The Song Catchers

23 Oct

In a world of silence, one song will change everything

Step into the foxes’ city of Hillside, where songs are harvested, stored, and consumed as energy. The tale follows Tipu, a young fox, raised as a Song Catcher to believe silence is survival. When he betrays his secret friend Marri — an echidna who still holds a true, living song — Tipu triggers a catastrophic release of trapped songs igniting fire and blame.

Fleeing into the bush, the pair reunite and journey towards the mythical listening tree — a place of memory and renewal. Together, Tipu and Marri discover the power of listening and the fragile thread that binds song and identity.

Featuring Gina Williams-Ghouse, Jarrad Inman, Lachlan Higgins and Rachelle Durkin, with original music by West Australian Music 2025 Vocalist of the Year, Jarred Wall; The Song Catchers blends music, live performance and animation into a powerful and uplifting cinematic experience for youth and families.

Honouring a better shared future, The Song Catchers is set to premiere as part of Albany 2026.

Tickets

Director / Librettist - Matt Reuben James Ward
Conductor / Arranger - Pia Harris
Composer - Jarred Wall
Set & Costume Design - Fiona Bruce
Animation Design - Sohan Ariel Hayes
Lighting Design - Lucy Birkinshaw
Associate Director - Rachael Colmer
This project is made possible with support from West Australian Opera, Menang Noongar Elders, Lotterywest, City of Albany, WA Government, Creative Australia, and the University of Western Australia | Conservatorium of Music.
Breaksea acknowledges and thanks its ongoing program sponsors: The Government of Western Australia, the City of Albany, Lotterywest / Healthway, the Kids Research Institute Australia, SEW ARTS and the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.