Reviews

Christopher Wheldon’s full-length narrative ballet about the life and work, loves and gay martyrdom of Oscar Wilde leaps beyond the usual heteronormative stories of the Australian Ballet. 

Artistic director David Hallberg looked especially proud at Sydney’s opening night, even as he was gently hosing down any conservative reaction in the audience.  A few rows left but almost all were on their feet by the end.

Based on the Touchstone Motion Picture Sister Act (Emile Ardolino, 1992), this musical stage production capitalises on all appealing elements of the original film.  Casey Donovan captures Deloris Van Cartier perfectly. She preserves both the crass and heartwarming aspects of the character with exactly the right measure of impishness. The audience is always on her side regardless of her brashness or her dubious lifestyle. Donovan also woos the audience by emphatically creating her own singing style for the part.

What better time for State Opera South Australia to stage the ‘grand opera’ Lucia di Lammermoor than the day after what would have been the late Dame Joan Sutherland’s 98th birthday!

Lucia di Lammermoor,  composed by Gaetano Donizetti in 1835 with libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, is loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 historical novel ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ and has become a favourite with opera companies all over the world.

The Victorian era was one of internal struggle for its people. Industrialisation brought great change and a widening gap between rich and poor. The idea of ‘duality’ crept into much writing of the period - the concept of division of personality whilst still being one. Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written in 1886, addresses this battle between good and evil.