You can’t blame an opera company for trying. With the State Theatre closed for renovations, the CBD theatres occupied by musicals and an opera fraternity long dissatisfied with its offering – Opera Australia had to try something different. Coupled with a recently announced, new artistic director Jo Davies was always going to need to find innovative ways to appease Melbourne’s operatic appetite. Opera in Margaret Court Arena, however, leaves a sour taste in one’s mouth and a sore back to boot.
This staging from Opera North makes great use of a huge circular church dome throughout. The dome and intense use of lighting made the act III finale, which often comes off as naff, incredibly successful. It was a shame, though likely a venue-induced necessity, for conductor Garry Walker and Orchestra Victoria go mostly unseen. Barring minor amplification imbalances, the music was faultless.