Music by Antonin Dvořák. Libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil. Opera Australia. Conducted by Johannes Fritzsch. Directed by Sarah Giles. Set Design: Charles Davis. Costume Design by Renée Mulder. Lighting by Paul Jackson. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. July 19 – August 11, 2025
This was an utterly enchanting night in the opera with music, design and performance combining for thrilling effect.
The story is most accessible, based in part on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, with the narrative taking place under the sea, and on land in palaces and forests.
It smooths over the unfamiliar feel of the lyrics, sung in Czech, which sound like a mixture of German and Russian