Overview
- The Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour staging, which opened Friday in a pop-up outdoor theatre, runs through May 3 and anchors the show’s 40th anniversary.
- Opera Australia cast 22-year-old Jake Lyle, a Gladstone-born newcomer, in his debut as the Phantom.
- Australian soprano Amy Manford returns as Christine Daaé, while Jarrod Draper makes his first outing as Raoul.
- Producers reported more than 70,000 tickets sold, surpassing any previous Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour season.
- Reviews praised the scale, design, and musical force from a reunited creative team, while noting the story feels dated to some modern audiences.