Circa’s Acrobatic Spectacle DUCK POND Flies Into Sydney Opera House This January
The acclaimed contemporary circus production reimagines Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling through dazzling physical theatre.
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 30, 2025
The Sydney Opera House will present Duck Pond, an inventive reimagining of Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling by internationally celebrated contemporary circus company Circa. The production will play a strictly limited engagement in the Concert Hall from 9–12 January 2026.
Created by Circa Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble, Duck Pond blends Circa’s signature acrobatics, theatrical ingenuity, and offbeat humor into a poignant and playful tale about transformation and self-discovery. The show fuses fairy-tale themes with awe-inspiring physicality, promising a one-of-a-kind experience for fans of circus, ballet, and storytelling alike.
“Duck Pond is truly iconoclastic,” said Lifschitz. “It has sophistication, beauty, humour, silliness, a classic good vs. evil storyline—everything you want in an enchanting live show. It also has a stunning array of awe-inspiring acrobatic languages for audiences to sink their teeth into.”
Circa, based in Australia, has reached more than two million people in over 45 countries, redefining circus as a genre that is both elite and emotive. Lifschitz was recently named the 2025 recipient of the ISPA Distinguished Artist Award, joining the ranks of legendary artists including Leonard Bernstein and Joan Sutherland.
Following a sold-out run at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Duck Pond arrives in Sydney as part of an expansive national tour, which includes stops in 17 regional Australian centers.
“Sydney Opera House is thrilled to welcome Circa to the Concert Hall,” said Ebony Bott, Head of Contemporary Performance. “Duck Pond perfectly encapsulates the contemporary spirit we aim to present—a bold twist on a classic everyone knows and loves.”
Tickets start at $79, with pre-sales beginning Tuesday, 1 July for Insiders, and general public sales starting Friday, 4 July at 9 a.m. For more information and tickets, visit sydneyoperahouse.com.
Currently onstage at the Opera House is The Play That Goes Wrong, followed by Marcia Sings Summer, celebrating the music of the Queen of Disco, and the acclaimed musical Calamity Jane.
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