Celebrate New Year's Eve with Opera Australia

MEDIA RELEASE Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Opera Australia 31 December 2016 | Sydney Opera House

New Year's Eve is the night when Sydney puts on her finest bling, kicks up her heels and shows the world what a gorgeous and sparkly thing she is, as a festival of fireworks ignites the midnight sky. Ringside seats to one of the greatest shows on earth are hard to come by but Opera Australia has some of the best in town, when they take over both the Joan Sutherland Theatre and the Concert Hall in the Sydney Opera House to stage two sensational performances right in the middle of all the action. Expect an extraordinary night of soaring arias, glitz, glamour and excitement that will make for an unforgettable welcome to 2017. “There’s nowhere in the world like Sydney on New Year’s Eve and there’s nowhere closer to the action than the Sydney Opera House. We’ll be presenting a wonderful night of entertainment on the stage while Sydney puts on the spectacular firework show,” said Opera Australia Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini. So leave the heaving crowds behind in Circular Quay and enter the serene glamour of the Sydney Opera House to enjoy a night of world-class entertainment. Opera Australia are presenting two stunning performances on New Year’s Eve: Puccini's classic La Bohème or the entertaining Opera Gala, both of which are timed so that guests don’t miss a moment of the fireworks action. Interval is programmed perfectly to catch the 9pm fireworks and then, after the last notes have been sung, the Midnight Party swings into action in the Northern Foyers of the Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre, giving guests access to the best fireworks vantage point in the world. Topped off with canapés, drinks, dancing and live entertainment, this is an unforgettable (and civilised!) New Year’s Eve celebration in the city’s most iconic and glamorous location. Opera Gala Staged in the magnificent Concert Hall and hosted by the irreverent and irrepressible Jonathan Biggins, this concert will take the audience on a journey through the ages with the world’s most celebrated arias, starring Emma Matthews, Dragana Radakovich, Sian Pendry, Diego Torre and José Carbó. Conducted by the esteemed Brian Castles-Onion, the concert is a showcase of opera’s most popular arias by Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. La Bohème Those who prefer the complete opera experience can enjoy the opening night of La Bohème in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Gale Edwards’ award-winning production dazzles with spectacular sets and costumes that capture the glamour and danger of Berlin in the 1920s.

The Opera Gala Performance information Concert Hall 31 December 2016 at 7:45pm Sydney Opera House Bookings Creatives Tickets from $289 Conductor Brian Castles-Onion Pre-Performance Dinner $439 Presenter Jonathan Biggins Midnight Party $349 Director Johanna Puglisi Platinum Package $1,179

With the Opera Australia Orchestra

La Bohème on New Year’s Eve Performance information Joan Sutherland Theatre New Year’s Eve Sydney Opera House 31 December at 7.45pm Creatives Conductor Carlo Montanaro Bookings Director Gale Edwards Tickets from $150 Revival Director Hugh Halliday Pre-Performance Dinner $439 Rehearsal Director Matthew Barclay Midnight Party $349 Set Designer Brian Thomson Platinum Package $1,259 Costume Designer Julie Lynch

Lighting Designer John Rayment Opera Australia Box Office Cast (02) 9318 8200 Mimì Mariangela Sicilia www.opera.org.au Rodolfo Ji-Min Park

Musetta Taryn Fiebig Marcello Christopher Tonkin Schaunard Shane Lowrencev Media enquiries Colline Richard Anderson Janet Glover | PR Manager Benoit Graeme Macfarlane 0412 601 816 Alcindoro Adrian Tamburini [email protected]