- Internationally-renowned director and choreographer Sasha Waltz to deliver lavish production of Dido & Aeneas in Southern Hemisphere Exclusive

SYDNEY, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Destination New South Wales (NSW), the NSW Government's leading tourism and major events agency, and Sydney Festival have announced the headline act for 2014 - operatic masterpiece, Dido & Aeneas.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130807/HK59315-a )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130807/HK59315-b )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130807/HK59315-c )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130807/HK59315-d )

Henry Purcell's Baroque opera will be brought to life by the reigning queen of contemporary dance culture Sasha Waltz during her first visit to Australia. The critically acclaimed production opens with a unique underwater prologue, as dancers are literally submersed in Purcell's music in a giant, Perspex tank.

The production at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 16-21 January 2014 will feature 60 dancers, singers and musicians from Sasha Waltz & Guests and the Berlin Academy for Ancient Music.

"Sydney in summer is always spectacular particularly as Sydney Festival, Australia's premier arts and cultural event and a highlight of the city's vibrant annual events calendar, takes over Sydney's streets, parks, theatres and iconic locations with an array of dance, opera, theatre and musical performances," said Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase.

"I congratulate 2014 Festival Director Lieven Bertels on securing Dido & Aeneas by Sasha Waltz as part of the 2014 Festival Program. It promises to be a breath-taking performance and the kind of cultural experience for which Sydney Festival is renowned."

Destination NSW will promote travel packages to the Festival internationally encouraging visitors to experience the wonder of this production in Australia's cultural capital, Sydney.

Sydney Festival Director, Lieven Bertels, said: "Sydney Festival is thrilled to be able to confirm the first landmark project for 2014. This will be Sasha Waltz's first ever visit to Sydney, with a production that is unique in its collaborative spirit, bringing together multiple art forms, and in its unusual scale, both in manpower and the use of advanced stagecraft techniques."

Ms Chipchase said the Festival attracts visitors from all over the globe who come to Sydney specifically for the world-class events staged here over three weeks in January.

"Last year's Festival attracted an audience of over half a million people across 23 days. It featured 121 sold out performances with over 120,000 tickets sold across 321 ticketed performances."

Tickets for Dido & Aeneas are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com.au. The full 2014 program will be announced in October.

Sydney Festival travel packages will be available shortly. Go to www.sydney.com for more information.

For images go to: https://picasaweb.google.com/101385668972905402650/EarlyAnnouncementOfDidoAeneas?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPbAycbh4rrmMg&feat=directlink

For video footage go to:
http://youtu.be/7761GCQhGSg

SOURCE Destination NSW