Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour present The Phantom of the Opera Now, that was just what the doctor ordered! After repeated bouts of illness, extended isolation, resultant depression, and financial stress, what many of us have needed for quite some…
A young woman lies dead at the hands of her new husband in a shocking murder-suicide. Jealousy and domestic violence were issues in Shakespeare’s day, 400 years ago, still present in Verdi’s day, 150 years ago, and are sadly as…
My plus one at the opening night of Opera Australia’s current production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro was my husband. He had been wanting to see this particular opera for years. His favourite movie of all time, The Shawshank…
The words “American Psycho” and “the musical” don’t sound like they belong together in a sentence, let alone in a title. And yet, as with many things these days, it’s so wrong it’s right. The macabre and the fabulous. It’s…
We were looking forward to it a full year ago. Now, after more anticipation than we could ever have imagined in a pre-Covid world, La Traviata has finally arrived to Sydney Harbour and does not disappoint. It is a spectacle…
Best. Opera. Ever. As a reviewer, I’ve seen my fair share of operas. Many of them several times over. So this is a big call. I declare Opera Australia’s new production of Tosca to be the most engaging and powerful…
When invited to attend the opening night of Opera Australia’s latest production, Bluebeard’s Castle, I knew to expect something different and interesting. Even without reading a summary of the story, “early 20th century Hungarian composer” already signals dark and dread….
After nearly a year of forced abstinence, Sydney’s performing arts lovers are enjoying the treat of getting dressed up, meeting friends and going out for a night at the opera more than ever before. Knowing this, Opera Australia have made…
We’ve all heard of Attila the Hun, but few even amongst regular opera goers and classical music buffs know that there is an opera bearing his name. I for one am ready to admit that I hadn’t heard of Attila…
The myth of Faust is a familiar and oft-adapted tale – the old man who sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for a return to youth and a shot at love with a beautiful virgin. Gounod reworked Goethe’s…