IN CONVERSATION

Bringing down the house

From cane country to centre stage at Covent Garden, Giuseppe Sorbello’s career has certainly hit the high notes.

JOE AT THE VILLAGE YERONGA H umble yet backed with bravado, Giuseppe Sorbello’s unbridled passion for the theatre hasn’t wavered since his first soprano performance as a sixyear-old in his family’s Sicilian trattoria. The man born in Mossman, North Queensland, may have grown up in the heart of Brisbane, but his natural talent has seen curtain calls in Britain, Europe, and Australia.

From only two auditions in the early 60s Giuseppe (Joe) has fostered an admirable career that has seen him sought after by greats of the stage — affording him a lifetime of invaluable experiences. It was a sliding doors moment when he was offered contracts for both the Hampstead Theatre and Glyndebourne Festival Opera in the same week in 1965. “I accepted the Glyndebourne contract, and started my opera career in the Glyndebourne festival chorus,” Joe says. “I worked at Glyndebourne for four seasons, ‘65 through to ’68.”

During his time there, Joe performed at the Glyndebourne

Festival, the Wexford Festival in Ireland, and The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden among other renowned places. “I went on tour with the Glyndebourne Touring Company into the Midlands, the provinces of England, and also to Scandinavia and Brussels,” he says.

Upon leaving Glyndebourne he married the love of his life, Sheila, who was an accomplished wig mistress heavily involved in theatre pursuits.

Though Sheila isn’t here anymore, Joe speaks fondly of his talented late wife and tells of her journey to sew the ‘The Opera Costume Quilt’.

The magnificent textile is made up of 2,695 pieces of stage costumes which Sheila began sewing together in 1958, completing it in 2014.

Following their marriage in 1968 and a series of accomplishments as a performer, things soon came full circle when he was approached to teach acting to singers at The Royal College of Music. “I never thought of myself as a teacher, but what did I have to lose?” he says. “I found I began to really like teaching and I did that for eight years.”

An Hon. degree of ARCM was conferred upon him in 1971, and with value on the grassroots of performance, Joe found immense joy in supporting developing performers to enhance their acting skills rather than taking the stage himself. “I discovered that teaching was what I really wanted to do and directing students in opera and drama. So that’s what I did… I never looked back really,” Joe says.

He speaks fondly of going on to teach at Morley College, The Abbey Opera Group, and The Actors Studio for Opera Singers in London before returning home to Australia in 1977.

Back in the River City, he was invited to join the Queensland Conservatorium to establish the opera school — which was no mean feat. “They had no lighting, no costumes, no props – they had nothing,” he says. “They had this theatre with a 600-seat auditorium and a lighting console which could operate lights, but no lights.”

True to his nature, Joe made it his mission to build the school from the ground up. As the Conservatorium Opera School’s inaugural teacher of stagecraft and opera studies, Joe says his philosophy has always been to do whatever is best for his students by instilling the fundamentals of performance in them first. “If you prepare yourself well for a career and you learn all the basic skills, doors will open for you. Doors will not open if you don’t know your business, it’s as simple as that really,” he says.

After 20 years as founder, director, and coordinator of the opera school, and then as a freelancer, Joe has directed and performed in upwards of 50 productions including opera, operetta, musicals, and contemporary music theatre. “The thing that satisfies me more than anything else about my career is when I see students develop their skills and a belief in themselves,” he says. “When a student comes to me every so often and says thank you, that’s the wonderful thing.”

Though he’s now retired from performing, the emotions, vulnerability, and ‘magic’ evoked from theatre remain unshakeable as he enters his 89th year.

JOE WITH A QUILT STITCHED BY HIS LATE WIFE, MADE UP OF COSTUME MATERIALS

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Get to know the fabulous faces and phenomenal personalities behind our Village teams.

AMANDA REIF

Assistant Village Manager | The Village Redcliffe

What do you love most about your job? I love the feel of the Village. It can be everything from serene on a crisp winter morning as the residents start to gather for a game of bowls, to quite raucous as Friday Happy Hour signals the end of my working week! It’s a very rewarding role knowing the things I do contribute to making the Village such a happy place. Every day is different when you’re a part of over 400 lives.

Most treasured memory from your time at the Village? My first memory is from the very first day I started work. It was a Harrison’s barbecue day and as I was being introduced to everyone, one of the gardeners came and asked me for my car keys. He had noticed that I had a flat tyre on my car and without saying a word, off he went and fixed it for me. What a wonderful introduction to the team I have been so fortunate to work with for the last two and a half years.

