Ben Apfelbaum

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE — THE OPERA (THE EIGHTH WONDER)

This Opera was composed by Alan John and  with co- librettist  Dennis Watkins has been renamed for its twentieth anniversary performance. It was first staged in 1996 and televised by ABC tv.

As part of the Handa Productions’ outdoor spectacles the Opera was performed on the Opera House steps by a dozen of Australia’s finest singers who played forty different characters. Giant screens  display historic photos of the Houses’ construction and platforms glide across the hundred metre wide steps to ensure that there are expeditious scene changes. Gerry Connolly reprises his role as the Queen who opened the Opera House.

It tells the history of the Opera House from its genesis through its troubled construction period including the Architects’ resignation, the cost blow-outs, and its opening against all odds. It also shows the behind the scenes political jostling which threatened its existence as well as the cultural milieu wherein discussions about the Opera House took place (including a backyard barbie complete with hills hoist).

However the truly unique aspect of this performance is that it is the first time Australian Opera has staged a silent Opera. The chorus and orchestra performed live in the Opera House interior whilst the soloists on the steps are miked and the combined sound transmitted to  state of the art  Audio  Technica headphones which achieved the perfect balance between vocals and orchestra. It  runs till November 5.

All images by Ben Apfelbaum.

https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/detail?prodid=112985&noloc=true

 

 

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.