Cameron Mackintosh’s award-winning production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Miss Saigon is set to opened at the Sydney Opera House in August 2023, in partnership with Opera Australia.
Inspired by the 1904 opera Madama Butterfly – which Opera Australia brought back to Handa Opera on the Harbour in March to critical acclaim – Miss Saigon has become one of the most successful musicals in history since its premiere in London in 1989. The original Broadway production of Miss Saigon opened in 1991 and went on to play for nearly ten years.
While this technically spectacular production showcases a talented cast, this popular musical has a complicated legacy that can be difficult to reckon with. Read our three-star review to learn more.
Miss Saigon tells the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim, who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they're torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For three years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son.
The new production is a stunning spectacle, with the cast of 42 performing the soaring score, including Broadway hits like ‘The Heat is On in Saigon,’ ‘The Movie in My Mind,’ ‘Last Night of the World’ and ‘American Dream.’
Young Australian singer Abigail Adriano will make her mainstage lead debut in the coveted role of Kim. Of the hundreds of auditioning hopefuls, 18-year-old old Sydney-born new-comer Abigail was the clear standout. Singing from a young age, Abigail performed in Tim Minchin’s Matilda the Musical when she was 11, and then went on to perform on The Voice Kids Australia and in the Netflix/ABC television series The Unlisted.
The role of Kim has proven to be a career-defining role in musical theatre, launching many
performers to stardom and earning them critical acclaim. Lea Salonga, who originated the role of Kim at age 17, went on to be the first Asian actress to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Also leading the stellar cast is Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer, Nigel Huckle as Chris, Kerrie Anne Greenland as Ellen, Nick Afoa as John, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and Kimberley Hodgson in the role of Gigi.
The casting team spent six months engaging with performers, artists, singers, dancers and acrobats from across all corners of Asia-Pacific in an effort to find the more than 40 talented individuals, representing a diverse range of skills, backgrounds and experiences.
Tickets are on sale now, starting from $75 at opera.org.au.