Opera Australia has today confirmed that long-running musical Guys & Dolls will be coming to Sydney’s picturesque Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in 2025.
It appears Opera Australia enjoys the curious cross-section of vintage Manhattan and Sydney Harbour, with Guys & Dolls set to bring a bit of 1950’s New York City glamour to the bespoke stage, which floats on Sydney Harbour backed by panoramic views of both the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
2024’s Handa Opera, a local production of West Side Story, saw great success for the beloved event. It marked the second time the legendary production has headlined Handa Opera, the first being in 2019 when it broke the event’s attendance records with more than 65,000 people snapping up tickets. Opera Australia is yet to confirm attendance numbers for this year’s production.
Guys & Dolls, which first premiered on Broadway in 1950 and has five Tony Awards under its belt, was most recently revived as a West End production in 2023 and went on to become one of London’s hottest tickets in years. It’s hoped similar success will sprinkle down to Sydney Harbour as Opera Australia’s artistic director, Jo Davies, works with set designer Brian Thompson whose previous work for Handa Opera includes La Traviata, Carmen, and West Side Story.
The production, which marries high-octane dance numbers with razor-sharp comedy, has long been considered one of the most imaginative musicals in history. After the runaway success of the original, it was adapted into a Hollywood film starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando, deepening its pop culture credentials and cementing it as one of the most successful musicals in history.
With Handa Opera’s unique offering, Guys & Dolls should align well with what Sydneysiders have come to expect from the brand. That being, big, vibrant dance numbers blended with engaging storytelling and the kind of bombast that looks good with the harbour’s sparkle as the backdrop.
“Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is so magical, just the walk through the venue to reach your set creates a sense of anticipation,” said Davies. “Presenting this magical 1950s score with a full orchestra and a talented cast on such an epic scale is such an exciting prospect.”
The full cast for the Sydney production of Guys & Dolls will be confirmed closer to the dates, which typically runs from mid-April to mid-March.
If you can’t wait for your culture fix, check out the upcoming program for Sydney Contemporary.
