Review: Messa da Requiem (Queensland Ballet)

Score: ★★★★☆

Reviewed on Friday 27th March, 2026 at the Glasshouse Theatre (QPAC)

by Camilo López

Queensland Ballet has opened the Glasshouse Theatre with a performance that commands attention.

Verdi’s Requiem is often associated with musical scale and spectacle - but here, its power lies in restraint. Despite the forces on stage, dancers, full orchestra, chorus, and operatic soloists, this production strips away excess. The result is something both minimal, yet, grandiose.

Choreographer Christian Spuck reimagines Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece as a staged work, something not usually done with works of this sort. First seen at the Opernhaus Zürich in 2016, the work has lost none of its impact.

Multi-artform collaborations are not always as cohesive as you would expect. This one does. Every element feels considered, integrated, and purposeful.

While this is an opera platform, it must be said: Queensland Ballet is exceptional here - physically precise, emotionally charged, and fully embedded in the score. For me, the top reason why you should come see the show. 

Musically, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under Simon Hewett delivers a powerful performance. With an extensive career in opera, it's refreshing to see Hewett take the lead in an operatic work here in Queensland; something we don’t get to see very often. 

The Canticum Chamber Choir and Brisbane Chorale, led by Emily Cox, take on a demanding role with commitment. As community ensembles, there are moments, particularly in exposed passages, where the sound lacks the polish of a fully professional chorus. However, their contribution remains impactful, and with a small reinforcement of trained voices, the overall result could have been even stronger.

The solo quartet avoids the traditional vocal “weight” often associated with this work, and it pays off.

Cassandra Seidemann brought a refined delicacy to her performance, capable of both intimacy and dramatic surge, with seamless navigation across her range. She truly demonstrates what she is capable of. 

Kyle Stegall’s stunning voice brings clarity and lyrical ease, while Jeremy Kleeman anchors the ensemble with depth and authority.

Naomi Johns cuts through the texture with brilliance but potentially lacks that extra level of resonance in the more climatic passages. However, this remains a minor observation within an otherwise highly commendable performance.

Each soloist brought a distinct colour to the ensemble, but it was in their collective moments that the performance truly resonated. The casting proved highly effective, with voices blending seamlessly, captivating not only through individual artistry, but through a shared musical unity.

Photo:Queensland Ballet dancer Joshua Ostermann with Brisbane Chorale and Canticum Chamber Choir in Messa da Requiem. Photographer: David Kelly