An 18-meter high bust of Egyptian queen Nefferttiti is erected for Aida.

Over 8 million tourists flock to the Sydney’s harbour every year to see the city’s most iconic landmarks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Now visitors to Sydney’s most famous waterfront can see a less familiar, but no less monumental sight: the head of an ancient Egyptian Queen, which has been constructed in preparation for Opera Australia’s new production of Aida, for this year’s Handa Opera on the Harbour.

The 18-meter high bust of Nefertitti is the centrepiece of Mark Thompson’s set for the lavish production, which makes reference to several different ethnic and historical aesthetics. The iconography and African colours of Ethiopia, the opulent decadence of the court of King Louis XVI and the vacuous, gaudy glamour of the reality TV socialists the Kardashians are combined in Thompson’s set and costume designs for the opera, which is being directed by internationally celebrated Australian director Gale Edwards.

Innovative projection mapping technology will also be employed during the performance to morph and distort the 18 meter high statue, which weights a colossal 15 tonnes. 3000 patrons per performance can be accommodated in the pop-up, open-air opera theatre, which is located by Mrs Macquarie’s Point on the edge of the Botanical Gardens, east of the Opera House.

This is the fourth Opera on the Habour production staged by Opera Australia, in what has become one of the company’s most popular and unique offerings. Previous productions have included Madame Butterfly in 2014, Carmen in 2013 and La Traviata in 2012, which featured an enormous chandelier, 9.5 meters in diameter and covered in over 10,000 Swarovski crystals.

Opera Australia present Aida, this year’s Handa Opera on the Harbour, March 27 – April 26.