The trip to Cockatoo Island by ferry to see an opera performed on a purpose-built stage is part of the experience at Opera Australia’s latest outdoor spectacle. And it was clear from the chat among opening night patrons that many of them had not been there before and were excited at the opportunity.

The cast of Carmen on Cockatoo Island, Opera Australia, 2022. Photo © Prudence Upton

The set-up for the event is impressive. Bars, eateries and plenty of tables on a large lawn next to Sydney Harbour offer a place to relax pre-show as the sun sets, while the stage itself has been constructed at Bolt Wharf amongst the historic, industrial buildings and disused cranes. The atmosphere is heightened by yachts that sail past so close you feel you almost touch them, and seagulls squawking overhead, not to mention the initial revving of motorbikes as the opera gets underway.

For its inaugural Cockatoo Island venture, Opera Australia chose Bizet’s crowd-pleasing Carmen with its gypsy rhythms and score packed full of hits. Liesel Badorrek, who directs the production, has adopted a rock aesthetic to match the stark, gritty...