- Sydney Opera House has confirmed an impressive cast for its night-of-nights at the New Year’s Eve Opera Gala.
- Opera Australia will be showcasing some of its finest this year as the cast features a mix of sopranos, mezzos and baritones.
- It’s a great chance to get dressed to the nines and celebrate the end of the year, with tickets on sale now.
Is it already that time of year? Nothing signals the approaching holiday season than watching our cultural institutions prepare for the New Year. Sydney Opera House has started looking to 2025’s home stretch by locking in a star-studded line-up for its annual New Year’s Eve Opera Gala in the Concert Hall.
Hosted by Australian actor and singer Jonathan Biggins, the cherished annual event will feature two fantastic local sopranos, Stacey Alleaume and Nina Korbe, alongside Vienna-based Australian mezzo Margaret Plumme, popular tenor Diego Torre and award-winning baritone Simone Meadows.
A seasoned cast to help end the year
Together, this collection of musicians brings an incredible pedigree to Sydney’s most prestigious stage. Alleaume has performed in some of opera’s most demanding roles, including as Violetta Valéry in La Traviata, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro and Micaëla in Carmen.
Nina Korbe, a proud Koea, Kuku Yalanji Wakka Wakka woman, has seen her star rising since she debuted as Maria in West Side Story in the 2022 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production. Here, she’ll continue to prove her worth to Sydney audiences just months before starring in Opera Australia and Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s co-production of new Australian opera The Drover’s Wife, which will debut further into 2026.
Plummer has already impressed local stages this year as Prince Charming in the premiere of Massenet’s Cinderella. She’ll join the New Year’s Eve cast for a one-night-only performance before joining the cast of Opera Australia’s Hansel & Gretel as Hansel. Meanwhile, Meadows joins the cast after their leading roles as Don Jose in Carmen and Figaro in The Barber of Seville, respectively, capping off a successful year across Sydney and Melbourne stages.
The Opera Australia Orchestra will perform under Alexander Briger’s baton this year, with the score set to showcase some fantastic pieces that were performed throughout the 2025 season. In addition, audiences can expect a snippet of what’s in store from Opera Australia in 2026 for the company’s 70th anniversary.
A chance to dress to the nines
The New Year’s Eve Opera Gala at Sydney Opera House is the most elegant way to see out the year that was in the Harbour City. Each year, guests grab a ticket to celebrate in style with a show that’s broken up by the 9pm fireworks.
Guests can also buy the exclusive NYE Platinum Package, which includes a pre-show dinner, platinum reserve seating for the performance, Champagne at the interval, and entry to the famous Midnight Party in the Northern Foyer overlooking Sydney Harbour. Both the Midnight Party and pre-show dinner are also available as separate add-ons to the show-only ticket, which is priced from $239.
New Year’s Eve Opera Gala
Where: Sydney Opera House
When: December 31 from 7:45pm
