| Date and venue | Title |
|---|---|
| 15-Feb-2013 Sydney Opera House: Opera Theatre | A belly-full of laughs at Opera Australia's production of Verdi's Falstaff |
 Tragedy seems to age better than comedy. The works of Aeschylus have been more influential than those of Aristophanes, and Shakespeare’s darker plays are far more popular than his pure comedies. This same propensity for gloomy subjects can also be seen in the opera world. With notable exceptions in the cases of Mozart and Rossini, the composers whose works are most frequently performed today tend to be better known for their tragedies than their lighter works: think of Puccini, Wagner, Bizet.Read full review... | |
| 24-Jul-2012 Sydney Opera House: Opera Theatre | Latonia Moore shines in Sydney Aida |
.jpg) Virtually every reviewer of Aida mentions elephants, generally only to note their absence: the elephant not in the room, as it were. Like most others, the current Opera Australia production was lacking in pachyderms, but few of last night’s audience will have felt short-changed. We were treated to some of the most thrilling singing I have yet heard at the Sydney Opera House, in a production that was traditional but not unthinkingly so.
Read full review... | |
| 9-Jul-2012 Sydney Opera House: Opera Theatre | Opera Australia's Pearl Fishers at Sydney Opera House |
 with Henry Choo as Nadir and Nicole Car as Leila..jpg) Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, written some ten years before Carmen, does not enjoy as much recognition as the latter opera. Composed at the age of 25, the opera received harsh criticism from many contemporary critics, although not from Hector Berlioz, who clearly recognised something of Bizet's genius in the work. Many people know the celebrated Pearl Fishers' Duet from Act I; however, the rest of the opera is also a treasure trove of lyrical writing, endearing melodies and simply beautiful music.Read full review... | |
| 14-Feb-2012 Sydney Opera House: Opera Theatre | The power of love: Opera Australia's Turandot |
 in Opera Australias Turandot SS12 ©Branco Gaica (121).jpg) Opera Australia pulled out all the stops for their latest production of Puccini’s Turandot: an excellent cast, fabulous choreography, amazing costumes and a great sense of drama all combined to make it a wonderful production at Sydney Opera House. The Opera Theatre is comparatively small by modern standards and is a very intimate venue in which to see an opera. It has the effect of enveloping the audience and drawing them right into the action.Read full review... | |
