Opera Australia’s Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour really is a brilliant concept. Take some of our most loved shows and play them in one of the world’s most spectacular harbour settings. Over the last 12 years, the greatest hits of opera and musical theatre have played on the stunning stage alongside the Botanic Gardens and Mrs Macquarie’s Point including Carmen, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly and Phantom of the Opera. But still the biggest hit of all for Opera on the Harbour was the 2019 production of West Side Story and now it’s back in a stunning revival.
Everyone knows the story of the doomed young lovers at the heart of Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents. This is Romeo and Juliet set on the streets of New York in the 1950s. How appropriate that a New York-based opera director, Francesca Zambello, was tasked with staging that first West Side Story in 2019 and has now returned five years on for this revival run.
Everything about this production is big and bold and bright. The spectacular set, designed by Brian Thomson, is a star in its own right, gracing a stage more than twice the size of a regular theatre mainstage. The special non-slip surface means the show can go on even in a storm, although thankfully parkas and ponchos were not required on the perfect evening that we attended.
The complex lighting designed by John Rayment punches above its weight in style and atmosphere. And to add to the uniqueness of the harbour setting, two magnificent fully-illuminated cruise ships sailed past seemingly right on cue.
With the original choreography by Jerome Robbins and a big cast of singers and dancers, this is a wonderful night of musical theatre led by Nina Korbe and Billy Bourchier as the ill-fated young lovers, Maria and Tony. Maria’s cultural and familial loyalty lies with the Puerto Rican street gang The Sharks; Tony’s is with the Polish-American gang The Jets.
Korbe and Bourchier are excellent singers and make the most of all their key moments. Korbe is an award-winning First Nations soprano and shines as Maria. Bourchier is impressive in his lead role debut. He has a strong musical theatre voice and an accomplished stage presence that holds the attention. When he sings ‘I’ve just met a girl named Maria…’ we absolutely feel that he’s in love. The passion between them doesn’t exactly sizzle, but they’re young and sweet and we believe in their romance.
Kimberley Hodgson is also very strong as Anita and is dynamic in her duets with Korbe. All the songs we know and love are performed with verve including ‘America’, ‘Maria’,’I Feel Pretty’ and ‘Tonight’.
The entire cast perform with enthusiasm and the dancing fills the stage with energy and excitement. There were a few issues with the dialogue – are we doing New York accents or not? – and the audio mix sounded overly harsh in parts.
And in a fun (and entrepreneurial) initiative, there is an opportunity for you and me to take part. For $6500 you can buy a walk-on role in the show, including have your hair and make-up done and getting four premium tickets so the family can come and see you on stage.
Hidden away in their own “underworld” beneath the stage, the Opera Australia Orchestra do a superb job under Musical Director Guy Simpson, who also conducted the 2019 production. It seems a shame given the vastness of the set that they can’t be up on stage so we can fully appreciate them. They are taut and firm and give real depth to the score. It is good that they are let out of the underworld to take a well-deserved bow at the end of the show.
Read: Book review: Kind of, Sort of, Maybe, But Probably Not, Imbi Neeme
If there is a criticism to be made here it’s that the production is too big and bright and beautiful. We don’t really feel the danger of being on the mean streets. A little more grit can really enhance this show’s emotional intensity. That said, the spectacular location with views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, the setting sun and the fireworks, and the energy of the cast all make this a fabulous night out and well worth the ticket price.
West Side Story
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Director: Francesca Zambello
Musical Director: Guy Simpson with the Opera Australia Orchestra
Associate Director: Eric Sean Fogel
Revival Choreographer: Kiira Schmidt Carper
Set Design: Brian Thomson
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Sound Design: Des O’Neill
Revival Sound Designer: Jake Luther
Principal Cast: Billy Bourchier, Nina Korbe, Kimberley Hodgson, Patrick Whitbread, Manuel Stark Santos, Wayne Scott Kermond, Scott Irwin, Joe Clements, Doron Chester
Tickets: $39-$349
West Side Story will be performed until 21 April 2024.
