Wundig Wer Wilura In Concert: West Australian Opera to bring second Noongar-language opera to Bunbury

The West Australian Opera will bring the second ever Noongar-language opera to the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre in November, written by powerhouse duo Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse.

Wundig Wer Wilura In Concert is a portrayal of an ancient Ballardong Noongar story passed down for thousands of generations, of two star-crossed lovers, now known as Mt Bakewell (Walwalling) and Mt Brown (Wongborel) in York, WA.

The pair break the bounds of lore and customs in an exploration of family, connection to country, obligation and rebellion, adoration and betrayal, and love and war.

The story ultimately asks, “in the face of catastrophic consequences, how far would you go for love?”

The adaption, written by critically acclaimed songwriters and storytellers Williams and Ghouse, follows the success of their celebrated first Noongar language opera, Koolbardi We Wardong, which came to BREC in 2023 with three sold-out shows.

Their second opera — which premiered in the 2024 Perth Festival and York Festival — stars an all First Nations cast and is sung entirely in Noongar language with English subtitles, celebrating Aboriginal culture through contemporary music, stunning vocals and rich storytelling.

A big cast of principals from the premiere will be heading to the South West, including Williams in a lead role.

BREC executive director Fiona de Garis said she was blown away by the power and emotion of the performance in Perth and was delighted when the WAO inquired about bringing the show to Bunbury.

“This semi-staged concert production is a wonderful concept that will allow our community to experience a world-class show with full costumes, lighting and an extraordinary backdrop along with the music and story.

“I am proud of the strong relationship we have built with West Australian Opera and with Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse that led them to offer this opportunity to us.”

The WAO will present two concerts in Bunbury on November 7 with a combined schools and general public viewing at 11am and an evening performance with allocated seating at 7.30pm.

The opera will also head to Albany on November 5.

Director Matt Reuben James Ward said, “it was an honour to support the telling of this West Australian story with new audiences in the South West and in particular in my hometown of Albany”.

WAO executive director Carolyn Chard AM said they were “deeply passionate about the powerful stories opera tells”.

“When Wundig Wer Wilura played in last year’s Perth Festival, we saw how strongly it resonated with audiences and knew we had to share this beautiful story with wider audiences,” she said.