The Convict's Opera
By Stephen Jeffreys, adapted from The Beggar's Opera by John Gay
The world’s first musical - and still one of the best - The Beggar’s Opera is the raucous tale of ladies' man Macheath and sweet Polly Peachum juggling love and deceit in the dirty underbelly of 18th Century London.
In a theatrical coup the opera is reimagined: writer Stephen Jeffreys (The Art of War, The Libertine) and celebrated British director Max Stafford-Clark shift the setting to a creaking convict ship bound for Australia. To pass the time, a group of Second Fleet convicts put on an opera set in the world they’ve left far behind, and will probably never see again.
The Convict's Opera is a unique co-production between Sydney Theatre Company and Out of Joint, Max Stafford-Clark's legendary touring theatre company.
Featuring a cast of talented actor-musicians drawn from Britain and Australia, The Convict’s Opera brings together the classic folk songs of the original with some modern musical surprises - and plenty of infamy, intrigue, fun and romance.
Un Jardin après la Mousson
A serene expression of nature's rebirth after the rain, somewhere in India. A vegetal, floral, spicy eau de toilette.
The Women of Troy
By Euripides
Adapted by Barrie Kosky and Tom Wright
Troy is a ruin. The men are dead, most of the children are dead and the surviving women are herded behind wire, awaiting transportation or (hopefully) death.
Hecuba, their Queen, awaits her uncertain future haunted by memories, visions and prophecies. In a series of hallucinogenic episodes she is visited by her mad, blind daughter Cassandra; her grieving daughter-in-law Andromache and the woman who triggered the whole catastrophe, Helen.
One of the most powerful and compelling anti-war plays ever written, Euripides' tragedy reels with the consequences of destruction.
By distilling the essence of this masterpiece to reveal a disturbing and visceral chamber work, the award-winning team of Barrie Kosky and Tom Wright will once again focus their unique theatrical scrutiny on the realm of mythology illuminating its enduring connection to the contemporary world.
The defeated Queen Hecuba will be played by Robyn Nevin and, in a stroke of revelatory casting, Barrie will have Melita Jurisic portray all three of the other Trojan Women; Andromache, Helen and Cassandra.
Once again STC will play host to Barrie's extraordinary vision resulting not just in a thorough re-examination and re-invigoration of a classic, but of the possibilities of the theatrical form itself.
Orlando
George Frideric Handel
Opera Australia presents Handel’s wild and magical opera, Orlando, in a new production starring Italian contralto Sonia Prina.
Love or war? It is no easy choice for a warrior prince. But in spite of Zoroastro’s warnings to be ware the trials of love, the brave Orlando is struck down by an unrequited passion for Angelica. Orlando, the Renaissance hero, becomes mad, bad and dangerous to know.You can almost hear a beautiful mind falling apart as Handel pushes his instinctive sense of drama and his delicate lyricism to the extreme.
Sonia Prina comes to Sydney for the first time after acclaimed performances of this lovesick prince at the Salzburg Festival. She is joined by Rachelle Durkin as the bewitching Angelica, Tobias Cole as her lover Medoro, Hye Seoung Kwon as Angelica’s foil, Dorinda and Richard Alexander as Zoroastro, the voice of reason.
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
NEW PRODUCTION
Tall, handsome and very, very dark.
Meet the ultimate Love Rat. Charming and unscrupulous, Don Giovanni has stolen kisses and broken hearts across the continent. And wouldn't you fall for a man who looks into your eyes and sings a melting Mozart serenade?
Caught in flagrante, on the run from an ex, and wanted for murder, life is getting complicated, but the Don cannot resist another quick affair. Has opera's great Casanova gone a step too far? Find out as Mozart makes the simplest of melodies reveal the most profound truths.
Joshua Bloom is Leporello, Rachelle Durkin and Kate Ladner play Donna Anna and Catherine Carby is Donna Elvira. As the Don, we welcome Hungarian Gabor Bretz, fresh from appearances in Budapest, Salzburg and La Scala, Milan, for his Australian debut.
Prepare to be seduced by a new production of this timeless tale, directed by the fearless Elke Neidhardt and conducted by Mikhail Agrest.
Axle Whitehead For MARCS Mens
MARCS salutes the arrival of Spring Summer 08, in-stores now! To celebrate, you and a friend are invited to an exclusive MARCS VIP event.
When: Wednesday September 3rd , 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Where: MARCS store, Level 3 (David Jones side)
HEAR - Axle Whitehead perform LIVE in-store, songs from his debut album 'Losing Sleep'
SEE - Models strut their stuff wearing MARCS new season collections
TASTE - Champagne and canapés
WIN - Fabulous prizes on the night
