As soon as the orchestra plays the first note of Puccini's trademark tenor epic Nessun Dorma you can sense the anticipation of what's to come.
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The Australian Tenors - Lorenzo Rositano, Murray Mayday, David McKenzie, John Donohoe and Martin Buckingham - will have the hairs on the back of the audience's collective necks with their rendition of this and other popular arias such as Verdi's Anvil Chorus and the universally loved Mario Lanza classic I'll Walk With God, The Drinking Song from The Student Prince more than 20 others.
They are backed by The Southern Cross Orchestra, a seven piece under musical director and conductor Dr Joseph Macri, and guest soprano, Opera Australia's Giuseppina Grech.
The quintet of vocalists came together "pretty much out of the motivation to get out of the city and get into the rural community, where they don't get the opportunity to hear the classics", says Mayday.
"It's quite rewarding, especially in the last few years with the drought and hardships out west. You can see evidence of it lifting everyone's spirits."
The group was last in Port Macquarie in February 2018, and look forward to returning to the Glasshouse. "It's a great venue, a pleasure to sing in," Mayday says.
The Australian Tenors have existed, with some different members, for 15 years. "Everyone knows everyone, there's not exactly an abundance of us [tenors]. A lot of the associations stem from the Sydney Conservatorium days." Although Mayday, is the exception, having been privately trained.
He is originally from Taree. After boarding school he came back home and was trained by retired opera tenor Kevin Mills. Later he sang under the tutelage of retired opera singer Raymond MacDonald.
When Australian Opera rang MacDonald looking for young tenors for Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, Wagner's 5 hour 15 minute opera, he auditioned and got his first contract.
Mayday says it's hard yakka driving between the rural centres, sometimes staying the night before a show because the soundcheck process can take three to four hours.
The tenors range in age from 28 to 53. Despite the age gap they share a similar sense of humour and talk a lot about family on the road.
A lot of their satisfaction in performing comes from the audience response. "Our concerts are all about audience interaction ... it's a 4D experience, we love to have them stomping and singing along."
"The whole show is eclectic, from sacred, to Australiana, opera to musical theatre. We do Phantom, Impossible Dream, Tonight and Maria from West Side Story and The Holy City, plus all the popular operatic tunes the audience recognise when they hear the first note. We talk with them after the show and listen to their requests and try to incorporate them into the show."
Mayday dreams of one day singing at the Royal Albert Hall London. "I can't see that happening but I'm going to London next year so maybe I'll join a tour there and just get up and start singing."