Presented by MM Creative Productions and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The beloved music of Disney comes to life in this magical performance that is sure to delight the Disney-lover in us all
Reviewed by Kat Pech
The Concert Hall – Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point
Until 15th March, 2025
Tickets: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/events/book-now/262590/0
Type: Classical, nostalgic, joyful.
If you liked: The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
There’s something magical about Disneyland the way it delights across generations. Part of that magic is certainly the music, with composers like Hans Zimmer and Lin-Manuel Miranda, alongside many other talents creating spectacular pieces over the decades. Disney in Concert: Live at the Sydney Opera House brings them to life beautifully.
Led by Conductor Jessica Gethin, this performance by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, with soloists Nick Afoa, Christine Allado, Amy Manford, Ruva Ngwenya and Joshua Robson, backed by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is gloriously built, creating a new way to experience the wonder of Disney.
I’d never seen the Sydney Symphony Orchestra before and they were awe-inspiring. The energy and focus of Conductor Jessica Gethin, who also managed fun interactions with the soloists, was incredible to watch. The synchronicity of the violinists’ arms as they played was a stark reminder of the sheer talent and hard-work of each individual. The way the whole orchestra wove the music was breath-taking.
A beautiful touch, alongside the other magical lighting choices by Peter Rubie, was the way the spotlight caught the sparkles on the sleeves of harpist Louisic Dulbecco as she created the most ethereal, glinting sounds. Their performance of the instrumental ‘Battle with the Forces of Evil’, a Tchaikovsky adaptation from Sleeping Beauty, accompanying the visuals of a classic Disney fight scene, gave literal chills.
Amy Manford brought Disney Princess charm with her exceptional way of capturing the unique vocal stylisations of each character. Her ‘Once Upon A Dream’ (Sleeping Beauty) was utterly delightful, with excellent vocal nuance.
Ruva Ngwenya’s smile lit up the entire stage and her voice was incredible throughout her rendition of ‘Zero to Hero’ (Hercules) which was sassy and joyful. Her lead vocals in ‘Nants Ingonyama’ from The Lion King were precise and powerful. In a word, stunning.
Nick Afoa was clearly having a ball throughout his cheeky interactions with Gethin during ‘You’re Welcome’ (Moana) which were infectiously gorgeous, while his rendition of ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ (Mulan) was excellent, with great characterisation and versatility.
Joshua Robson’s version of ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ (The Little Mermaid) was my only “…hmm…” moment of the production. Despite being well sung, I personally didn’t love the overall sound of a male vocalist version. However, his performance of ‘Be Prepared’ (The Lion King) otherwise known as “the best villain song ever” was superb, and made you bounce in your seat to the villainous beat. His rendition of ‘Out There’ (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) was incredibly moving with Robson’s voice showing intense depth and resonance.
…will inspire new love for old favourites, bring new life to classics, and absolutely enrapture audiences of all ages
Christine Allado was a standout performer whose voice was absolutely breathtaking, with incredible power, range, and depth. Allado brought so much emotion to every single note she sang with highlights being ‘How Far I’ll Go’ (Moana) and ‘God Help the Outcasts’ (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), both of which were so moving in very different ways. She was a standout amongst standouts.
When their voices met together, the vocalists voices blended beautifully, creating spine-tingling harmonies. They were joined at times by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, who were also incredible in aiding the overall emotions of the songs. It was an exquisite aural experience overall, and a challenge to pick highlights out of a superb selection.
Each song was accompanied by Disney animations, conveying the emotions and arc of each piece. They largely steered away from simply showing the scene the song originally appeared in, creating new depth from the familiar, and lifting the performances even higher. Seeing the way the animation styles have evolved over the years reinforced how Disney has continued to move with our social zeitgeist.
Disney in Concert: Live at the Sydney Opera House will inspire new love for old favourites, bring new life to classics, and absolutely enrapture audiences of all ages, whether you’re a die-hard Disney fan or a casual viewer. It was a true delight to experience.
THEATRE THOUGHT: How do you feel about “live action remakes” of classic Disney movies? Do they capture the essence or fall short for you?
ARTISTS:
Jessica Gethin – Conductor
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
Christine Allado – Vocals
Nick Afoa – Vocals
Amy Manford – Vocals
Ruva Ngwenya – Vocals
Joshua Robson – Vocals
PRODUCTION TEAM (SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA):
Elizabeth Scott – Chorus Master
Daniel Guo – Rehearsal Pianist
Jem Harding – Rehearsal Pianist
Brett Weymark OAM – Artistic and Music Director
Dr Elizabeth Scott – Associate Music Director
Tim Cunniffe – Assistant Chorus Master and Principal Rehearsal Pianist
MM PRODUCTION TEAM:
Amy Manfod – Co-Founder | Creative Producer
Genevive McCarthy – Co-Founder | Executive Producer
Jessica Gethin – Conductor
Michaeljon Slinger – Movement Director
Christina Polimos – Music Director, Soloists
Des O’Neill – Sound Design
Peter Rubie – Lighting Design
Chadrick Keating – Monitors Engineer
Erin Coubrough – Vision Operator | Assistant Stage Manager
Claire Miller – Wardrobe Assistant
The Peach & Pineapple Co – Public Relations
Workshop Creative – Hero Artwork Design
Monkey London – Artwork Retouching
Stef King – Prop Photography
Zulu Pronunciation Guide – a collaborative effort from Ọdúnìfẹ́ African Language School
With special thanks to Brannon Fells and the teams at Disney Concerts, US and The Walt Disney Company Australia & New Zealand.
