Elijah Moshinsky’s much loved and genuinely funny production of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE will return to the Sydney Opera House for its 30th anniversary season in January 2025, and to celebrate Opera Australia is offering 30 tickets for only $30 each for every performance in its six-week run.
This acclaimed staging of Gioachino Rossini’s classic comedy is dazzling with its fabulous characters and life-sized doll’s house set that, combined with easily recognisable tunes performed by an all-star cast, offers a perfect introduction to opera.
The $30 ticket promotion is just one of many initiatives OA has implemented with the aim of making opera more accessible to people eager to explore the artform.
CEO Fiona Allan said, “We are constantly looking for new avenues that opens opera up to new audiences and being able to share the magic of Moshinsky’s wonderful production of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE one that has truly endured the test of time, is particularly exciting.
“Schemes like the $20 Susan & Isaac Wakil Foundation Access Program, our Under 35’s project and our Opera for Students program have all become very popular over the years and we will continue to develop new ideas in line with our audience development strategies,” said Ms Allan.
Rossini’s fast-paced, quick-witted masterpiece, with some of the most recognisable arias in the canon, THE BARBER OFSEVILLE is the only comic opera to have held its own among the iconic tragedies of the nineteenth century.
To tackle its famous ‘Largo al factotum’, known as “Fi-ga-ro! Figaro! Figaro!”, will be Australian baritone Samuel Dale Johnson making his mainstage Opera Australia debut as the mischievous barber Figaro.
Joining him will be Italian mezzo soprano Serena Malfi, in her first Australian appearance, sharing the role of Rosina with Helen Sherman, while local tenors John Longmuir and Shanul Sharma will perform Count Almaviva, all accompanied by the Opera Australia Chorus.
Conductor Daniel Smith will start the season guiding the Opera Australia Orchestra followed by OA Head of Music Tahu Matheson.
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE will play the Joan Sutherland theatre, Sydney Opera House on the evenings of January 18, 21, 29 February 1, 5, 8, 13, 15, 17, 19, 24, 26, 28 at 7.30pm and Saturday matinees on January 25 and February 22.
The opera will be performed in Italian with English subtitles.
How to be in the running for $30 tickets
Enter the ballot – go to the Opera Australia website and complete the form for your chance to win two $30 tickets* to a performance of The Barber of Seville at the Sydney Opera House.
All winners for each performance will be drawn and notified via email on Wednesday 8 January 2025. Winners will have 48 hours to redeem tickets to the performance date drawn.This offer excludes Premium Reserve and are subject to availability.
