Sydney Opera House Early Operas
Classic Operas Performed from 1974 to end of 20th-century
Sep 27, 2007
Profiles classic operas performed in the early years of the Sydney Opera House, Australia's beautiful landmark in Sydney, alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Sydney Opera House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973. Less than a month before that, the first performance was already opened to the public in the Sydney Opera House's Opera Theatre: the Australian Opera's production of Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace.
Opera Australia, one of the busiest opera companies in the world, is based in Sydney. It is a result of the merger of the Australian Opera and Victoria State Opera in 1996. It undertook a "pilot" regional tour of Mozart's The Magic Flute to four states.
Highlights of Opera Australia's early productions at the Sydney Opera House:
(1974-1999)
- 1974. Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman, with the Australian Opera, Dame Joan Sutherland, one of the most loved singers of the Australian opera.
- 1974. Janácek's Jenöfa. Directed by John Copley with designs by Alan Lees, it featured the young South African mezzo soprano, Elizabeth Connell, who gave an outstanding performance.
- 1975. Verdi's Aida performed in the Concert Hall with Carlo Felice Cillario conducting. Aida was too large for the Opera Theatre, and the opera was staged in the Concert Hall.
- 1976. Puccini's La Boheme. Dame Kiri te Kanawa made her debut at the Sydney Opera House.
- 1978. Verdi's La Traviata, directed by John Copley and starring then the young New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa singing Violetta. It was so popular that an extra Sunday performance had to be put on to cater for the New Zealanders arriving from New Zealand to see their own famous soprano.
- 1980. Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, starring Donald Shanks and produced by Elijah Moshinsky, a superb performance.
- 1980. Janácek's Katya Kabanova another major production, starring Marilyn Richardson.
- 1980. Donizetti's Lucia di Lamermoor. Dame Joan Sutherland in her most famous role, Lucia.
- 1981. Handel's Alcina. Directed by Sir Robert Helpmann, this opera turned into a box-office sensation through Helpmann's imaginative and dramatic staging.
- 1983. Donizetti's Lucia di Lamermoor. Jennifer McGregor as Lucia to enormous acclaim.
- 1983. Puccini's La Boheme. Luciano Pavarotti appeared as Rodolfo in three performances of Andrew Sinclair's production of La Boheme.
- 1983. Verdi's Rigoletto. Elijah Moshinsky's production of Rigoletto.
- 1986. Donizetti's Lucia di Lamermoor. Joan Sutherland as Lucia. Critic John Cargher wrote that her 'singing that night was close to the best in her career.'
- 1987. Bizet's Carmen. In this production, John Copley did an interesting realistic production in a semi-modern setting.
- 1990. Verdi's Rigoletto. Michael Lewis set this 1950s opera with the count surrounded by Mafia-style henchmen. Rigoletto, instead of being a hunchback, was a cripple with two walking sticks.
- 1990. Wagner's Tristan and Isolde. Director Neil Armfield's wonderful production with the late Stuart Challender conducting.
- 1990. Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots. Joan Sutherland played Marguerite de Valois with Richard Bonynge conducting.
- 1990. Puccini's La Boheme. David Hobson played Rodolfo, and Cheryl Barker played the frail Mimi. Supposed to be a cheap fill-in production, instead, it proved to be one of the Australian opera's biggest hits.
- 1991. Puccini's Turandot. Produced by Fraeme Murphy of the Sydney Dance Company. Murphy gave the production an agility not seen before.
- 1995. Bizet's Carmen. Lindy Hume broke with the usual sexual wild cat stereotype of Carmen, instead, had Suzanne Johnston play Carmen as a woman fighting to remain her own boss.
- 1999. Verdi's Falstaff. Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel performed this opera with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Edo de Waart, and Opera Australia
- 1999. Berg's Wozzeck. Directed Kosky, the latest addition to Opera Australia's repertoire just before the millennium.
Sources Consulted:
The Sydney Opera House by Carol Floyd & Julia Collingwood, New Holland (2000)
The copyright of the article Sydney Opera House Early Operas in Opera is owned by Tel Asiado. Permission to republish Sydney Opera House Early Operas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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