Peter Maxwell Davies rocks the boat with his operatic thriller about the suspicious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers.

Peter Maxwell Davies’ opera, based on the murky fate of three lighthouse keepers who vanished from the Flannan Isles off Scotland circa 1900, opens at the inquest into the men’s disappearance.

As the three ship’s officers who first sounded the alarm tell their stories, slowly more and more inconsistencies come to the fore. In the longer final act of Sydney Chamber Opera’s atmospheric production, we see what might have happened to the lighthouse keepers: the relief ship is overdue, the fog is rolling in and tensions are rising. While the uneasy trio try to keep fear at bay by singing songs to one another, what follows is a chilling exploration of hysteria and paranoia.

Fittingly for a dynamic young opera company, three talented young singers were cast in the roles. Daniel Macey’s lush, high baritone was a revelation in the role of Sandy. His achingly beautiful song of love and loss was just one of many highlights. Alexander Knight’s robust bass voice perfectly characterised Arthur, the religious fanatic, most effectively in his sermon-like delivery.

Baritone Mitchell Riley’s portrayal of the...