WA Opera have announced an exciting performance program for 2019 with a production of Sondheim’s murderous Sweeney Todd appearing alongside more traditional operas.

Perth audiences will get to enjoy the popular La traviata at the annual Opera in the Park. The concert style production will bring Verdi’s masterpiece of love, hope and second chances to a wide audience via the free event, plus the company will perform another Verdi Opera Macbeth for the very first time.

The company’s Artistic Director Brad Cohen will conduct La traviata, with Elena Perroni, Paul O’Neill, James Clayton, Ashlyn Tymms, Rebecca Castellini, Jun Zhang, Mark Alderson, Sam Roberts-Smith and Robert Hoffman in the cast. It’ll be the first time La traviata has been performed at the annual event.

Previously announced, Barry Kosky’s acclaimed production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute will be part of the 2019 Festival of Perth. This version of the much-loved work blends animated film and live action and is set in Germany in the 1920’s during the days of Weimar cabaret.

Ben Mingay will return to the stage at His Majesty’s Theatre for Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. The Demon Barber Fleet Street, together with his accomplice: the proprietor of Ms Lovett’s Pie Shop, will ensure that you’ll never look at a pie in quite the same way again.

With just four performances of the production scheduled for next July – this is sure to be a sellout long before the curtain rises on opening night. Antoinette O’Halloran will play Mrs Lovett, while James Clayton, Matt Reuben James Wardl, Paul O’Neill, Nathan Stark, Emma Pettemerides and Fiona Campbell will round out the cast.

Finally there will be a staging of Verdi’s Macbeth with James Clayton taking on the lead role. The operatic version of Shakespeare’s tale will be produced in October. Despite its long history, it’s the first time the opera has been staged by the company. Brad Cohen will bookend the season by conducting the company’s second Verdi opera for the year.

For tickets to 2019 performances head to the WA Opera site, and if you’re a lover of opera why not just become a subscriber and book for the whole season.

OIP Staff