Pangkor Laut Resort.
An evening out at the opera is a dazzling spectacle in itself, but imagine listening to the tones of Puccini or Verdi in a tropical paradise setting.
This is the surreal experience one gets from Pangkor Laut Resort’s Opera in Paradise. Now in its second consecutive year, the opera, which is held on the private island in Perak, is now an annual fixture for the island resort, with a concert set to be held every October.
This year’s event saw famed flautist Andrea Griminelli return with a line up of celebrated names including soprano Cathy-Di Zhang and Tenor John Langmuir who performed classics such as Verdi’s La Donne é Mobile and music from favourite composers such as Ennio Morricone and Leonard Bernstein.
Possibly my favourite performance was Griminelli’s staging of Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe, the theme from the 1986 film, The Mission starring Robert De Niro. While any music lover would enjoy seeing these performances live, there’s just something to be said for the setting of Pangkor Laut Resort which seems to serve as a natural environment for the beautiful melodies being played.
John Longmuir, Cathy Di-Zhang & Andrea Griminelli.
Staged by YTL, the concert is an intimate affair, with only about 200 guests. While it may seem rather ambitious for a resort on a small private island to organise such an international event, the story behind Pangkor Laut Resort’s Opera in Paradise has a rather interesting origin story.
Back in 1994, Luciano Pavarotti himself had travelled to this secluded paradise. To commemorate the second phase of the resort’s renovation, he staged a mini concert here. Bewitched by the island’s beauty, he exclaimed, “This place is enchanting, it is paradise here.”
The late tenor, who became close friends with YTL’s Yeoh family, even returned to Pangkor Laut in 2002 for another concert. It’s easy to see why Pavarotti was so captivated by the island’s charm. With its crystal clear green waters at the famed Emerald Bay private beach and the warm hospitality of the resort’s staff, the place seems like a paradise that conveniently, is only a three-hour car ride from Kuala Lumpur.
There’s also the food. Perak is known for its vibrant street food cuisine and the resort hosts its popular pasar malam style buffet dinners, which serve as an invitation to let guests savour different varieties of Malaysian fare such as pasembur, chicken rice, satay and char kuey teow.
Opened in 1994, Pangkor Laut was once a favoured destination for the rich and famous. While time has certainly passed, there’s still something bewitching about the island resort as it manages to retain its unique charm and character with its cosy villas and beautiful sea views.
And if paradise itself does not tempt you, what else will?
