Oscar and Lucinda

Composer

Elliott Gyger

Librettist

Pierce Wilcox, after Peter Carey

Presented by

Sydney Chamber Opera

Location

Carriageworks

Duration

130 mins

Suitability

Performance Language

English

DESCRIPTION

A co-production and co-commission of Sydney Chamber Opera, Opera Queensland and Victorian Opera

Peter Carey’s beloved novel is one of our nation’s artistic triumphs, winner of the Booker and Miles Franklin Awards. Composer Elliott Gyger reunites with librettist Pierce Wilcox to transform Carey’s kaleidoscopic tale into a new landmark of Australian opera, directed by Patrick Nolan.

She is an orphaned proto-feminist industrialist; he believes he is touched by God. They have nothing in common – except their maddening addiction to gambling. She calls it chance; he calls it providence. Oscar and Lucinda find each other in colonial-era Sydney, and nothing will keep them apart. Until they are torn by a wild dream: to build a cathedral of pure glass, and walk it into the Australian outback.

Oscar and Lucinda is a bonfire of the passions within every human soul. It is impossible, romantic, and visionary. Like a church made of glass.

Further information about Composer Elliott Gyger and Librettist Pierce Wilcox can be found on the Australian Music Centre website.

Program Music Libretto part 1 Libretto part 2

Oscar Hopkins Brenton Spiteri
Lucinda Leplastrier Jessica Aszodi
Elizabeth Leplastrier/ Betty Stratton/ Miriam Chadwick Jane Sheldon
Dennis Hasset/ Wardley-Fish Mitchell Riley
Theophilus Hopkins/ Arthur Phelps/ Percy Smith Simon Lobelson
Rev. Stratton/ Boatman/ Mr Jeffris Jeremy Kleeman

with
Musicians: Peter Clark, Veronique Serret, James Wannan, Henry Justo, Judith Hamman, Paul Zabrowarny, Muhamed Mehmedbasic, Ben Opie, Jasper Ly, Jason Noble, Georgina Oakes, Gergely Malyusz, Neil O’Donnell, Ben Kopp, Emily Granger, Claire Edwardes