relax and have fun with the movement with no strain or worry about singing. I start learning and practising early so when I go to rehearsals, I am fully prepared. After that I can focus on incorporating movement that brings a confident, assertive physical femininity to the character.
Arlecchino premiered in 1917 and has been called an "anti-opera," and an "anti-war satire”. How do you get your head around this as a performer in 2025?
Columbina is an amoral airhead who is cynical about men, who she finds mostly “disgusting”. She is tricked by Harlequin but takes back her power and has her revenge. I’m not her, but she is fun to play!
Commedia dell’arte characters are archetypes based on human experience over centuries. Busoni used their power to comment on his times. We even see aspects or versions of them in public life today.
My challenge is to make a character who is very different me, human, recognisable, and compelling. If I can do this - with the rest of the ensemble - we can bring the dramatic and emotional intent of Busoni’s work alive.