EVEN as Opera Queensland announces its big regional tour of La Boheme aimed at involving audiences directly in opera, “Project Puccini”, news is to hand of a Canberra Puccini feast.

Directed by Puccini fan and owner of Smiths Alternative, Domenic Mico, “Lunch with Puccini” is subtitled “An Operatic Feast of Every Day Life.” But it doesn’t mean you’ll get a meal with every performance — only the one on Sunday.

The show features soprano and National Aria convener, Fleur Millar and the scenario goes something like this: Millar is waiting for Puccini (Giacomo) for lunch and in the meantime she just happens to entertain herself (and us) with a book full of arias.

She decides to sing a diet of Puccini to fulfil her aching hunger for the master’s sensual world. It proves to be a feast of Puccini’s famous arias – “the opera of everyday life.”

Audiences, Mico says, have come to love Millar’s demystification of opera as she keeps it real, celebrating art that comes from life and opera with a twist.

Mico and Millar are perhaps a little carried away when they advise, “Experience the real food of love – and the musical recipes of Giacomo Puccini and be transported by the essential ingredients – of life,” but they believe it.

Mico told “CityNews” today that he was increasingly getting back into directing. Not only had he directed a play in Smiths’ recent series, “Nothing is Sacred”, but he’ll be doing a sequel to the show, “Guys don’t talk,” in the theatre season coming up in September, to be called “Partners don’t talk.” We’ll just have to wait and see.

“Lunch with Puccini” at Smiths Alternative 76 Alinga ST, City, 8pm August 15 and 16 (Show only $25) and 2pm August 17, with lasagne lunch (Show only $25 Lunch and Show (Sunday) $35)

Bookings to http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=94363