CARMEN triumphs in the second year of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour

Opera Australia has deemed Carmen to be a sizzling success with critical and audience acclaim that prove it has managed to even out-dazzle the first Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. The iconic CARMEN letters adorning the harbour-top stage have cast an indelible impression and audiences will be unable to forget the neon-lit silhouette of a bull – the ubiquitous emblem of Spain - which lit up the final scene. Knock-out performances by an international cast were well matched with a dynamic set, breath-taking dance sequences and of course, spectcular fireworks to light up the Sydney night sky.

Box office takings for Carmen were an estimated 5% higher than for La Traviata, at just over $6 million, with attendance close to 41,000. It also attracted a swathe of newcomers, with 44% of ticket buyers having never before attended an Opera Australia event.

The production was filmed for TV and cinema release and audiences around Australia will be able to watch Carmen in cinemas from July 2013. ABC TV will screen the production in October 2013 and a DVD recording is scheduled to hit shelves at the end of November 2013, in time for Christmas.

A significant proportion of audiences attended the performance from rural and regional NSW, interstate and overseas. Opera Australia worked with Destination NSW to attract audiences from all around the world for this uniquely Sydney event which delivered unforgettable images of flamenco dancing, fireworks and cranes delivering giant props (plus one cast member!) on and off the stage.

The project involved over 700 people, including 150 artists, 490 staff and crew (production, administration, construction, catering, cleaners, ushers and security) and 50 volunteers. Approximately 360 performers, staff and crew were on site every night to operate the venue and deliver each performance.


NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris, congratulated Opera Australia and Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini, saying: “This wonderful outdoor production on Sydney's magnificent Harbour has once again captivated visitors to our global city from across Australia and the world.

“I wish to thank all the artists, especially Rinat Shaham, Milijana Nikolic, Dmytro Popov, Adam Diegel, Andrew Jones, James Clayton, Nicole Car and Sharon Prero for their incredible performances. They were led admirably by director, Gale Edwards and conductor, Brian Castles-Onion. Special praise also goes to Brian Thomson (set design), Kelley Abbey (choreography), Julie Lynch (costume design), John Rayment (lighting design), Tony David Cray (sound design) and Eamon D’Arcy (site design). I am pleased that Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour continues to attract world-class talent and reinforces Sydney's position as Australia's major events capital and home of the performing arts."

Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini said: “I’d like to thank everyone involved in the production for their tireless efforts, dedication and professionalism in bringing this spectacular opera to its remarkable harbour stage for audiences to enjoy. This is a shared success for which they should be very proud. We are particularly grateful to Dr Haruhisa Handa and the International Foundation for Arts and Culture for their generous ongoing support of Opera on Sydney Harbour."

Executive Producer Louisa Robertson said: “We took on board all of the learnings from the inaugural production of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in 2012, and will continue to do so next year to ensure the best audience experience possible. Opera Australia has worked with a small army of companies to make this production happen, including those in construction, engineering, town planning, catering, security, water taxis and university departments. We can’t wait to do it all over again next, even bigger and better!”

Details of the 2014 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour will be announced soon.