‘… it puts back into one work all the elements of great theatre over the past 25 centuries.  Ritual, music, chant, dance, speech and song are all purposefully integrated into the work’s conception and structure ... the work is so unlike any other opera we have ever seen.’
The National Times (Kevin Kemp), October 1974

‘There have been many attempts to write an Australian opera.  None has succeeded as Sculthorpe has … It comes across with a strong immediacy of emotional conviction.  Beneath that, you can sense a depth and density of thought and experience which suggests a lasting masterpiece.’
The Bulletin (Brian Hoad) 

‘The real success of Rites of Passage is that it puts back into one work all the elements of great theatre over the past 25 centuries.  Ritual, dance, chant, speech and songs are all purposefully integrated into the work’s conception and structure.  It is a noble and somewhat overwhelming work – overwhelming simply because it is so unlike any other opera we have ever seen.  It harks back to both Greek drama and the earliest of Christian religious drama.’
The National Times (Kevin Kemp)