OPERA AUSTRALIA IN THE COMMUNITY

 

Polyopera - opera where you least expect it.

Polyartistry and Opera Australia joined forces to create three mini-operas produced and filmed in Sydney throughout June 2011. Taking as their starting point three classic opera masterpieces, Polyopera offered the public the opportunity to contribute words, ideas and sounds to help construct these miniature epics.

 

 

Polyopera La boheme

     

La bohème

Polyopera took Puccini’s La bohème into the bright lights, chaos and decay of Surry Hills. Puccini’s sumptuous music was taken and reworked into miniature form by Sydney-based composer Drew Crawford, before he composed his own ‘deconstructed’ version of Mimì’s enchanting aria, Mi chiamano Mimì.

Watch video

 

Don Giovanni

Polyopera took Mozart’s Don Giovanni to the streets of Western Sydney, deconstructing gender, identity, performance and culture against the backdrop of a hip hop battle. Hip Hop producer Morganics joined musical forces with opera singer Tom Hamilton, theatre/film director Laura Scrivano, Rima aka Soul Beats and a DJ to re-imagine Don Giovanni for the YouTube generation.

Watch video

 

Lakmé

Taking Delibes’ classic Lakmé as its starting point, PolyOpera produced original mini-opera Lakmé: Parramatta Imaginings in Parramatta Park. Focussing on the best-loved aria of the opera: the Flower Duet, we made an installation at the Bath House in Parramatta Park, transforming the rotunda into pillars of paper flowers, trailing with paths of lanterns, hanging the trees with ribbons. But it wasn't complete without lots of people who came to the park and added colour of their own!

Watch video

View photo gallery

 

 

Supporters

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body. This project is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW. This project is supported by ABC Classic FM and the Australian Music Centre.

   

Project Partners


Curiousworks, Blacktown Arts Centre, Blacktown City Council, Parramatta Park Trust.