Opera Australia Celebrates 70 Years with New Productions in 2026

• Opera Australia has announced its 2026 season, which is also its 70th season, with a mix of traditional and new.
• Australia’s leading company is battling back to health after some financial setbacks, including a $10.1 million deficit.
• One extraordinary highlight: My Fair Lady directed by Julie Andrews.

Opera Australia has unveiled its highly anticipated 2026 season, a glittering program celebrating the company’s 70th anniversary. And one brave but extraordinary highlight will be My Fair Lady, featuring Julie Andrews as the Director.

Wouldn’t it be Lovely? Oh, yes. We can Dance All Night to this news.

The season is more than just a collection of performances; it is a powerful statement of resilience and a roadmap for the future, charting a course toward financial sustainability after a period of significant challenges.

The company’s recent past has been well-documented, with the 2024 financial year proving particularly difficult. Opera Australia reported a substantial operating deficit of $10.1 million, a result that followed a $7.8 million deficit in 2023.

These losses were attributed to a confluence of factors: the lingering effects of the post-pandemic recovery, rising production costs, and a tightening economic environment marked by the cost-of-living crisis. The company’s 2024 Annual Report highlighted that while the Sydney Summer season had been a success, other productions, including the winter season and the musical Sunset Boulevard, failed to meet box office expectations.

However, the tide is turning. The company’s leadership, under Acting CEO Simon Militano and Chair Rod Sims, has been candid about the challenges and proactive in implementing new strategies. They’ve focused on tighter cost controls, more rigorous planning, and a strategic rebalancing of their artistic and commercial programming.

This approach has already yielded promising results, with the most recent Sydney Summer opera season recording the best box office revenue in inflation-adjusted terms since 2019. The company has expressed cautious optimism, forecasting a much-improved financial result for 2025 and a return to a small profit in 2026. This 70th-anniversary season is a bold step forward in that recovery, designed to captivate audiences and ensure a vibrant, sustainable future for Australia’s national opera company.

The 2026 season itself is a rich tapestry of classic masterworks and exciting productions, with highlights across Sydney and Melbourne. The Sydney program at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, features a mix of grand opera and a highly anticipated musical.

The season opens with a new production of Puccini’s eternally popular Madama Butterfly, a profoundly moving experience that explores the tragic story of Cio-Cio-San. This production will feature both international and Australian stars, including sopranos Guanqun Yu, Vittoria Yeo, and Olivia Cranwell in the title role. Following this, the epic and passionate Turandot will take the stage, with two of Australia’s most exciting dramatic sopranos, Rebecca Nash and Anna-Louise Cole, sharing the title role. Acclaimed tenor Young Woo Kim will return to Australia to share the role of Calaf with audience favourites Diego Torre and Rosario La Spina. For new audiences and families, Humperdinck’s magical Hansel & Gretel promises an enchanting experience, performed in English with a score filled with German folk tunes. Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous opera Eugene Onegin returns in a “hyper-intelligent, deeply moving production,” where the audience watches through flashbacks as the characters make choices that will haunt their lives.

Beyond the main stage, the season also features a special concert series and a musical extravaganza. The company will stage La Stupenda: A Joan Sutherland Celebration, a tribute to one of Australia’s most iconic opera singers, and The Drover’s Wife, a groundbreaking Australian work.

Melbourne audiences will be treated to their own set of theatrical marvels at the Regent Theatre. The season includes Verdi’s glamorous and emotional La Traviata, as well as the world premiere of Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan, a modern and powerful new work. The city will also host a spectacular 70th Anniversary Gala, featuring the full forces of the Opera Australia Chorus and Orchestra Victoria, alongside a starry line-up of singers, led by conductor Giampaolo Bisanti. For those who enjoy a lighter touch, the season offers Gilbert & Sullivan: A Musical Celebration, a sparkling concert of wit and whimsy, and Encore! Songs from the Musicals, a showcase of showstopping hits.

But perhaps the most anticipated production of the 70th-anniversary season is a revival that is a celebration within a celebration. In keeping with the anniversary milestones, Opera Australia will also be marking the 70th anniversary of the classic musical My Fair Lady.

The production, which will return to the Sydney Opera House from September 2026, is a revival of the acclaimed staging that Julie Andrews herself directed for the musical’s 60th anniversary in 2016. This is a rare opportunity for audiences to experience the iconic musical under the guidance of the legendary star who originated the role of Eliza Doolittle on Broadway at just 20 years old.

The return of this production is a testament to the enduring appeal of the musical and the visionary direction of Julie Andrews. The story of the Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle and the arrogant phoneticist Henry Higgins is a heartwarming tale of transformation and identity, brimming with unforgettable characters and a glorious score that includes beloved songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?”, “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “Get Me to the Church on Time.” The 2016 production broke box office records, and its return for the 70th anniversary is set to be a major highlight, drawing both new generations of theatregoers and those who will be returning to witness a breathtakingly beautiful production once more.

Another production set to draw massive crowds is the return of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical The Phantom of the Opera, which will be the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour spectacular. Staged on an enormous overwater stage with fireworks nightly, this production will kick off the show’s global 40th-anniversary celebrations in a truly unforgettable way.

New productions fo 2026

• Madama Butterfly: Puccini’s popular opera will open the season with a new production on New Year’s Eve. Directed by Alex Lynn and featuring a cast of international and Australian stars, the production promises a moving and visually stunning experience.
• Turandot: This epic and passionate Puccini opera will be presented at the Sydney Opera House with acclaimed tenors Young Woo Kim, Diego Torre, and Rosario La Spina sharing the role of Calaf.
• Hansel & Gretel: Humperdinck’s enchanting fairy-tale opera, performed in English, will offer a nostalgic treat for audiences with its score filled with German folk tunes.
• Eugene Onegin: Tchaikovsky’s romantic opera will return to the stage in Kasper Holten’s “hyper-intelligent, deeply moving production,” exploring themes of unrequited love and regret.
• La Traviata: Verdi’s glamorous and emotional opera will be a highlight of the Melbourne season, bringing a story of romance and drama to the Regent Theatre.
• 70th Anniversary Gala: A special milestone concert will feature the full forces of the Opera Australia Chorus and Orchestra Victoria, led by conductor Giampaolo Bisanti, to celebrate the company’s legacy.
• A Winter’s Journey: Franz Schubert’s song cycle will be performed at the City Recital Hall, a poetic and emotional journey through a landscape of loneliness and hope.
• The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour: A key production for the season, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical returns to the overwater stage on Sydney Harbour to launch the show’s global 40th-anniversary celebrations.
• My Fair Lady: A Julie Andrews-directed production of the classic Lerner and Loewe musical will return to the Sydney Opera House to celebrate the musical’s 70th anniversary.

How to Get Your Tickets

The best way to secure tickets for Opera Australia’s 70th anniversary season is by becoming a Season Subscriber. This offers several benefits, including a priority booking window, giving you first access to the best seats at the best prices before they are available to the general public. Subscribers can also receive discounts of up to 20% on their tickets, free ticket exchanges, and the option to pay in instalments. For those interested in the popular musical productions, early access to tickets for The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour is available by booking an Opera Australia 2026 Season Subscription of two or more productions.

Where to Find Out More

For a full breakdown of the 2026 season, including dates, casting, and detailed production guides, audiences can visit the official Opera Australia website. The website also provides information on subscription packages, ticketing, and other exclusive benefits. You can also follow Opera Australia on their social media channels for the latest news and updates on the 70th-anniversary celebrations. The digital season brochure, available online, offers an in-depth look at each production, making it easy to plan your season of beautiful artistry.

See more http://opera.org.au.