Three new productions signal the company’s new direction. Sarah Giles’ lightly updated staging of La traviata places an intense focus on the reality of Violetta’s circumstances while retaining the glamour. Conductor Jessica Cottis makes her Opera Australia debut with Samantha Clarke starring alongside Kang Wang as Alfredo and New Zealand baritone Phillip Rhodes as his father. Dane Lam conducts Gluck’s Orpheus & Eurydice in an acrobatics-infused staging by Circa’s Yaron Lifschitz. French countertenor Christophe Dumaux and Australian soprano Cathy-Di Zhang are the doomed lovers. Finally, there’s a new family-friendly Magic Flute, sung in English and directed by Kate Gaul with Stacey Alleaume as Pamina and musical theatre star Ben Mingay as Papageno. (See page 60.)

Limelight Editor’s Choice

Journey to the underworld and back. Gluck’s heartbreaking opera follows the grieving Orpheus into the jaws of Hades to rescue his beloved Eurydice. He must complete his quest without looking back, or lose Eurydice forever.

Awe-inspiring acrobatics meet Gluck’s exquisite music in a genre-busting production, making this a highlight of Sydney Festival. Projections seamlessly integrate surtitles into the action on stage, as brilliant singers come together with the trailblazing circus artists of Circa, one of Australia’s most successful cultural exports.

In this visually stunning production, Circa’s Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz has created a mesmerising experience, exploring the intersection between love and death that is the beating heart of Orpheus & Eurydice.

The role of Orpheus demands vocal beauty and dramatic virtuosity, and we’re delighted to bring the world’s best to your stage in sensational French countertenor Christophe Dumaux. He performs opposite Australian soprano Cathy-Di Zhang, making her role debut singing both Eurydice and Amor under the baton of conductor Dane Lam.