Opera Australia Season 2019

Opera Australia has commissioned a new Australian work on the life of iconic Australian artist, Brett Whiteley. 

Simply titled Whiteley, the production will be directed by David Freeman, music composed by Elena Kats-Chernin, libretto by Justin Fleming, and what is expected to be a spectacular set design featuring Whiteley’s celebrated artworks by Dan Potra, known for his outdoor designs at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour and The Eighth Wonder, Sydney Opera House The Opera.

Launching the 2019 Season using the new LED screens that have been used at full throttle in Opera Australia’s new production of Aida, Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini described the program as diverse, creative and progressive.

“As a national opera company we need to remain part of the 21^st century and 2019 will be a showcase of how we are approaching this challenge,” said Terracini.

Opera Australia will present three brand new productions in the next phase of its digital development program that will all premiere in the Sydney Winter Season - Madama Butterfly, Whiteley andAnna Bolena.

He committed the company to staging new Australian operas in future years, fuelled he said by the company’s strong ticket sales.

“Seventy percent of our funding comes from audiences,” he said.

y contrast major European and north American opera companies receive a far higher share of income from Government or philanthropy.

Opera Australia is mixing new digital productions along with crowd-favourite revivals and concert presentations.

Returning to Australia are sopranos Ermonela Jaho and Lise Lindstrom who earned great acclaim for their performances in recent years in La Traviata and The Ring Cycle respectively, along with tenor Jonas Kaufmann, who will perform in both Sydney and Melbourne.

2019 will also see the return of Teddy Tahu Rhodes to Opera Australia, taking on the role of King Henry VIII in Anna Bolena while several Australian singers will also feature, with Lorina Gore and Michael Honeyman starring in Wozzeck, and Stacey Alleaume making her role debuts as Susanna in Sir David McVicar’s Marriage of Figaro and Sophie inWerther.

The Australian premiere of visual artist William Kentridge’s production of Wozzeck, a co-production with Salzburg Festival promises a feast for the senses.

Madama Butterflyreunites the team which created The Merry Widow in 2018. Director Graeme Murphy, Janet Vernon, set designer Michael Scott-Mitchell and costume designer Jennifer Irwin have reunited to present this new version of this Puccini classic.

Davide Livermore and his Aida creative team of Giò Forma and D-Wok are creating another digital production with Anna Bolena, in the first of Donizetti’s Three Queens Trilogy.

“The 2019 Season exemplifies why Opera Australia is considered one of the world’s leading opera companies,” declared Terracini in closing.

Image: OA 2019 Sydney Season Launch - Wendy Whiteley and Lyndon Terracini and launching Handa Opera on the Harbour West Side Story.

THE SEASONS

Sydney Summer 2019

Puccini: La Bohème |Conductor Benjamin Northey | Director Gale Edwards

Sydney Opera House December 31, 2018 – March 28, 2019

Puccini: Turandot |Conductor Christian Badea | Director Graeme Murphy

Sydney Opera House January 15 – March 30

Berg: Wozzeck | Conductor Andrea Molino | Director William Kentridge

Sydney Opera House January 25 – February 15

Sydney Winter 2019

PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly |Conductor Massimo Zanetti | Director Graeme Murphy

Sydney Opera House June 28 – August 10

DONIZETTI: Anna Bolena |Conductor Renato Palumbo | Director Davide Livermore

Sydney Opera House July 2 – 26

KATS-CHERNIN & FLEMING: Whiteley |Conductor Tahu Matheson | Director David Freeman

Sydney Opera House July 15 – 30

MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro |Conductor Guillaume Tourniaire | Director David McVicar

Sydney Opera House October 18 – November 2

ROSSINI: Il Viaggio a Reims |Conductor Daniel Smith | Director Damiano Michieletto

Sydney Opera House October 24 – November 2

In Concert

Giordano: Andrea Chénier |Conductor Pinchas Steinberg .

Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House August 8-11

Reimann: Ghost Sonata |Conductor Warwick Stengards | Director Greg Eldridge

Opera Australia Scenery Workshop, The Opera Centre September 11-14

Mazda Opera in the Domain

Hear some of Australia’s finest singers and musicians perform some of opera’s greatest hits under the stars. The Domain Saturday 13 January. FREE

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2019

Bernstein & Sondheim: West Side Story |Conductor Guy Simpson | Director Francesca Zambello

Mrs Macquaries Point March 22 – April 21

Melbourne Autums 2019

Verdi: Rigoletto |Conductor Andrea Licata | Director Elijah Moshinsky

Arts Centre Melbourne May 11–29

Mozart: Così fan tutte |Conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson | Director Sir David McVicar

Arts Centre Melbourne May 14-25

Rossini: Il Viaggio a Reims |Conductor Daniel Smith | Director Damiano Michieletto

Arts Centre Melbourne May 24 – June 1

In Concert

Giordano: Andrea Chénier |Conductor Pinchas Steinberg

Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne August 13

Melbourne Spring 2019

Puccini: Turandot |Conductor Christian Badea | Director Graeme Murphy

Arts Centre Melbourne November 19 – December 6

Gounod: Faust |Conductor Guillaume Tourniaire | Director Sir David McVicar

Arts Centre Melbourne November 27- December 7

Reimann: Ghost Sonata |Conductor Warwick Stengards|Director Greg Eldridge

The Coopers Malthouse, Merlyn Theatre, Southbank September 25-28

Strauss, Offenbach, Lehár and more: Two Weddings, One Bride |Music Director Robert Andrew Greene | Director Dean Bryant

Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne November 7-10

NATIONAL TOUR 2019

OA will take their production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly on its regional tour across VIC, QLD, NT and WA from July to September in 2019.

opera.org.au

More 2019 Seasons