Making an entrance: Opera Australia returns with glitzy Merry Widow

By Chantal Nguyen, 07 January 2021

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“visually, this production rolls out on a red carpet”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 5 January 2021

Lehár, Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) (Sydney Opera House,)

Opera Australia

Brian Castles-Onion, Conductor

Graeme Murphy, Director

Michael Scott-Mitchell, Set Designer

Jennifer Irwin, Costume Designer

Damien Cooper, Lighting Designer

Shane Placentino, Revival Director

David Whitney, Baron Mirko Zeta

Alexander Lewis, Count Danilo Danilovich

Julie Lea Goodwin, Hanna Glawari

Stacey Alleaume, Valencienne

Virgilio Marino, Camille de Rosillon

Benjamin Rasheed, Njegus

Jane Ede, Sylviane

Angela Hogan, Olga

Dominica Matthews, Praskowia

Brad Cooper, Raoul de St Brioche

Alexander Hargreaves, Bogdanovich

Richard Anderson, Kromow

Tom Hamilton, Pritschitsch

Luke Gabbedy, Vicomte Cascada

Paul Fitzsimon, Conductor

Opera Australia Chorus

Opera Australia Orchestra

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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Chantal Nguyen

Chantal has a background in ballet and contemporary dance, and was the first Australian to complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Higher Level Dance. She has completed violin studies, and plays regularly in Sydney ensembles. She also dabbles in folk songs and subversive musical parody.

Making an entrance: Opera Australia returns with glitzy Art Deco Merry Widow