Acclaimed Welsh actor and producer Michael Sheen (The Twilight Saga, Frost/Nixon, The Queen, Tron: Legacy, Masters of Sex, Good Omens, Amadeus) will star as Salieri in a gripping new  production of Peter Shaffer’s Tony and Academy Award®-winning masterpiece Amadeus.

Portraying the glorious  artistic rivalry of two great classical composers – Salieri and Mozart – the show is the first event to be announced as  part of the Opera House’s year-long 50th anniversary celebrations, supported by the NSW Government. The  ambitious contemporary production combines theatre, opera and classical music with lavish costumes directed by  Australian fashion house Romance Was Born. It will be staged in the newly transformed Concert Hall from 27 December, 2022 – 21 January, 2023.  

The new production is directed by multi award-winning director Craig Ilott (Smoke & Mirrors, American Idiot, Betty Blokk Buster Reimagined) and will feature forty performers, including actors, opera singers and musicians from The Metropolitan Orchestra fused into the on-stage drama. It brings to life Mozart’s timeless music, including; ‘The Magic Flute’, ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ and ‘The Abduction from the Seraglio’. Two Sydney-based actors will star in key roles: Heath Ledger Scholarship recipient Rahel Romahn (Here Out West, Shantaram, Lord of The Flies, THE PRINCIPAL) will play Mozart, and New York-trained Lily Balatincz (Constellations, The Eggs, Stop the Virgens) will perform the role of Constanze Mozart. 

The play reimagines the lives of Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in a narrative fuelled by power, jealousy, revenge, and symphonies. It reveals Salieri’s inner torment as he grapples with Mozart’s genius and sets out to destroy the brilliant, flamboyant young star. It explores life’s big questions: ambition, legacy, and who among us  deserves ‘genius’. It was first performed in 1979 at the Royal National Theatre, London, and went on to play in the West End and on Broadway. It won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play, and Shaffer adapted it for the 1984 film of the same name directed by Milos Forman, which won eight Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, four BAFTA Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. 

From October 2022, the Opera House kicks off a year-long season of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Australia’s cultural icon. The full program of events and performances will be announced later this year and is enabled by the NSW Government’s Blockbuster Funding initiative. The anniversary coincides with the completion of the Opera House’s Decade of Renewal. 

Michael Sheen is a multi-award-winning actor known for his extensive work across film, TV and stage, as well as his  charity work supporting emerging writers in “A Writing Chance”. Michael Sheen was nominated for an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Mozart in Amadeus at the Old Vic, London in 1998. He has vast credits in film, television and the stage  spanning Hollywood and independent titles.  

Co-presented and produced by leading Sydney-based independent theatre presenter Red Line Productions (Betty Blokk-Buster Reimagined, A View From The Bridge, This Much is True, and custodians of Sydney’s legendary Old Fitz Theatre). Directed by Craig Ilott, Costume Direction by Romance Was Born, Costume Design by Anna  Cordingley, Set Design by Michael Scott Mitchell, Lighting Design by Nick Schlieper, Movement Director Samantha Chester and Sound Design by Tony David Cray, create a contemporary staging that features The  Metropolitan Orchestra led by Musical Director Sarah-Grace Williams. 

This project is proudly supported by the NSW Government through the Blockbusters Funding initiative. EVENT

DETAILS 

WHAT: AMADEUS BY PETER SHAFFER

WHEN: 27 December 2022 – 21 January 2023 

WHERE: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House 

TICKETS: From $75 plus booking fee 

https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/events/whats-on/theatre/2023/amadeus.html

Sydney Arts Guide has two double passes to give away to the performance of AMADEUS   on Tuesday 27 December at 7pm. editor.sydneyartsguide@gmail.com with AMADEUS PROMOTION in the subject heading and your postal address and your mobile phone number in the body of your email. The winners will be advised by email.