Tag: melbourne opera

Regent Theatre Melbourne will host new season of Opera Australia

For the first time ever, Opera Australia is bringing its highly anticipated Melbourne opera season to the iconic Regent Theatre, one of the city’s most beautiful theatres. From October to December, audiences will be treated to a dazzling program of mainstage operas, including The Barber of Seville, Carmen, and Orpheus & Eurydice. This debut season promises to captivate opera lovers and newcomers alike with its mix of comedy, drama, and groundbreaking artistry. Opera with a new flavour This season marks a shift in Opera Australia’s programming style, with productions running in ‘stagione’ format. Instead of alternating performances nightly, each opera will be performed on consecutive dates before the next production begins. This approach not only allows for a more immersive experience but also showcases a double-cast lineup of local and international talent, offering Melbourne audiences a rich variety of performances. Barber of Seville The season opens with Elijah Moshinsky’s sparkling production of The Barber of Seville. Packed with Rossini’s iconic tunes and laugh-out-loud moments, this opera is a whirlwind of mischief and comic brilliance. The giant dollhouse set adds a playful charm, making it a delight for audiences of all ages. An all-Australian cast will bring this classic to life, with baritones Samuel Dundas and Simon Meadows sharing the role of the mischievous Figaro, while mezzo-sopranos Helen Sherman and Emily Edmonds alternate as Rosina. Tenors John Longmuir and Shanul Sharma will both take on the role of Count Almaviva. Opera up late For one night only, Opera Up Late will turn the Regent Theatre into… Read More

Opera For All: free in Melbourne this February

If you’re looking for something of the musical variety to kill an hour this February in central Melbourne, consider Opera Australia’s first Opera For All! They have announced a stellar line-up of four brilliant singers to perform in the free BMW Opera for All concert in Fed Square on Saturday 4 February between 4pm-5pm. Annual concerts take place in Munich, and the series has also been staged in Berlin, London, and Moscow and now Melbourne’s joined the list, living up the city’s European heritage, feel and reputation as culturally iconographic. Singing some of opera’s most famous arias, the cast will comprise soprano Sophie Salvesani, direct from her mainstage opera debut in the recent acclaimed production of Don Giovanni; Melbourne-born and three time Green Room Award-winning mezzo-soprano Dimity Shepherd; Korean tenor Simon Kim, known for his concert performances with Opera Australia and internationally; and acclaimed baritone Luke Gabbedy whose recent role debut in La Traviata received high praise. The free, summer afternoon, open-air concert will feature opera’s biggest hits from Verdi to Puccini for an hour of thrilling high notes and soaring harmonies; it is the perfect way to dip your toe into opera for the first time or revisit some of opera’s best. For a flavour of what it might be like, checkl out our previous coverage on Opera Australia’s outdoor spectacles they host annually. 4pm-5pm, 4 February 2023 Tickets are free with no registration required | Fed Square, Melbourne opera.org.au/events/bmw-opera-for-all

Phantom of the Opera is on in Melbourne: why it’s a must-see

Since 1986 when Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera took to the stage, it did so much more than that. It took the hearts and minds, imaginations and operatic passions of everyone who’s seen it since – including the latest round of audience members in Melbourne Australia with the debut of the latest production touring the city this year in 2022. Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera will wow audiences throughout the summer months has welcomed a stellar cast talented ensemble cast including Elliot Baker, Anton Berezin, Laura Bianchi-Bishop, Eleanor Blythman, Gavin Brown, Ben Clark, Bridget Costello, Andrew Dunne, Lewis Francis, Christina Gibbs, Claudia Hastings, Olivia Jenkins, Daniel Koek, Naomi Livingston, Josephine Lonergan, Aaron Lynch, Imogen-Faith Malfitano, Kayleigh Marven, Emma McFarlane, Lachlan O’Brien, Brittany Page, Edward Smith, Anna Stephens, Tod Strike, Troy Sussman, Raphael Wong, Jack Wunsch and Elisha Zion Lee. And though the story’s already held in the firmament of what’s good in the world of theatre, new direction by director Laurence Connor with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience on stage. The production of Melbourne’s Phantom of the Opera is on until 5 February 2023. Get tickets at the Phantom of the Opera website