If you remember back that far, the operatic adaptation of Herman Melville’s novel opened the Winspear Opera House in 2010, and the Dallas Opera production was generally hailed as not bad at all. It was actually a co-production with the San Francisco Opera, the San Diego Opera and the Calgary Opera. But then the State Opera of South Australia decided it wanted to ‘co-partner’ as well, so the ship set sail for the southern climes.

And now the Jake Heggie-Gene Sheer opera has won three prizes at the 12th annual Helpmann Awards, presented by the industry body Live Performance Australia at the Sydney Opera House: best opera, best direction of an opera and best supporting actor. Cate Blanchett also picked up a best actress award for her work at the Sydney Theater Company. Interestingly enough, the Helpmann award categories stretch across musicals, stage plays, operas and symphonies with a special slot for “best new Australian work.”