New era for national opera with Jo Davies' first slate

A centrepiece of the Sydney slate is an acclaimed Australian production of Hamlet, which will have its premiere at the Sydney Opera House after runs in the US and UK and at the Adelaide Festival.

Composed by Brett Dean and directed by Neil Armfield, Hamlet premiered at the Glyndebourne Festival in 2017 starring British tenor Allan Clayton (described as a vocal figure skater in the New York Times) who will reprise the role in Sydney.

Another Armfield-directed work on the Sydney program is Watershed, which covers the drowning of George Duncan that led to South Australia decriminalising homosexuality.

"It's great that we can find ways to present these pieces that are almost on the edges of the operatic world but are operatic in their nature," Davies told AAP.

There's the world premiere of a new production of Gilgamesh, directed by Sydney Theatre Company's Kip Williams and composed by Sydney Chamber Opera's Jack Symonds.

It's the first opera in English based on the ancient epic poem, in a collaboration with Sydney Chamber Opera, the Australian String Quartet and Ensemble Offspring.

There's also tried and tested material on Davies' slate: to mark the 100th anniversary since the death of composer Giacomo Puccini, there's Tosca in Sydney, a national tour of La Bohème, and the company's first production of Il Trittico since 2007.

With the appointment of chief executive Fiona Allan in 2021, and Davies last year, Opera Australia became the first major opera company in the world to be led by two women.

New storytelling, gender equity and showcasing Australian talent were missions for Davies when she took the helm at Opera Australia after a tumultuous time for the company.

More collaboration was a priority too, she said.

"I think it's exactly what the company needs to be doing in terms of allowing our art form to regenerate itself, I think it's really, really good."

Davies' appointment followed the resignation of longtime artistic director Lyndon Terracini and an interim program by Lindy Hume which runs until March, featuring La Traviata, Orpheus & Eurydice and The Magic Flute.

For Melbourne, the closure of the State Theatre has meant a dearth of opera from the national company in 2023, but next year will see Opera Australia perform at the Palais Theatre, Hamer Hall, Federation Square, and the recently refurbished Geelong Arts Centre.

Tosca will have its Melbourne run at Margaret Court Arena, the first opera ever staged at the venue.

Davies who is British, says she feels a responsibility to deliver a top class program for the city: if she doesn't, her opera buff Melburnian brother will be very annoying to deal with, she jokes.

The world premiere of Eucalyptus by composer Jonathan Mills is billed as a landmark new Australian work, and will be staged at the Palais Theatre in collaboration with Victorian Opera.

Opera Australia is also presenting the work of an international female composer for the first time, with the premiere of Missy Mazzoli's Breaking the Waves, acclaimed as one of the 21st century's best operas, directed by Melbourne Theatre Company's Anne Louise Sarks.

The ever-popular Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour will feature the musical West Side Story, while Melbourne will also host the world premiere of an all-new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard starring Sarah Brightman.

All this, and Davies has yet to start working full time in one of the most scrutinised roles in Australia's arts scene: her home is currently filled with boxes and bubble wrap, and she is moving Down Under in the next few weeks.

"I'm very excited about the season and to just be there," said Davies.

"I'm desperate to be on the ground."