Cinderella Sydney: Massenet's elegant production set for Sydney Opera House

Laurent Pelly’s staging of Cinderella is coming to Sydney Opera House to help kick off 2025.
The acclaimed production arrives in Sydney after acclaimed seasons at Metropolitan Opera and Royal Opera House Convent Garden.
Barbara de Limburg has created an immersive, pop-up storybook world for the unique production.

Sydneysiders and locals will be able to kick the new year off with style as Laurent Pelly’s elegant staging of Massenet’s Cendrillon (Cinderella) arrives at the Sydney Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre for a whimsical run until March.

From January 2, Opera Australia will stage a total of 20 performances for the acclaimed French opera, which has already picked up a world of acclaim with sold-out seasons at Metropolitan Opera and Royal Opera House Convent Garden.

For its Australian premiere, the magical tale of Cinderella will spring to life with Emily Edmonds in the lead role, supported by Margaret Plummer as Prince Charming and Emma Matthews at the Fairy Godmother.

The all-too-familiar tale of Cinderella is elevated by Pelly’s sense of extravagance, as per reviews of her production thus far. Acclaim points to a sharp humour threaded throughout the show, with playful choreography and mesmerising costumes in outrageous shapes and sizes.

Set designer Barbara de Limburg has successfully created a “pop-up storybook world” taking inspiration from the original illustrated edition of the classic fairy tale. This includes a fold-out balcony and paper-cut carriage, adding a great deal of colour and texture to further suck the audience into the story.

The 90-minute show will debut on January 2, 2025 and play until March 28, 2025. There are only 20 performances planned so far so tickets may not last long. Matinee performances are scheduled for January 4, February 1 and 8, and March 22.

Artistic Director Jo Davies expressed pride in securing these talented Australian singers for the production’s debut in Australia in 2025. The opera will debut on Jan. 2, 2025 at the Joan Sutherland Theatre in Sydney and run for a total of 20 performances, concluding on March 28, 2025. Matinee performances are scheduled for Jan. 4, Feb. 1 and 8, and March 22.