Davide Livermore's Epic Production of Verdi's Attila to Have Its Australian

Home , Attila (opera)

Opera Australia’s first ever co-production with the prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Verdi’s Attila directed by renowned Italian Director Davide Livermore, will open at the Sydney Opera House on 12 March.

Known for his work with Opera Australia’s innovative digital productions, Livermore fuses together modern and traditional staging for Attila with digital projections, a colossal set and even two live horses. This “blockbuster spectacle” (Financial Times, 2018) premiered to great acclaim in Italy in 2018, receiving a fourteen minute standing ovation from the audience at its conclusion.

Telling the story of the King of the Huns’ invasion of Italy, this revenge opera will feature a world- class cast. Ukrainian bass Taras Berezhansky will return to Australia to make his role debut as the barbarous Attila. Widely praised for his performance as Colline in Opera Australia’s 2019 production of La Bohème, Berezhansky will bring his booming voice and commanding stage presence to the titular role.

Armenian-Australian soprano Natalie Aroyan will join Berezhansky on stage, making her role debut as the warrior princess Odabella. With her career going from strength to strength, Aroyan recently returned from Italy where she performed the title role in Aida at the prestigious Verdi Festival in the composer’s birthplace, Busseto.

Opera Australia favourite, tenor Diego Torre will make his role debut as Odabella’s fiancé Foresto and Italian baritone Simone Piazzola will make his Australian debut as the determined Roman General, Ezio. Rounding out the principal cast are Company principals Virgilio Marino as Uldino and Gennadi Dubinsky as Pope Leo I; both making role debuts.

Italian Maestro Andrea Licata will lead the Opera Australia Orchestra, the fifty-five person strong Opera Australia Chorus and the Opera Australia Children’s Chorus in Verdi’s rarely performed work.

Davide Livermore’s incredible direction, Giò Forma’s formidable sets, D-Wok’s captivating video designs and Gianluca Falaschi’s stunning costumes combined with Verdi’s soaring music and gripping story ensures this production of Attila is nothing short of epic.

Creatives Performance information Conductor Andrea Licata Evenings at 7.30pm Director Davide Livermore Mar 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 25 Rehearsal Director Alessandra Premoli Assistant Director Andy Morton Saturday Matinees at 12.30pm Set Designer Giò Forma Mar 28 Costume Designer Gianluca Falaschi Lighting Designer Antonio Castro Running time Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes Digital Content Designer D-Wok including one interval. Fight Choreographer Troy Honeysett Performed in Italian with English surtitles. Cast Attila Tara Berezhansky Co-production by Teatro alla Scala and Opera Odabella Natalie Aroyan Australia Foresto Diego Torre Ezio Simone Piazzola Bookings Uldino Virgilio Marino Single adult tickets from $48 (fees may apply) Pope Leo I Gennadi Dubinsky Group and concession prices available for most performances. Opera Australia Chorus Student Rush available for most performances Opera Australia Orchestra Opera Australia Box Office (02) 9318 8200

www.opera.org.au

Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Media enquiries Kate Warnock | Publicist | 0419 316 135 [email protected]