Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Carmen announced as Sydney Harbour opera

RAIN did its best to sink the first opera to grace Sydney Harbour, but the show will go on with Opera Australia confirming the Spanish sizzler Carmen for next March. 
 
A day after Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour won four Helpmann Awards for La Traviata, including best special event and best actor for Emma Matthews, organisers have announced the return of al fresco opera.
Like La Traviata earlier this year, Carmen will be played out in grand scale over 18 shows; positioned off the Royal Botanic Gardens on a tilting stage and backed by an orchestra and fireworks.

"There is no stage in the world as spectacular as this one," said Lyndon Terracini, artistic director of Opera Australia.

"Sitting on top of Sydney Harbour with the city skyline as the backdrop, this is opera like you'll see in no other place in the world."

In bringing Carmen's seductive love story to life, director Gale Edwards has teamed up with designers Brian Thompson, who won a Helpmann for his La Traviata set, costumes guru Julie Lynch and lighting specialist John Rayment.

Two mezzo-sopranos will alternate in the role of the fiery Carmen, Israeli star Rinat Shaham and Serbian model-turned-singer Milijana Nikolic.

Two tenors, Russian singer Dmitry Popov and American star Adam Diegel, will assume the part of the opera's hero Don Jose.

Opera Australia will present 18 performances over three weeks from March 22 to April 12. Tickets from $79 will go on sale from October 8.

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