Turandot on Sydney Harbour - Opera Australia

Turandot on Sydney Harbour - Opera Australia

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Posted 2016-05-26 by Helen Bellifollow

Thu 24 Mar 2016 - Sun 24 Apr 2016

Captain Cook on his arrival in 1770 proclaimed that Sydney Harbour is the finest he had ever seen – today the world is in agreement. Many spectacular events are happening on a daily basis in and around this amazing water way.

Nothing can rival Opera on the Harbour which was first staged 5 years ago and is now an annual event, organised by Opera Australia every April. This year Puccini's last opera 'Turandot' [The one with the BIG HIT 'nessun dorma', made famous by Pavarotti] was staged on the water at Farm Cove.

Arriving at sunset against a backdrop of the Opera House, the bridge and super-liners sailing away too faraway places, a night of magic begins. Rain, hail or shine the show goes on, you just get a poncho and freeze if necessary, with the stoic singers. There are 5 places to eat, you cannot bring food with you, so you can eat really early or you wait till you get home. A sit down 3 course dinner is served in The Platinum Club, inspired by the flavours of China. It costs a hefty $235.

Puccini wrote the opera in 1924 but died before completion. He had no idea how to finish the work, he did however leave instructors NOT to kill Princess Turandot, even though she had a heart of stone and killed all her would be lovers who couldn't answer 3 impossible riddles. She wanted to remain a virgin Princess. Then along comes Prince Calif from a faraway land and breaks the code. This is too much for a girl who is secretly in love with him. He once smiled at her, and she was so overcome with grief at the thought of losing him and she kills herself. Perhaps an overreaction, but that's opera.

Like all operas it's very complicated, there are 12 principle singers and a total cast of 78. There are 58 members of the orchestra hidden from view underneath the stage, leaving the singers without a conductor. It is all done with magic mirrors. Just to be safe, lifeguards are on duty every night, the stage does rock about on windy nights.

The setting is sleek and modern with bold and beautiful costumes. A fire spewing dragoon and a pagoda that stands 18 metres high, shakes about as it moves in a very dramatic fashion.

The opera is shaved down to 2 hours 20 minutes, with an interval lasting half an hour. It is a great service to Puccini who many believe goes on and on. Turandot has a retinue of advisers, her father [the Emperor] is perched on high [literally], courtiers, dances and soldiers.

The all-important question 'was the singing world standard'? Being an outside venue, the singers are miked and the answer is a resounding YES. Each principle role has 2 casts singing on alternate nights, no doubt with an army of understudies chanting in the wings' break a leg'. The season lasts for one month each year; the result is an evening to remember and the weather on the night I attended was a perfect Sydney April evening.

The opera for next year isn't on the drawing board as yet, but it will be on my calendar to do list. Opera loves should go at least once, those not hooked on opera may well become fans after such an introduction to an amazing art form.

#art
#classical_music
#Drama
#opera
#outdoor
#march
#april
!date 24/03/2016 -- 24/04/2016
%wnsydney
213082 - 2023-06-16 06:51:57

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