OPERA: AIDA

Opera Australia is presenting Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida on stage for the first time since 1995, although this is the first new production of the work since 1984.

And it is a most glorious production, one of the best I’ve seen, with all the elements — singers, staging, lighting, orchestra — combining to produce a rich and most memorable operatic experience.

American soprano Tamara Wilson rises to the occasion in her full-bodied and full-throated portrayal of the Ethiopian princess captured by the Egyptians, a role which required a much ‘bigger’ voice than she has been used to singing in Mozart.

With her imposing height and deeply resounding contralto, Milijana Nikolic offered a starkly contrasting foil to Aida, the quality of her voice commanding sympathy even when her actions on stage did not.

Dongwon Shin as the Egyptian captain Radamès, Jud Arthur as the high priest and David Parkin as the king of Egypt were all impressive, as was Michael Lewis as Aida’s father, the king of Ethiopia.

The costumes were magnificent, the stage design was exceptionally beautiful, and the lighting and projections provided a stunning dimension and depth to the production.

But holding all this together was director Graeme Murphy’s wonderful choreography, which managed to capture those characteristic Egyptian frescoes and statues with their sideways representation of human and animal figures and produced many breathtaking moments during the performance.

This is definitely an OA production not to be missed.

Until September 19, Sydney Opera House. $93-250, 9318 8200 or opera-australia.org.au