Melbourne Premiere of cult classic film-turned-opera Breaking the Waves

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 26 July at Hamer Hall, directed by Melbourne Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Anne-Louise Sarks and conducted by the award-winning Jessica Cottis.

This will be Sarks first foray into opera which is something she says offers an exciting opportunity to expand her creative output in a new direction.

Opera is an entirely different type of theatre, 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.

Ms Sarks:

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.

Dubbed by Time Out as “Brooklyn’s post-millennial Mozart”, Mazzoli is one of the most exciting composers working anywhere in the world and her adaptation of von Trier’s film has been acclaimed as one of the 21st century’s best operas.

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.

For the culturally curious under the age of 35 there will be a limited supply of $35 tickets up for grabs via OA’s recently launched Under 35s program. The offer will go live on 9 July for all members of the program which anyone aged 35 and under can sign up for on the Opera Australia website at no cost.

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Season Details

Venue: Hamer Hall| Arts Centre Melbourne
Date: 26 July 2024

For more information click HERE