DOUWE STRANG

Village Manager | The Village Coorparoo

What do you love most about your job? Working with people and making sure they are being looked after. Plus, the diversity of the role as it has many different aspects that I enjoy like the financial side and building management.

A motivational quote you love? I recently heard this quote from a team boss in Formula 1. He said “performance is power” which I believe to be very true and can be applied and interpreted in many ways, not just in sport, but also in life.

DAVID JONES

Maintenance Supervisor | The Village Taigum

Describe yourself in three words: helpful, practical, and fun!

When you’re not at The Village, what are you doing? I have two teenagers, so I spend a lot of time helping them with their sports of sailing and windsurfing. We are also currently renovating our house which keeps me very busy!

Favourite holiday destination? Disneyworld in Florida.

KATH GILHOOLEY

Sales Manager | The Village Manly

What do you love most about your job? The interaction and relationship building with clients and residents, demystifying the technicalities of RV living, and above all, always exceeding client expectations.

Do you have any hobbies? Antique restoration. I’m currently restoring a 1973 coin-operated gumball machine, a 1965 drive-in speaker, and a 1918 silky oak meat safe.

Favourite book of all time? Stories My Grandmother Told Me by Josh Flagg.

GEOFF KLEEMAN

Senior Project Consultant | Village Central

Describe yourself in three words: loyal, sincere, and methodical.

Do you have any hobbies? I love all sports but some of my favourites are rugby league, cricket, and golf. I also enjoy daily walking!

What TV show are you currently watching? Succession – an American satirical black comedy-drama television series. It’s about a family known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world.

DENESE TAYLOR

Business Support Officer The Village Yeronga

When you’re not at the Village, what are you doing? I am a grandma to seven gorgeous grandchildren – say no more!

What are some of your hobbies? I am a foundation member of the River City Woman’s Rowing Club and still enjoy club rowing and the odd long course competition. I also enjoy walking, baking, sewing, and gardening.

A motivational quote you love? “The more you do, the more you can do.”

JOHN CROFT

Gardening Supervisor The Village on the Downs

What do you love most about your job? The satisfaction of seeing the beautiful gardens grow and bloom, and the enjoyment that the residents experience from this.

Most treasured memory from your time at the Village? Winning the 2009 Carnival of Flowers award for best gardens for retirement villages.

A motivational quote you love? How we live is what makes us real.

Flying colours

Ex Fighter Combat Pilot, Fred Freeman, saw his career soar to new heights over 35 years in the Defence Force.

With a career spanning 35 years travelling the globe, a series of accolades to his name, and a heart of gold, it’s safe to say Fred Freeman’s journey has been like no other. Born and bred in Rockhampton, the veteran kick-started his career after completing his senior exams in 1954 when he was accepted into both the University of Queensland and the RAAF College.

Ultimately opting to enter the RAAF’s four-year course offering university level education in aviation engineering, Fred’s career was ready for take-off. “I chose this because it did not put any financial burden on the family,” he says.

“The four-year course also offered pilot training and in the first year there was flight grading to assess aptitude as a pilot. Once I had the flying experience, I lost all interest in engineering.”

After graduating as a general duties pilot, Fred spent a decade serving in four operational squadrons in the Malaysian Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation, and Thailand where he accrued command responsibilities seeing him become a Category A Fighter Combat Instructor. “I was one of the most experienced sabre pilots in the RAAF at the time and it will always remain my favourite aircraft, most likely because it did not have the vast technology of the later fighter aircraft and one had to rely on the human touch,” he says.

Spending time in formation aerobic teams perfecting flight proficiency and technique, as well as continuing training in mirage aircraft operation, Fred well and truly occupied his time and developed his repertoire with a wealth of skills and invaluable knowledge.

With 35 years of defence force service in the bank, Fred has difficulty isolating a fondest memory, but there are a few that go down as significant highlights. “How does one compare the satisfaction of commanding the base support squadron at Amberley, the RAAF’s largest operational base, charged with the responsibility of providing the total logistic support for its operations with the Marksmen’s card-five loops and rolls?” he says.

In tandem with this, preparing senior officers and students from the pacific, Asia, Europe, the USA, and Canada for strategic policy-making positions as commandant of the Australian

FRED AND HIS WIFE LYLE AT HOME AT THE VILLAGE TAIGUM

Defence Force’s Joint Services Staff College was unquestionably another feather in his cap.

Though he’s now been out of the defence force for almost the same time he was in it, Fred may not have the same level of involvement, but he remains highly regarded amongst the broader community for his extensive contributions and series of achievements.