I thought Macbeth was a play?

It is a play… that’s been turned into an opera! Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi had a long-standing respect and love for Shakespeare and adapted a few of his plays into operas, including Macbeth.

Will it be weird hearing people sing the play?

Shakespeare may have written in English but Verdi composed in his native tongue so this opera is sung in Italian with English surtitles projected above the stage.

OK, tell me more about the music, then.

Macbeth is a play about the physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power so expect a dramatic and intense score. Verdi’s music sets the scene and gives you a unique insight into the titular character’s internal struggles. Queensland Symphony Orchestra will perform live under the baton of Chief Conductor Umberto Clerici.

Who’s on stage?

Baritone José Carbó making his debut as Macbeth, Anna Louise-Cole makes her Brisbane debut as Lady Macbeth and Rosario La Spina is Macduff. Other singers include Wade Kernot, Carlos Bárcenas, Dominique Fegan and Shaun Brown, all accompanied by the mighty Opera Queensland Chorus.