The chandelier will be suspended from a 26-metre crane, blackened out so that it is invisible
against the night sky. At the end of La Traviata's Act I Violetta, after singing the famous aria
Sempre Libera, will ascend with the chandelier in a capsule as fireworks explode all around.
Audiences will watch from a luxurious 3,000 seat grandstand erected in the Domain at Fleet
Steps, alongside the Royal Botanic Garden. The seating grandstand will have large and
expansive hospitality areas at either end. The northern end being three-tiered with catering
outlets on each level; the southern end two tiered with the top deck nestling beneath a
canopy of trees.
Tess Schofield is designing the 1950's inspired costumes, including Mardi-Gras themed
outfits for the masked ball in Act II, which will see guests arriving by motorboat.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is the Company's most ambitious project to date, working
in conjunction with Destination NSW on behalf of the NSW Government to attract audiences
from across the globe to be a part of this uniquely spectacular opera event.
Starring in this production are sopranos Emma Matthews and Rachelle Durkin who will
jointly share the role of Violetta, and Gianluca Terranova and Ji-Min Park as well as
Jonathan Summers and Warwick Fyfe.
Internationally-acclaimed director Francesca Zambello has been appointed as stage
director of this production. Her career has spanned theatre, music theatre, film and opera
and has ranged from Aladdin at Disneyland and The Little Mermaid on Broadway, to War
and Peace for Paris Opera and Carmen for Opera Australia. She is a multi-award winner
including three Olivier Awards, two Evening Standard Awards, two French Grand Prix des
Critiques, and a Helpmann Award in Australia.
Lyndon Terracini, Artistic Director of Opera Australia said in a recent interview
"Everyone loves to look at the outside of the Sydney Opera House, so why not have that as
the backdrop of a wonderful production? It is one of the most beautiful views in the world."
