In 2022, Sydney Harbour was transported to Paris’ le Palais Garnier for the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s production of Phantom of the Opera.

Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s groundbreaking musical has been a mainstay of the repertoire on both the West End and Broadway for decades. It tells the story of our misunderstood protagonist, the so-called Phantom of the Opera, who, cast out and shunned because of his facial disfigurements, has sequestered himself in the cistern-like labyrinth of the opera house. His only contact with the outside world is through music, and specifically his love interest, Christine Daaé.

HOSH was proud to welcome Sir Andrew to the opening night in March 2022, where Sir Andrew not only watched the performance but DJ’d at the opening night after party, his Phantom remixes playing out over the calm waters of the harbour. Watch video. But, as if the phantom himself had heard, his set was cut short but a truly otherworldly rainstorm — the perfect dramatic ending! Alongside HOSH’s now infamous fireworks, this production came with its own challenges, namely: how, with an open-air stage, do you have the famous chandelier scene falling onto the audience? For more on this, see our interview with Opera Australia’s set designer on the particular challenges that this production entailed.