Dvořák's Rusalka at Sydney Opera House
About the Event
Dive into the captivating Sydney Opera House and experience an operatic performance designed to deepen your appreciation for opera at its most exquisite.
Mysterious enchantments stir beneath the surface.
And even deeper enchantments within her soul.
Rusalka yearns for more: for brightness, for affection, for a life beyond her aquatic domain. The mermaid sacrifices all in pursuit of her desires. Yet, she cannot foresee the true cost of her quest, nor whether the soul she yearns for justifies her immense losses.
Australian soprano Nicole Car, known for her rare vocal talent, has dazzled audiences globally for years. Now, witness her breathtaking debut in the role of Rusalka.
Dvořák's lush, Romantic score transports audiences into a surreal realm of light and darkness. His compositions, rich with complex harmony and expansive melodies like the renowned ‘Song to the Moon’, set a scene where mystical allure converges with lurking dangers.
Long before Disney popularized The Little Mermaid, folklore across different cultures spun narratives of water nymphs dreaming of terrestrial lives. Dvořák meshes these tales with Slavic legends of perilous sirens.
Director Sarah Giles, celebrated for her recent triumph with La Traviata, introduces a riveting new take on Dvořák's melodious opera. With hauntingly beautiful costumes by Renée Mulder and an evocative set by Charles Davis, the production casts a spellbinding blend of enchantment and hazard.
The ensemble includes talents such as Austrian‐Australian tenor Gerard Schneider, Warwick Fyfe, Ashlyn Tymms, and Natalie Aroyan, completing an exceptional lineup.
Practical Information
Performed in Czech with English surtitles.
Cast / Production
Conductor: Johannes Fritzsch
Director: Sarah Giles
Set Designer: Charles Davis
Costume Designer: Renée Mulder
Lighting Designer: Paul Jackson
Video Designer and Content Creator: David Bergman
Movement Director and Intimacy Coordinator: Dr Lyndall Grant
Rusalka: Nicole Car
The Prince: Gerard Schneider
The Water King: Warwick Fyfe
The Duchess: Natalie Aroyan
Ježibaba: Ashlyn Tymms
First Wood Sprite: Fiona Jopson
Second Wood Sprite: Jennifer Bonner
Third Wood Sprite: Helen Sherman
Gamekeeper: Andrew Moran
Kitchen‐Boy: Sian Sharp
Huntsman: Malcolm Ede
Opera Australia Orchestra
Opera Australia Chorus
