Opera Australia today announced a new production of the iconic musical Guys & Dolls for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in 2025, which will transport audiences to 1950’s Manhattan, a colourful and glamorous world filled with showgirls and gangsters, set against Sydney’s glittering skyline.
Guys & Dolls is one of the finest musicals ever written. From its premiere on Broadway in 1950, which won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, to its 1955 adaptation to a Hollywood film starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando, to its most recent smash-hit revival on the West End, this musical is filled to the brim with toe-tapping tunes, high-energy, vibrant dance numbers, and plenty of laughs.
Breathing fresh new life into this classic musical will be OA’s Artistic Director Jo Davies, who will direct the high-octane production atop a new set designed by Brian Thomson, whose previous Handa Opera on the Harbour credits include La Traviata, Carmen and West Side Story.
The iconic location and a stage that is two and a half times larger than any other in the country present a huge creative opportunity for a production like Guys & Dolls, says director Jo Davies. She will draw on her extensive experience directing large-scale operas and musicals in unique locations worldwide.
“Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is so magical. Just walking through the venue to reach your seat creates such a sense of anticipation. I’m thrilled to be bringing a beloved musical like Guys & Dolls, with its wild ensemble dance numbers and brilliantly sharp comedy, to this incredible stage.
“Presenting this magical 1950s score with a full orchestra and a talented cast on such an epic scale is an exciting prospect,’ said Ms Davies.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW and through the International Foundation for Arts and Culture as Naming Rights Partner, Dr Haruhisa Handa OA’s Patron Chief, and OA’s Principal Partner, HSBC.
| Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon | |
| Music and Lyrics by FRANK LOESSER | Book by
JO SWERLING and ABE BURROWS |
| Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia). | |
Performance dates 21 March – 20 April Evenings 7:30 pm
Excluding Mondays and Good Friday on 18 April
Performed in English
Bookings
Current Opera Australia subscribers can access tickets to Guys & Dolls at their current subscriber discount. Guys & Dolls tickets will also be available in the 2025 subscription packages.
Tickets will be available to the public from Tuesday, 13 August 2024.
For priority pre-sale access to tickets before they go on sale to the public, visit opera.org.au/harbour and join the waitlist.
For bookings and enquiries regarding travel trade for rates, terms and conditions, email tourism@opera.org.au.
Single adult tickets from $79 (fees may apply)
Group and concession prices are available for most performances.
Opera Australia Box Office +61 2 9318 8200, opera.org.au/harbour.
