For the first time in Melbourne, Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s Breaking the Waves will startle audiences, as it has across the world, including acclaimed seasons at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Edinburgh Festival and Adelaide Festival.
Opera Australia will present a Melbourne exclusive, one-night-only semi-staged performance of this contemporary opera on Friday 26 July at Hamer Hall, directed by Melbourne Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Anne-Louise Sarks and conducted by the award-winning Jessica Cottis.
Opera Australia Artistic Director Jo Davies says “Missy Mazzoli is one of the most exciting composers working anywhere in the world. Dubbed by Time Out as ‘Brooklyn’s post-millennial Mozart’, Missy Mazzoli’s adaptation of Lars von Trier’s film has been acclaimed as one of the 21st -century’s best operas,” she said.
“This is Anne-Louise’s first foray into opera and we’re totally thrilled to work with her on this exciting piece – expanding her significant creative output in a whole new direction,” said Davies.
“Opera is an entirely different type of theatre,” says Anne-Louise Sarks. “The sheer drama of the music adds a greater depth and dimension to the storytelling and allows us immediate access to the inner life of these characters. I am looking forward to working with some of Australia’s finest singers and musicians to bring this story to life.”
“Breaking the Waves brings together some brilliant female creatives, composer Missy Mazzoli, conductor Jessica Cottis and designer Marg Horwell are world leaders in their fields and it is so special to collaborate with them on this project,” said Ms Sarks.
Opera Australia filled Hamer Hall last year with its critically successful Satyagraha, and Breaking the Waves presents the perfect opportunity for a musically adventurous audience to once again experience a superb contemporary opera performed by some of the country’s most talented singers and musicians.
In this cast, lyric soprano Jennifer Black will sing as Bess, baritone Duncan Rock will make his debut with Opera Australia as he reprises the role of Jan, following success at Edinburgh and Adelaide Festivals, mezzo soprano Sian Sharp sings Dodo and making a welcome return to OA is Australia’s most highly awarded soprano, Emma Matthews in the role of Mother.
“The most startling and moving new American opera in memory” – Parterre Box
Conductor: Jessica Cottis | Director: Anne-Louise Sarks | Featuring: Jennifer Black, Duncan Rock, Sian Sharp, Gennadi Dubinsky, John Longmuir, Emma Matthews, Kiran Rajasingam, Alex Pokryshevsky, Asher Reichman, Paul Biencourt, Opera Australia Chorus, Orchestra Victoria | Designer: Marg Horwell | Lighting Designer: Paul Jackson | Music: Missy Mazzoli | Libretto: Royce Vavrek | Based on the film by Lars von Trier
Breaking the Waves
Hamer Hall – Arts Centre Melbourne, St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Performance: Friday 26 July 2024
Information and Bookings: www.opera.org.au
Image: Opera Australia presents Breaking The Waves – photo by Nadin Sh