Opera Australia is bringing back its biggest-selling harbour opera, Aida, for 2027, but the long-running Handa Opera name will be notably absent from the production.
Opera Australia is returning to its roots, naming the epic grand opera Aida as its 2027 production, set against the iconic backdrop of Mrs Macquaries Point.
The waterfront production, which is the biggest and most successful opera ever mounted on Sydney Harbour, will run from March 27 to April 25.
Guests can expect epic, over-the-top stagecraft: think an 18-metre-tall 15-tonne rotating bust of Nefertiti overlooking the stage, 130 performers and musicians and nightly fireworks displayed. It’s this scale that makes Opera on Sydney Harbour one of the biggest theatrical events of the year.
Verdi’s tragic opera follows an enslaved Ethiopian princess, the titular Aida, who finds herself torn between her love for her homeland and her forbidden love for an Egyptian military commander. It’s all fiery jealousy, rivalry, romance and tangled power dynamics.
Even better, the show will be directed by the multi-award-winning Gale Edwards, who has a stacked portfolio of incredible productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar, The Boy from Oz and La Bohème.
Opera Australia CEO Alex Budd said, “Bringing back this awe-inspiring production of Aida, the most successful opera we’ve ever staged on Sydney Harbour, marks the perfect opportunity to once again experience grand opera on the harbour at its most spectacular.
“Gale Edwards and her team created an extraordinary piece of theatre. Verdi’s magnificent score, the scale of the production and one of the world’s great settings combine to create an experience unlike anything else in Australia.”
It’s the first time Aida has returned to Sydney Harbour since its 2015 premiere, when it sold more than 55,000 tickets. That makes it the harbourfront stage’s best-selling opera to date, though its numbers are still dwarfed by last year’s musical, The Phantom of the Opera, which set a record with 92,000 tickets sold.
Tickets to Aida will start at $79, plus a $9.80 booking fee, and are currently only available as part of a subscription package, where you have to buy tickets to another Opera Australia production. However, you can join the waitlist here for priority access to performance tickets from October 1.
Why is there no mention of “Handa Opera”?
We’ve noted that there’s no mention of Handa Opera in Opera Australia’s announcement.
A representative for Opera Australia confirmed that next year’s production will be called Aida on Sydney Harbour, rather than the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour branding typically used for the annual event.
The change comes after billionaire donor Dr Haruhisa Handa reportedly withdrew his support for the event following an alleged funding dispute. Handa’s International Foundation for Arts and Culture has funded the harbour productions since 2012, driven by his passion for promoting opera.
The Australian Financial Review reported that a source close to the industry said Handa had become frustrated by Opera Australia’s increasing focus on musicals, which may have contributed to the Handa branding being omitted from the initial 2027 season announcement.
Handa reportedly contributed around $1 million a year to the event. In 2027, Aida on Sydney Harbour will be supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, and Opera on Sydney Harbour’s Principal Partner, HSBC.
With this news, you might expect Opera Australia to announce another musical, especially after the unprecedented success of The Phantom of the Opera last year. Instead, its choice of Aida sends a clear message: it remains committed to bringing some of opera’s biggest and most spectacular productions to the harbour.
