In a welcome and surprising return, Opera Australia has brought back Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera.
The last time that Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour had a production of Phantom of the Opera was four years ago in 2022. I had really wanted to go up to see it, but unfortunately missed it. So, you can imagine my excitement when Opera Australia announced the musical would return to its unique stage, in celebration of Phantom of the Opera’s 40th anniversary. And this time, I wasn’t passing up seeing one of the greatest musicals of all time on Sydney Harbour!
Flying up from Melbourne, I arrived early to collect my tickets from the box office. The show wasn’t scheduled to start for a few hours, but considering Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is an experience, I wanted to make sure I was there from the beginning. The gates open from 5pm and there are actually several different dining options you can choose from when you arrive.
While the HSBC Platinum Club area can only be pre-booked for two-course or three-course gourmet meals, including interval access for drinks and canapes, there are other food areas with casual dining which consist of the Garden Bar, Southern Terrace, Northern Cantina, and the Feel New Sydney Northern Terrace. From warm bites, small bites to hot meals, every dining location has a different menu.
Not knowing any better, I went straight to the Garden Bar first and picked out a Ham & Comté cheese croissant scroll and then went upstairs to sit at the Southern Terrace to eat. I actually misunderstood the fact that the Feel New Sydney Northern Terrace was not actually part of the HSBC Platinum Club. Although, considering it was my first time attending Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. I genuinely didn’t know any better.
The Ham & Comté cheese croissant was actually really filling for me, and afterwards, I wandered around the venue. If you like sharing on your socials of your experiences, there’s actually plenty of photo opportunities on either side of the venue. The staff on site are super nice letting you and even helping you take photos on the red carpet at the entrance. There’sa picture frame you can pose with, and at the right angle, can have the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House in the background of your photo, perfectly framed. There’s also the gondola that you can pose with on the other side of the stage. I really liked this photo opportunity as in the evening, part of the gondola actually lights up with a red light, and it looks really cool!
As the stage is by the water, there is no theatre per se, and no curtains to cover anything, leaving this show with nowhere to hide. I found this really fascinating, as you feel like you’ve been given an exclusive of behind the scenes. If you come early enough, you can see the crew test the fire on stage, witness the cast warm up, and watch in awe as a giant crane carries the chandelier into place. It takes a village and a lot of moving parts for this production to work, and it was nice to see it all in motion. If this isn’t enough, there’s also a 20-minute pre-show backstage tour that you can add-on with your ticket. Admittedly, I didn’t even know this was an option until I saw a bunch of excited patrons follow a guide beneath the stage. I was completely jealous!
If you’re after merchandise, there’s two major stores on either side of the stage. The last time Phantom of the Opera was staged in Melbourne, I really wanted a teddy bear, but it was sold out. So, you can imagine my utter delight when the bear was in stock for this production! There are other options besides a Phantom teddy bear which include a cap, t-shirts, hoodie, fan, pin, magnet, and of course an extensive program book which has some great shots of rehearsals and the special stage being set up on the harbour. If you want merch, make sure you buy everything you want beforehand, as there’s no online store for this production and it does take a bit of effort to leave the venue after the show.
From the opening notes of the Phantom of the Opera overture, I had chills and was super excited to see this unique production. At first, I was a little confused at certain points on who was singing, as there’s no follow spotlight, but I quickly followed the show fine after getting used to it.
Directed by Simon Phillips, musical supervision by Guy Simpson, set and costume design by Gabriela Tylesova, production wise, the show waits until the sun has mostly set before getting started. With the ocean water lapping up against the shore, the city lights glowing in the distance behind the stage, and the stars adoring the night sky, it’s hard not to love an environment and unique experience like this one.
The stage is intentionally tilted forward and appears in a somewhat circular shape. As the stage is outdoors, there are no fly wires. Everything is reliant on cranes, the mechanics of a moving platform, and flames at the appropriate moments. The chandelier is practically an additional character in this production, and I must confess, part of the excitement was seeing the show set up, a crane pulling up the chandelier to hover above us and take its place on the special Sydney stage. The stage is also massive! It’s impressive enough to watch the cast get from one side of the stage to the other, all while dancing and singing flawlessly.
