Fresh breezes bring change: Opera Australia’s new Traviata delights

Samantha Clarke (Violetta)

Andrew Moran (Marquis d'Obigny), Samantha Clarke (Violetta) and Virgilio Marino (Gastone)

Kang Wang (Alfredo)

Phillip Rhodes (Germont) and Samantha Clarke (Violetta)

Samantha Clarke (Violetta) and Shane Lowrencev (Dr Grenvil)

By Zoltán Szabó, 10 January 2024

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Samantha Clarke, as Violetta, sang with perfect command of pitch, dynamics and vocal expression”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 4 January 2024

Verdi, La traviata

Opera Australia

Jessica Cottis, Conductor

Sarah Giles, Director

Charles Davis, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Paul Jackson, Lighting Designer

Opera Australia Orchestra

Opera Australia Chorus

Samantha Clarke, Violetta Valéry

Kang Wang, Alfredo Germont

Phillip Rhodes, Giorgio Germont

Angela Hogan, Flora Bervoix

Virgilio Marino, Gastone de Letorières

Richard Anderson, Baron Douphol

Petah Cavallaro, Annina

Andrew Moran, Marquis d'Obigny

Shane Lowrencev, Dr Grenvil

Jin Tea Kim, Giuseppe

Malcolm Ede, Flora's servant

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

More reviews...

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.