Opera Australia to Present LA BOHÈME and THE MAGIC FLUTE at Sydney Opera House
LA BOHÈME features conductor Andrea Battistoni and soprano Maria Teresa Leva, while THE MAGIC FLUTE brings Sir Thomas Allen's inventive direction to Mozart's final opera.
Opera Australia’s summer lineup at the Sydney Opera House will range from a new La Bohème set in Paris to a steampunk Magic Flute, an outback staging of The Elixir of Love and the Sydney premiere of the Australian opera Eucalyptus. Performances begin in December 2026 and continue through March 2027.
La Bohème
Director Constantine Costi brings a new staging of Puccini’s opera to Sydney following its New Year’s Eve performance on December 31, 2026. Set against a wintry Paris backdrop, the production features Maria Teresa Leva, Jennifer Black and Samantha Clarke as Mimì across the run, with Matteo Desole, Paride Cataldo and Iain Henderson sharing the role of Rodolfo. Andrea Battistoni and Matteo Dal Maso conduct.
La Bohème plays January 2–March 17, 2027, at the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Tickets start at $79.
The Magic Flute
Opera Australia presents Sir Thomas Allen’s steampunk production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute in its first association with Scottish Opera. Alexandra Flood, Gemma Nha and Celeste Lazarenko share the role of Pamina, while Nicholas Jones and Alasdair Kent perform Tamino. Daniela Cappiello, Tetiana Zhuravel and Jessica Blunt sing the Queen of the Night across the season.
The Sydney premiere runs January 13–March 23, 2027, at the Joan Sutherland Theatre. The opera is sung in German with English dialogue. Tickets start at $79.
The Elixir of Love
Simon Phillips’ production of Donizetti’s romantic comedy returns to Sydney, setting the story in outback Australia in 1915. Stacey Alleaume makes her role debut as Adina, joined by John Longmuir, Simon Meadows, Leon Vitogiannis, Pietro Spagnoli and Eden Shifroni. Danila Grassi conducts in her first Australian appearance.
The Elixir of Love runs January 29–March 12, 2027, at the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Tickets start at $79.
La Voix humaine and L’enfant et les sortilèges
A one-night concert double bill on February 5, 2027, pairs Poulenc’s La Voix humaine with Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges. Anna Caterina Antonacci makes her Opera Australia debut in Poulenc’s one-woman opera, while Margaret Plummer leads the cast of Ravel’s fantasy. Battistoni conducts the Opera Australia Orchestra at the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Tickets start at $79.
Eucalyptus
Based on Murray Bail’s novel, Eucalyptus receives its Sydney Opera House premiere March 22–25, 2027. The opera by Sir Jonathan Mills and Meredith Oakes follows Ellen Holland and her protective father in a forest of eucalyptus trees. Michael Gow directs, with designs by Simone Romaniuk. Desiree Frahn makes her Opera Australia debut as Ellen, alongside Simon Meadows, Samuel Dundas and Michael Petruccelli.
Commissioned by Opera Australia and Victorian Opera, the production plays the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Tickets start at $79.
Great Opera Hits
Opera Australia’s Great Opera Hits concerts offer 90-minute programs of arias, duets and ensembles by composers including Bizet, Mozart, Puccini and Verdi. Performances run December 24, 2026–March 21, 2027, at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, with tickets starting at $79.
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