Opera / “La Stupenda: A Joan Sutherland Celebration”, Opera Australia. At Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House until August 22. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS

It was a happy decision for Opera Australia to close its 70th winter season with two gala concerts celebrating Dame Joan Sutherland in the centenary year of her birth.

One of opera’s greatest voices, Sutherland inspired generations of Australian singers and remains central to the company’s history.

Equally apt was the choice of Jessica Pratt as principal artist. Internationally acclaimed in the demanding bel canto repertoire that made Sutherland famous, Pratt is regarded as a natural successor. Directed by Stuart Maunder and hosted by ABC presenter Laura Tingle, the program drew thoughtfully on operas closely associated
with Sutherland’s career.

Rossini’s sparkling overture to Semiramide recalled Sutherland’s celebrated 1983 performance and introduced conductor Speranza Scappucci in an impressive Opera Australia debut. Her crisp, confident direction drew responsive playing from the orchestra and vital singing from the cast.

A stirring scene from Mozart’s Don Giovanni opened the vocal program, with John Longmuir, Luke Gabbedy, Shane Lawrencev, Jane Ede, Jennifer Black, Sidra Nissen and Jake Lyle combining effectively. Caitlin Hulcup and Black offered an exquisite Flower Duet from Delibes’ Lakmé, followed by the Ghost Trio from Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, engagingly sung by Ede, David Parkin and Hulcup. The Opera Australia Chorus then brought warmth and serenity to Mozart’s Idomeneo.

However, Pratt’s extended appearances in Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor and Lucrezia Borgia made the evening unforgettable. Mindful of Sutherland’s cherished interpretations, Pratt’s performances were thrilling in their own right. Her dazzling technique dispatched bel canto’s intricacies with apparent ease, while her instinctive
theatricality made each scene far more than a vocal display.

For Norma, Pratt swept onstage in black silk lavishly trimmed with gold. Her poised “Casta Diva” contrasted tellingly with Norma’s fury when the young priestess confessed her love for Norma’s unfaithful lover. No less arresting was Pratt’s entrance in a blood-soaked gown for Lucia di Lammermoor, or her anguish as Lucrezia Borgia realised she had poisoned her son.

Her use of costume, meticulous response to the text and ability to sustain a final pose through tumultuous applause made her riveting. Tenor Kang Wang supported her admirably as Pollione in Norma and Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia. Hulcup was a touching Adalgisa, while Parkin as Raimondo and Dalibor Jenis as Enrico added
drama to Lucia di Lammermoor.

Maunder wisely reserved the final word for Sutherland. A montage of her performances accompanied concertmaster Matthieu Arama’s lustrous Méditation from Thaïs, before footage of Sutherland’s 1990 Sydney Opera House farewell filled the theatre with her image and unmistakable voice singing Home Sweet Home.

It was a moving conclusion to a beautifully judged celebration that honoured an incomparable Australian artist while confirming Pratt as a compelling custodian of the bel canto tradition.

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