The stage at Mrs Macquaries Point has been set up once again for another season of the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. As is occasionally the case, this year, Opera Australia have opted for a musical rather than an opera for their flagship event, with Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story returning for its second season after a run in 2019. 

Immediately drawing the eye of the audience was the stage, set against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Set designer Brain Thomson AM did a superb job of creating a landscape that had just the right amount of grittiness to match the time period as well as a degree of lavishness to draw the audience in. The sets for these productions are always eye-catching, also due to the scale of the outdoor stage, and this was no exception.  

West Side Story is a musical that relies heavily on the strength of its ensemble throughout, especially in its dance numbers. The strength of Kiira Schmidt Carper’s choreography and the implementation of the choreography by the cast was superb throughout the production. The ensemble meshed well together and the choreography was crisp and was performed with purpose and direction. The vocals in the ensemble were somewhat lacking in comparison, feeling quite thin in some of the more climactic numbers. While the elevation of the choreography, perhaps in the casting as well as the performance, was arguably necessary, it did mean that the singing was somewhat compromised. 

The star of this show was undoubtedly Billy Bourchier, who was truly fantastic as Tony. While his voice perhaps did not have the same weight as other iconic interpretations of the main character, he gave a warmth and youthful exuberance to the role that livened up the entire production. His rendition of “Maria” was sublime and his placement on some of the most challenging high notes in theatre at the apex of the song was perfect. While Nina Korbe was more reserved as Maria in comparison, she still gave a commanding performance in her theatrical debut. 

Some other members of the ensemble also stood out, with Manuel Stark Santos stealing every scene he was in as Bernardo. He brought authority and confidence in his theatricality (something that was at times lacking in the other performers) and lifted up the energy on stage during the large ensemble numbers. 

Kimberley Hodgson was also very strong as Anita, combining well with Rebecca Ordiz and the rest of the female Sharks for a powerful rendition of “America” that was both incredibly well sung as well as a much-needed light moment in an otherwise heavy show. Punctuated by the iconic fireworks over Sydney Harbour at the end of the number, this rendition epitomised everything that the Handa Opera is about.

The musical is also blessed with Bernstein’s beautiful score and the Opera Australia orchestra expertly explored all its intricacies, under the expert musical direction of Guy Simpson. Combined with the set design and the other specialities of the Handa Opera, this gave a feel of extravagance which the opening night crowd loved. 

With a large number of cast members making their professional debuts, there were a few minor issues in the production that detracted from the overall performance. Accent work was inconsistent throughout the ensemble and inconsistencies were noticeable. Connection with the source material was also somewhat lacking at times, with the emotion associated with the immigrant experience that the musical grapples with not always coming through. 

Overall, this is a production that shows off all the things that make the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour iconic. From the fireworks to the grand sets and costumes, this is certainly one of the more unique musical theatre experiences around the globe. While not everything in this production completely lands, Bourchier’s Tony and the incredible physicality of the ensemble in the dance scenes, combined with the beauty of Bernstein’s score and Opera Australia’s orchestra are worth the price of admission alone. 

Rating: ★★★★

West Side Story plays at Mrs Macquaries Point until 21^st April. For more information, click here.

Photo credit: Keith Saunders