Tosca - Opera Australia

Opera Australia excels once more with this stunning performance of Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca.
There are several elements to this production with will amaze you, the first hits you straight away. The set! The first act is in the Attavanti chapel in Rome, it looks like they have picked up part of a chapel and put it on stage - the marble, statues, frescos, iron gates, candles, chairs all just perfect. The second act is inside the Nazis headquarters and to make it look foreboding they have made these massive doors and windows and notably the staging is very grey.  Similarly, the last act is again grey and the barbed wire walkway is very effective. Michael Scott-Mitchell is the set designer and I look forward to seeing future sets from him.
Diego Torre who plays Mario Cavaradossi, for me, was the star of the show.  He has such a rich, mellow voice, very easy to listen to.  All the performers were excellent, Shane Lowrencev did an superb job of standing in, in the role of Baron Scarpia.
Tosca is directed by John Bell (Bell Shakespeare) and you can tell, it is a very dramatic performance.
The story of Tosca is simple, though if you don't know the story you will be guessing until the end as to what exactly happens.  Tosca and Mario are in love. Mario tries to help his friend Angelotti who has escaped from prison. Scarpia is searching for Angelotti and suspects Mario is hiding him and tries to make Tosca jealous by suggesting that Mario is having an affair. They follow Tosca to Mario's house where they search and take him to their headquarters. At the headquarters they torture Mario as Tosca is forced to listen;  they hope that she will help them locate Angelotti's whereabouts.  She finally gives in and Mario is sentenced to death. However, Scarpia rather fancies the ladies particularly Tosca and says that he will fake the execution if she sleeps with him. What happens next well you will have to go and see it yourself!!

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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.