Due to the extension of the NSW Government’s stay-at-home restrictions and subsequent Health Orders, Opera Australia has announced it is unable to proceed with the remainder of its winter season at the Sydney Opera House.
The ongoing restrictions have prevented Opera Australia from adequately preparing and performing during this time.
Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini expressed the Company’s disappointment.“It’s incredibly disappointing that we’re not able to continue with our winter season, when so much hard work and preparation had been done by all our talented staff and performers,” he said.
“However we’d like to reassure everyone that all this hard work will not go to waste and we are endeavouring to reschedule all the productions into future seasons,” said Mr Terracini.
The Sydney winter season had included four productions, Aida, Attila, Otello and The Tales of Hoffmann plus a series of Great Opera Hits concerts, with 37 performances in total.
The season opening performance of Aida on 22 June was the only show staged before the lockdown. All productions are expected to be postponed to future Sydney seasons.
In the meantime, Opera Australia is committed to ensuring all cast and crew, along with permanent and casual staff, will be paid during the current lockdown period to the end of the month through its paid pandemic leave program, and the assistance of the Federal and State Government’s arts stimulus package.
For more information about Opera Australia, visit: www.opera.org.au for details.
Image: Opera Australia’s 2021 production of Aida at the Sydney Opera House – photo by Prudence Upton