Emma O'Halloran's Double-Bill MARY MOTORHEAD & TRADE Premieres in Australia at The Malthouse

Australian Contemporary Opera Co. (ACOCO) will present the Australian premiere of Emma O'Halloran's acclaimed chamber operas Mary Motorhead and Trade in the Beckett Theatre at The Malthouse in March 2026. Opening on Friday 6 March, this major double-bill unites two arresting human dramas, helmed by leading Australian artists Emily Edmonds (Mary Motorhead) and Christopher Hillier (Older Man in Trade).  Tickets go on sale from 17 December 2025 through the Malthouse Box Office. 

“Giving local audiences and artists direct access to brilliant contemporary opera being made in the world today, these Irish works tackle difficult, relatable human characters with raw honesty and thrilling musical invention.” Said Linda Thompson AM, Artistic Director & CEO, The Australian Contemporary Opera Company. “They speak to the same belief that has shaped ACOCO from the beginning - that opera can [still] hold a mirror to society, challenge us, and create profound empathy in a way no other art form can.”

In Mary Motorhead, audiences are thrust into the fierce interior world of a woman imprisoned for a violent act, her story unraveling through volatile, lyrical confessions. Trade explores a charged encounter in a motel room between a middle-aged man and an eighteen-year-old - both outwardly conventional; privately grappling with desire and identity. 

Together, the works form an electrifying pairing that has captivated audiences in New York, Los Angeles, and Ireland, with their psychological depth, rhythmic energy, and daring composition.

Grammy-nominated Irish conductor Elaine Kelly will make her Australian debut, having conducted the works' world premiere in New York and subsequent international seasons in Los Angeles and Ireland. 

As the arts continue to navigate uncertainty, ACOCO reaffirms its place at the forefront of contemporary opera in this country - embracing bold new works that mirror the intensity and complexity of modern life. Based in Melbourne, ACOCO draws its artists from across Australia, and has built a reputation for producing fearless, boundary-pushing opera that gives voice to living composers and resonates deeply with both established and new opera audiences.  

In presenting Emma O'Halloran's fierce and vital opera-theatre, ACOCO invites audiences to confront the beauty, pain, and truth of the human condition. These two operas mark not only a landmark debut for ACOCO's 2026 season, but a bold statement about the power of modern opera to speak to our times. 

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