Benjamin Britten’s extraordinary Canticles – five independent masterpieces grappling with desire and faith – were written across a 27-year period for his partner in life and work, the tenor Peter Pears. These were given the Sydney Chamber Opera treatment in Awakening Shadow, an exploration and reinterpretation of Britten’s music paired with new provocations from Australian composer Luke Styles.

Sydney Chamber Opera’s Awakening Shadow. Photo © Zan Wimberley

Playing at Carriageworks in Sydney’s Redfern, the new production had all the elements to create an auditory and visual feast – daring direction from Imara Savage, new video works from Mike Daly, exciting costume and set design from Elizabeth Gadsby, thrilling lighting design from Alexander Berlage, and of course, exceptional music-making and vocal casting from Music Director Jack Symonds. But spectacular ingredients don’t always make for a delicious meal; despite its impressive creative elements, the production attempted to say too much, ultimately resulting in a staging that wasn’t able to cohesively land its message.

Led formidably by tenor Brenton Spiteri and a stellar trio of ‘fates’ (Jane Sheldon, Emily Edmonds, Simon Lobelson), the music of both Britten and Styles was acquitted gorgeously; all four...