The Sydney Opera House is pulling out all the stops over the coming months, with a packed program of theatre, opera, live music, dance and family-friendly performances taking over its world-famous stages.
Whether you’re after a laugh, a night of soaring arias, a spectacular concert or an inspiring new work from Australia’s leading creatives, there’s something for every kind of culture lover during the Sydney Opera House’s winter season.
From the Sydney premiere of the Olivier Award-winning Pride & Prejudice (sort of) and the return of Verdi’s Rigoletto to contemporary circus, powerful new Australian opera and a symphonic celebration of Pink Floyd, the season is filled with both timeless classics and exciting new productions.
Here are the shows worth booking tickets for.
1. Pay No Attention
A brand-new show from homegrown leaders in youth circus, Flying Fruit Fly Circus – where knockabout comedy, sleight of hand and shifting personas meet breathtaking aerials. Performed by 13 young artists, Pay No Attention is a hilarious, unsettling and awe-inspiring reflection on the lived experience of young people as they navigate a world of “fake news” and digital manipulation.
When: July 4-11.
Price: Tickets from $15.
2. Hiatus Kaiyote
Melbourne genre-defiers Hiatus Kaiyote return to the Opera House for a landmark 15th anniversary concert. This celebratory event will feature an electrifying career-spanning set drawn from their acclaimed back catalogue, offering a rare opportunity to experience the full artistic arc of a band whose celebrated body of work has helped define contemporary neo-soul, funk and R&B.
When: July 12.
Price: Tickets from $69.90 plus booking fee.
3. Pride & Prejudice (sort of)
Pride & Prejudice (sort of) just won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy after a successful London stint, and now it’s set to take to the stage in Sydney for the first time ever. This unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story even features a string of pop classics, including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain. Don’t miss out.
When: July 16-August 30.
Price: Tickets from $49.90.
4. Chameleon
This powerful new contemporary ballet from SSI Homelands features an original score by Tsoof Baras and choreography by Rani Luther. Chameleon tells the story of a father and son navigating life in an unfamiliar land, with the production exploring identity, belonging and the challenge of embracing a new culture without losing sight of one’s roots. The performance will celebrate artists from refugee and migrant backgrounds while connecting their stories with audiences across Australia.
When: July 18.
Price: $15.95.
5. Rigoletto
Verdi’s Rigoletto returns to the Sydney Opera House in Elijah Moshinsky’s acclaimed production, featuring glamorous La Dolce Vita-inspired sets, lavish costumes and a striking revolving stage. Blending romance, betrayal and revenge, the production tells the tragic story of a father’s desperate attempt to protect his daughter, all set to some of opera’s most iconic music, including the unforgettable “La donna è mobile.”
When: July 21-August 21.
Price: Tickets from $79.
6. You & Me and The Land of Lost Things
Bestselling author Andy Griffiths brings his brilliantly bonkers YOU & ME and The Land of Lost Things to the stage in a hilarious new theatrical adventure for young audiences. As the final stop of a national tour, get ready for action, imagination and extremely questionable navigation as colourful characters embark on a quest through a world of snapping turtles, flying socks, treasure-hungry pirates and a very anxious bull.
When: July 4-19.
Price: Tickets from $39.90.
7. The Merry Widow
Franz Lehár’s beloved operetta arrives at the Sydney Opera House this July, inviting audiences to waltz into a world of glamour, romance and lavish parties. Visually spectacular and led by internationally acclaimed soprano Emma Pearson alongside beloved Australian star Julie Lea Goodwin, who will share the role of Hanna, the production is shaping up to be one of the highlights of Opera Australia’s 2026 season.
When: July 8-August 18.
Price: Tickets from $50.
8. Velvet Inferno
Sashay your way into Velvet, a nightclub where disco reigns supreme, and the dancefloor calls your name. Velvet Inferno is a 70-minute, non-stop spectacular featuring timeless anthems. powerhouse performances and gravity-defying acts, all inspired by the legendary New York nightclub, Studio 54.
When: July 24-September 13.
Price: Tickets from $49.90.
9. The Drover’s Wife
Based on Leah Purcell’s acclaimed play, novel, and film, The Drover’s Wife is a powerful Australian opera about an isolated woman whose life changes when she meets Yadaka, an Aboriginal man fleeing colonial authorities. As their shared histories of violence, loss and survival come to light, the production explores truth, resilience and the enduring impact of colonial Australia through George Palmer’s soaring score and a starring performance from Nina Korbe.
When: August 7-15.
Price: Tickets from $50.
10. La Stupenda: A Joan Sutherland Celebration
A star-studded tribute to ‘the voice that stopped the world’, hosted in a theatre that is named after her. Marking the 100th birthday of the late Dame Joan Sutherland, Australian opera sensation Jessica Pratt will perform her most famous pieces, joined by Australian-Chinese tenor Kang Wang and the full forces of the Opera Australia Orchestra and Chorus.
When: August 20-22.
Price: Tickets from $79.
11. Liane Moriarty: Big Little Truths
Ahead of the release of Big Little Truths, the long-awaited sequel to her No. 1 New York Times bestseller Big Little Lies, Sydney-born author Liane Moriarty returns to her hometown for an exclusive on-stage conversation. Joined by Bruna Papandrea, the producer behind the acclaimed screen adaptations of her novels, Moriarty will reflect on the enduring legacy of Big Little Lies, the ideas that shape her bestselling fiction and the highly anticipated new chapter readers have been waiting for.
When: August 24.
Price: Tickets from $39.
12. Lucas and Arthur Jussen
It’s not often you get to hear music written for two pianos, or rarer still, four hands playing the same piano. You need two musicians totally in sync, so deeply connected that they know each other’s every thought and gesture. Lucas and Arthur Jussen literally have that connection in their DNA.
In their Sydney recital debut, the brothers take us on a journey through more than 100 years of music, opening with the poised elegance of Mozart’s Sonata in D, K381 and the searching, tender lyricism of Schubert’s beloved Fantasie, both works performed four hands at one piano, requiring breathtaking precision and an almost wordless understanding between players.
When: August 31.
Price: Tickets from $50.
13. Eclipse: Pink Floyd Orchestrated
After a sold-out national tour in 2024, ECLIPSE: Pink Floyd Orchestrated returns to the Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall in September. Australia’s premier Pink Floyd tribute transforms the band’s iconic catalogue into a powerful 60-piece spectacle, with guitar virtuoso Jack Jones and the Southern Cross Symphony joined by a full rock band and choir for an unforgettable night of soaring sound and breathtaking scale.
When: September 26.
Price: From $99.
14. My Fair Lady
A milestone celebration will take to the stage in September, as Opera Australia marks the 70th anniversary of My Fair Lady’s debut on Broadway. The heartwarming story of Eliza Dolittle’s transformation from Cockney flower girl to society lady is one of the most beloved musicals of the century. Be charmed by classic songs like ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?’, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ and ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’.
When: September 10-October 30.
Price: Tickets from $89.
15. Table Top Shakespeare
For the first time, Ebsen award-winning company Forced Entertainment bring their take on Shakespeare’s greatest hits to Sydney. Over one week, six performers condense a selection of Shakespeare’s plays, narrating a different work each night around a kitchen table and using everyday household objects. A vase for the prince. A bottle of Dettol for the nurse. Salt and pepper for the king and queen. It’s the immortal storytelling of The Bard, stripped back and seasoned to perfection.
When: September 22-27.
Price: $69.90.
