Aida - Handa Opera on the Harbour

Overview

The trouble with going to the opera in Sydney is, once you're there, you can no longer see the Sydney Opera House. No stawlwart sails, no gleaming cream tiles, no spiky little silhouette. And what's the fun in that?

But for one month of the year we can have our theatrical cake and eat it too, when Handa Opera on the Harbour sets up at Mrs Macquarie's Point. The floating outdoor opera comes with an eye-popping view of Sydney's natural and artificial bounties, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge beyond. Made possible by the continued funding of philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, the previous three years' shows — La Traviata, Carmen and Madama Butterfly — have proved monumentally successful. At a time when opera is struggling to attract audiences, Opera on the Harbour not only sells tickets but lures in thousands of opera newbies. You don't need to understand opera to understand what makes the occasion great.

This year Handa Opera on the Harbour, probably the best outdoor event in Australia, is going Egyptian for Verdi's Aida, a love triangle of epic, war-starting proportions. With Gale Edwards directing, the set by Mark Thompson promises to top last year's floating sun with the giant head of Queen Nefertiti, plus plenty of other aesthetic surprises. Fresh Catering will again be creating the themed menus for the pop-up dining precinct, which includes three-course dinners in The Platinum Club and light snacks on the harbourside promenade.