Is Opera Australia’s Candide really the best of all possible worlds?

Annie Aitken (Cunegonde)

The cast of Candide

Cathy Di-Zhang (Paquette), Euan Fistrovic Doidge (Maximillian) and Opera Australia Chorus

Eddie Perfect (Pangloss)

By Zoltán Szabó, 24 February 2025

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“the aesthetic bar has not been set very high”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 20 February 2025

Bernstein, Candide

Opera Australia

Brett Weymark, Conductor

Dean Bryant, Director

Dann Barber, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Matt Scott, Lighting Designer

Opera Australia Orchestra

Opera Australia Chorus

Lyndon Watts, Candide

Annie Aitken, Cunegonde

Eddie Perfect, Doctor Pangloss

Dominica Matthews, Old Lady

Euan Fistrovic Doidge, Maximilian

Cathy-Di Zhang, Paquette

John Longmuir, Governor, Vanderdendur

Andrew Moran, Martin

Eddie Muliaumaseali'i, Cacambo

Opera Australia’s Eugene Onegin shines musically

Sandra Bowdler, 17th March

Eugene Onegin returns to the Sydney Opera house in Kasper Holten’s slightly awkward production but the singing and orchestral playing are exemplary.

****1

Humperdinck hobbled in Opera Australia revival

Jeremy Eccles, 27th January

Elijah Moshinsky’s 33-year-old production of Hansel and Gretel hasn’t aged well.

***11

A psychological Turandot in Ann Yee's Opera Australia staging

Sandra Bowdler, 15th January

Opera Australia's new Turandot succeeds with musical, dramatic and visual values with a mix of local and imported talent.

****1

Siobhan Stagg leads a strong Marriage of Figaro revival in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 31st July

Siobhan Stagg is an outstanding Susanna in a strongly cast and well produced Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House

****1

Watery magic as Nicole Car makes a triumphant return to Sydney

Jeremy Eccles, 19th July

Nicole Car makes her role debut as Dvořák's Rusalka in a production by Sarah Giles that proves a winner.

****1

Danielle de Niese makes Carmen debut in a colourful new Sydney staging

Sandra Bowdler, 10th July

Danielle de Niese's assumes the title role at the Sydney Opera House, leading an impressive cast with an interesting approach to characterisation with a somewhat over the top blingy setting.

****1

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Zoltán Szabó

Zoltán Szabó is a cellist and musicologist. Having migrated from his native Hungary to Australia in 1985, he worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney until 1991, when he became Principal Cello with Opera Australia. In 2017, he was awarded with a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD). Currently, he is teaching music history and musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.