Three international soloists triumph in Opera Australia’s Otello

By Patricia Maunder, 21 February 2022

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“Just the power of [Lee's] voice was enough to make one sit up and take notice on opening night”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 19 February 2022

Verdi, Otello

Opera Australia

Andrea Battistoni, Conductor

Harry Kupfer, Director

Hans Schavernoch, Set Designer

Yan Tax, Costume Designer

Toby Sewell, Lighting Designer

Karah Son, Desdemona

Yonghoon Lee, Otello

Marco Vratogna, Iago

Sian Sharp, Emilia

Virgilio Marino, Cassio

Hubert Francis, Roderigo

Andrew Williams, Herald

Richard Anderson, Lodovico

Andrew Moran, Montano

Opera Australia Chorus

Opera Australia Orchestra

Opera Australia’s Eugene Onegin shines musically

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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

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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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Patricia Maunder

Patricia Maunder has been an arts journalist for more than 20 years, contributing to publications in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK including The Sydney Morning Herald and Opera magazine. She is based in Melbourne, but considers Montreal her 'other' hometown after living there in 2012-16. For more about Patricia, visit her website.