12 November, 2020
Opera Australia will be returning to Uluru, the spiritual heart of Australia, in September 2021 with four magnificent performances planned across one weekend with the spectacular Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and Bruce Munro’s Field of Light Uluru as the backdrop.
This will be Opera Australia’s second performance at Uluṟu, partnering with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, having captivated audiences with its inaugural concert in November 2019. A return visit was planned in 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The event will be held under the stars from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 September 2021 and will provide guests with the opportunity to hear some of the world’s finest music performed in a uniquely Australian setting.
Opera Australia Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini AM, who will host the weekend said: "Opera Australia is thrilled to be teaming up with Voyages and returning to Uluṟu in 2021 with an expanded program. Our first concert there last year proved such a success, we knew we were onto something really special. We were really touched by the feedback we received from guests who were visibly moved by the experience.
"We wanted to build on those foundations and create more opportunities for guests to experience the combination of the majestic Australian landscape and the exquisite talent of our performers. I’m particularly looking forward to the intimate, ethereal sunrise performances in the dunes near the Field of Light, these will be memories that will last a lifetime.”
In 2021, guests will be able to curate their own musical journey by choosing from a range of packages and stand-alone concerts.
The weekend begins on Friday night with an open-air Welcome Dinner, highlighting native bush ingredients, and will feature a performance of sublime arias from the final act of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. The event will take place among the expansive ghost gums at Sails in the Desert.
Two exceptional, intimate dawn performances for only 90 people each will leave guests awestruck as the sun rises over the horizon and bathes Uluru in the morning light. On Saturday, guests can enjoy four of Opera Australia’s finest singers and a string quartet performing a selection of Brahms’ most beautiful love songs, the Liebeslieder Waltzes.
And, on Sunday morning celebrated soprano and accomplished cellist, Taryn Fiebig, will enthral guests with a captivating recital, performing a selection of songs on her cello.
During what will surely be the high point for the weekend, the Gala Concert on Saturday evening will include a performance of famous arias from Bizet, Puccini, Rossini, Verdi and more, accompanied by a chamber orchestra conducted by Tahu Matheson.
the sun sets over the desert backdrop, the evening will be illuminated by the spellbinding colours of celebrated artist, Bruce Munro’s critically acclaimed Field of Light Uluru’s 50,000 glass spheres. The weekend of performances offers a totally unique way to experience the global art phenomenon, which opened at Ayers Rock Resort in 2016.
Matthew Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages, said: “The return of Opera Australia to Uluru in 2021 will give people something to look forward to after such a difficult year. These extraordinary performances will be a true feast for the senses, combining one of the most iconic Australian landscapes with Opera Australia’s awe-inspiring music and the magic of Field of Light Uluru.”
“We know that our guests are drawn time and time again to the magic of Uluru, and that they want to engage in a range of experiences that allow them to gain a deeper enjoyment of the destination, which is why we have worked hard to enable Opera Australia to return to perform in the spiritual heart of Australia,” added Cameron-Smith.
Tickets to the Saturday evening Gala Concert can be purchased as part of a two or three-night package with prices starting from $825.00 per person twin-share, including accommodation at Ayers Rock Resort, return airport transfers and in-room Wi-Fi. Tickets to the three other performances can be purchased individually ranging from $315.00 - $595.00 per person.
For more information go to www.ayersrockresort.com.au/operaaustralia or call 1300 134 044.
A video of last year’s performance can be found at https://youtu.be/WZtC7Eymph0
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About Opera Australia
Opera Australia is recognised as one of the world’s busiest opera companies, presenting more than 600 performances around the country every year. The Company performs regular seasons in the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre Melbourne, as well as extensive touring to regional and rural areas and outdoor events such as the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. In 2021 OA will stage the world’s first fully digital production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
The gala performance will feature:
ROSSINI ‘Largo al factotum’ from The Barber of Seville; BIZET ‘Habanera’ from Carmen; BIZET Toreador Song from Carmen; BIZET ‘Au fond du temple saint’ from The Pearlfishers; PUCCINI ‘Vissi d’arte’ from Tosca; PUCCINI ‘E lucevan le stelle’ from Tosca; DELIBES Flower Duet from Lakmé; PUCCINI ‘Nessun dorma’ from Turandot.”
*Program subject to change
About Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) established to undertake tourism business on its behalf. Voyages offers unique experiences and cultural immersion in spectacular locations around Australia including Ayers Rock Resort in the Northern Territory and the Mossman Gorge Centre, in Tropical North Queensland. Voyages works collaboratively with local communities, respecting and supporting the local Indigenous cultures and offering employment and training opportunities to the local and broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Profits from all business activities are re-invested in the Indigenous and resort experiences and through the various training and development programs in place around Australia.
