The Cirque de Soleil star who found rejuvenation and inspiration among the peace and creativity of Hong Kong’s Lamma Island
- From the lows of having her Macau show cancelled, Rose Winebrenner is back performing again
- The mezzo soprano credits move to one of the city’s most laid-back places with her artistic rebirth
The atmosphere electric, the music soaring, each night Rose Winebrenner took to the stage in front of a rapt audience. After 20 years’ hard work, the mezzo soprano had the lead role in Zaia, a theatrical extravaganza by Cirque du Soleil in Macau.
Beginning in 2008, it was intended to run for a decade.
But after just four years the show was cancelled. Winebrenner’s dreams were dashed; her life turned upside down.
In the depths of despondency, she retreated to Lamma Island in Hong Kong, hoping for a new beginning. There, she found an artistic environment that enabled her to reset, and a combination of experiences that led her back to the stage.
“Lamma has been integral in reinventing and rediscovering myself,” Winebrenner, who is in her late 40s, says. “If Zaia hadn’t taken its last bow, I probably wouldn’t have ever come here. It has affected me profoundly, to the depths of my being.”
