Get ready to be swept away on an unforgettable operatic journey as Opera Australia brings back its ground-breaking digital production of Verdi's beloved Aida to the Sydney Opera House this June. It's been touted as "the future of opera", and it's a jaw-dropping spectacle that pushes the boundaries of the art form, merging traditional opera with modern technology.
It's an immersive experience – ten towering LED screens gracefully glide across the stage, enveloping the set with breathtaking visuals, including evocative landscapes. Directed by the acclaimed Davide Livermore, this production amplifies the drama through mesmerising choreography, visually striking costumes, and awe-inspiring operatic performances. Time Out’s own five-star review from the debut coined this production “a captivating cinematic experience that fuses live performance and video.”
Aida is set in Egypt at the height of its powers; a rebellion is brewing on the borders, and for both the oppressor and the oppressed, loves and loyalties are about to be tested. (Find out more in Opera Australia’s handy cheat sheet to this particular opera.)
The cast features two sopranos who share the title role: virtuosic American performer Leah Crocetto, and the dazzling Australian-Armenian star Natalie Aroyan, who's renowned for her recent portrayal of Adriana Lecouvreur. Making his Australian debut as Radamès is the Uzbekistan-born tenor Najmiddin Mavlyanov, alongside Opera Australia favourite Diego Torre, who also captivated audiences as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly on Sydney Harbour.
In addition to the top-notch international cast, the Opera Australia Chorus will add its impressive vocals to the drama and spectacle, while Scottish Opera’s music director Stuart Stratford will conduct the Opera Australia Orchestra, followed by Opera Australia’s head of music Tahu Matheson.
This is the future of opera – tradition meets innovation in ways we haven't seen before.
Aida plays from June 19 to July 21 in the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Tickets start at $81 and you can snap them up over here.
