Pursuing Pleasure

Opera singer turned curvaceous cabaret cantatrice Piera Dennerstein shares the intimate truths of her body and mind in this sexy, silly and deeply human work for soprano and piano.

Using the exceptional versatility of her voice in everything from Puccini to Cardi B, in ‘Pursuing Pleasure’ Piera explores how leaning into the pleasurable is a powerful political act. With dramaturgy by Melbourne Fringe Living Legend Moira Finucane, and direction by cabaret world-maker Olivia Charalambous, this work aims to provide those who have survived rejection and oppression an opportunity to feel seen, find hope, and have a much-deserved giggle.

55 minutes

Audience Participation: Occasional

Other Warnings: Mental Health, Sexual References, Loud Noises

Please note: Contains Sustained Loud Noises, References to Violence, Grief and Death.

“show [stopping]… soaring [performances] from Piera Dennerstein” Stage Whispers, 2024

"highly skilled… powerhouse soprano" Artshub, 2024

Piera Dennerstein

Following a decade of operatic training and performance both nationally and internationally, Piera 'ran away and joined the circus' in 2018 when she commenced her tenure as a principal artist with premiere cabaret company, Finucane & Smith. From there, Piera has used the versatility of her voice and professional experience to blur the boundary between high and low art everywhere from rural China to Kalgoorlie. Piera is also an award-winning writer and poet and has MCed extensively throughout a variety of performing artforms. For Midsumma 2022, Piera presented Blue is the colour: a musical and ethnomusicological exploration into jazz and blues and its enormous influence on music today, with associate artist Pamela Christie.