REVIEW: Tosca (NZ Opera)

September 20, 2015

Tosca truly thrills [by Sharu Delilkan] Tosca‘s opening night, like it’s inaugural one in 1900, was nothing short of a triumph. Everything from the set to the amazing vocals kept us thoroughly entertained with the NZ Opera‘s two hour long performance. Orla Boylan as the beguiling Floria Tosca was mesmerising, to say the least. Her theatrical performance on stage was […]

REVIEW: Don Giovanni (NZ Opera)

September 23, 2014

Striking set sizzles [by Sharu Delilkan] When I heard that the NZ Opera was finally staging Don Giovanni, after it had been performed at the Christchurch Arts Festival last year, I was adamant not to miss this larger than life production. And unlike some productions that promise a lot and deliver very little, this NZ Opera production not only met […]

REVIEW: La traviata (NZ Opera)

June 20, 2014

Shines, not sparkles [by Sharu Delilkan] Auckland really set the scene for the opening night of Giuseppe Verdi’s renowned opera La traviata with grey skies, cutting winds and the occasional burst of cold rain. On a night like this one might wish for a tragi-comedy or an uplifting story of trials and tribulations overcome by love and devotion. However clearly […]

REVIEW: The Flying Dutchman (New Zealand Opera)

October 6, 2013

Ships in the Night? [by Sharu Delilkan] Not having seen a Wagner Opera before I was intrigued to discover what all the fuss was about. The stage curtain represented an old sailing clipper sail, which gave nothing much away as to what we were about to experience, as we were treated to The Flying Dutchman‘s Overture, which unfortunately did seem […]

REVIEW: Madame Butterfly (NZ Opera)

April 19, 2013

Colourful Culture Clash [by Sharu Delilkan] We were welcomed to the opening night of Madame Butterfly by The Edge’s Director Robbie Macrae, billed as the grand opening of the newly refurbished ASB Theatre with improved decor and acoustics. Having seen Madame Butterfly more than a decade before in Hong Kong we were intrigued to see how an American-Asian love story […]

REVIEW: The Bartered Bride (NBR NZ Opera)

September 25, 2012

Bartered then betrothed [by Sharu Delilkan] The word ‘opera’ conjures images of elitism and grandeur among people who don’t frequent the art form. And if you identify with that majority, NBR NZ Opera‘s version of The Bartered Bride would be a great first opera to see. It’s easy to understand, simple storyline and of course it’s highly accessible because it’s […]

REVIEW: Rigoletto (NBR NZ Opera)

June 9, 2012

Decadence, drama and death [by Sharu Delilkan] As I walked into the newly renovated ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre it was impossible not to notice that the carpets had been replaced by the bright parquet flooring and new seats. The light and airy feel gave the theatre the added bit of cheer, which was much needed on an otherwise […]

REVIEW: Cav & Pag (NZ Opera)

September 17, 2011

Double dose delights [by Sharu Delilkan] You can’t go wrong with two for the price of one. But when both the products are not just great value but great quality, you know you’ve struck gold. In this case watching two separate but cleverly intertwined operas, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci more commonly referred to as Cav/Pag, is not just value for […]