Georges Bizet

Carmen

- Sunday, March 31, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

SUMMARY

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour will take your breath away. From the moment you enter the magical harbour-edge setting, take your first sip of champagne and look across the astonishing floating stage at one of the world's most beautiful cities, you'll understand why images of the spectacular first production were beamed across the world and why critics and audiences were in raptures.

In 2013, Carmen takes the stage; dangerous, sexy and incandescent in a thrilling new production.

Carmen tells the story of the naive soldier Don Josè who abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts the army when he falls under the alluring gypsy's spell. When he loses her love to the dashing toreador Escamillo, the scene is set for jealousy and vengeance. Bizet's seductive melodies and fiery Spanish rhythms conjure a world of desire, defiance and doom, in some of the world's best loved music, including the Habanera, Seguidilla, Flower Song and Toreador Song.

This awe-inspiring production by one of Australia's most daringly theatrical directors, Gale Edwards (The Boy From Oz, La bohème), and award-winning designers Brian Thomson (The Rocky Horror Show, La Traviata on Sydney Harbour) and Julie Lynch (Travesties, La bohème), features richly costumed soldiers, smugglers, cigarette girls, urchins, matadors and flamenco dancers swirl across the luminous set, lit by fireworks...to reveal more would ruin the surprise.

Come early and soak up the atmosphere as the whole precinct is transformed into a Spanish fiesta, with tapas bars and restaurants offering a wide range of pre-performance drinking and dining options.

Weather Update

At this point in time Opera Australia has every intention of proceeding with tonight's performance of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour - Carmen. The performance will proceed if there are light intermittent showers. The performance will only be cancelled if the weather poses a threat to the safety of the performers or audience, and will be published here. Read our full wet weather policy here...