For the uninitiated, set in France, the Phantom of the Opera is a gothic themed tale and love triangle between The Phantom, a musical genius with a disfigured face that lives beneath the opera house (Jake Lyle), Christine Daaé (Amy Manford), a young beautiful chorus girl and budding soprano, and Raoul –Vicomte De Chagny (Jarrod Draper), a handsome viscount and childhood friend of Christine’s.
Stand out performances include Raphael Wong is great as Passarino with a booming and wonderful voice, Jayme Jo Massoud who is lovely as sweet ballerina Meg Giry, Daniel Belle is great as Ubaldo Piangi, the counterpart to Giuseppina Grech’s Carlotta Giudicelli who is hilarious as her vocals are divine. It was so good to see Debora Krizak back on stage as Madame Giry, plus Brent Hill and Martin Crewes are ridiculously delightful and addictive as dynamic duo Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André, especially when everyone’s voices bloomed in unison to ‘Prima Donna’ and ‘Masquerade’.
Jarrod Draper is sublime as Raoul and shines during ‘Think of Me’, ‘Little Lotte’, ‘Prima Donna’, ‘All I Ask of You’, and ‘Track Down This Murderer’. This is Draper’s first time in a Phantom of the Opera production, and yet he fits into the role with ease. His stage presence is captivating and his voice soars, solidly sitting next to his co-stars Amy Manford and Jake Lyle. I also love how Draper is a person of colour in the role of Raoul, and so dashingly handsome. Even when Draper is not singing, you can’t help but look at him to see how Raoul is reacting to Christine, The Phantom, or even the two together. I daresay, Draper is the best Raoul I have seen yet.
Amy Manford is no stranger to Phantom of the Opera and was part of the theatrical national tour from 2011-2022. If you had missed her Christine Daaé or enjoyed her in the role previously, this production provides you the opportunity to see her in the iconic role again. Her vocals are divine, wowing audiences especially during ‘Think of Me’, ‘All I Ask of You’ and the signature ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ track. The way that Manford portrays Christine with an inquisitive, yet intelligent innocence is just so refreshing.
Finally, Jake Lyle. At the tender age of only 22, I can’t believe that this is Lyle’s professional debut! To quote the character Meg Giry, “Where in the world have you been hiding? Really you were perfect.” Lyle’s vocals are unbelievable, and his Phantom? Pure perfection. I found my jaw dropping on multiple occasions, but especially during the songs ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘The Music of the Night’, ‘The Point of No Return’. One of my favourite moments during this incredible production is when I witnessed Lyle’s Phantom silhouette materialise on the giant staircase, accented by the beauty of Sydney city skyline, just like I’d expect Batman would!
Knowing that there were fireworks in this production, I had thought that they’d only be celebratory at the end, but was gladly proven wrong. The pyrotechnics on stage and the fireworks behind that flew into the Sydney night sky are seamlessly part of the show.
Overall, if you’re thinking about heading over to see Phantom of the Opera, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour style, definitely do it! This phenomenal must-see Phantom of the Opera production is one that you will fondly look back on over your lifetime.
There is something so unique and magical about seeing a musical production with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House as a backdrop. I often found my eyes wandering from the stage to simply admire the atmosphere of the ocean sounds and movements, as well as view the stars above that were also outside with us, witnessing this bold, brave and spectacular production. There really is no experience like it.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera is currently playing for a limited season in Sydney until May 3rd.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://opera.org.au/productions/the-phantom-of-the-opera-on-sydney-harbour
https://opera.org.au/sydney/opera-on-sydney-harbour/dining-drinks-at-handa-opera-on-sydney-harbour
https://www.instagram.com/operaaustralia
Photography by Daniel Boud.
