Opera Australia
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 11 February—27 December
Stroll down to the Sydney Opera House and join the stars of Opera Australia for a concert of the greatest hits of opera.
Opera Australia & GWB Entertainment present the BB Group production of
Canberra Theatre, 10—27 October
Hailed as the greatest Broadway musical of all time, the genius of West Side Story is unquestioned. Bernstein’s world-famous score features unforgettable songs including ‘Maria’, ‘Tonight’, ‘Somewhere’, ‘America’ and ‘I Feel Pretty’, that have been universally adored for generations; proving this iconic dance musical remains one of the most poignant stage works of the twentieth century.
Mozart
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 18 October—2 November
Mozart’s classic comedy has been entertaining crowds for centuries, and between the witty, fast-moving libretto and the melodic, charming writing, it’s not hard to understand why.
Rossini
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 24 October—2 November
If Rossini made a showreel of his best work, it would sound like Il Viaggio a Reims (The Journey to Reims). In Damiano Michieletto’s playful take, the eccentric cast of characters find themselves in a gallery filled with the master works of art history. It’s a surreal world, where artworks step out of the frame and come to life the moment the lights go out.
Opera Australia presents
Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, 6 November
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall, 10 November
When Bryn Terfel sings, everyone stops to listen. The superstar Welshman performs some of his favourite songs across many genres, with the backing of a magnificent orchestra. Once you’ve heard his interpretations, they’ll be your favourites too.
Strauss, Offenbach, Lehár and more
Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse, 7—10 November
All of your favourite operetta waltzes, polkas and songs by Strauss, Offenbach, Lehár and Kálmán come together in this raucous musical comedy created by Robert Andrew Greene after some of the biggest names in operetta. Some of Australia’s hottest young talents join musical theatre stalwarts John Bolton Wood and Geraldine Turner in this frivolous farce.
Puccini
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre, 19 November—6 December
Turandot is a fantasy opera of poetry and myth, set in an exotic world where fear and love go hand in hand and death is always just around the corner. ‘Nessun dorma’ is just one of its magnificent moments. Renowned conductor Christian Badea returns to Australia to conduct a thrilling cast: Lise Lindstrom as the ice princess, Walter Fraccaro as the man determined to win her heart and Karah Son as his devoted servant, Liù.
Gounod
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre, 27 November—7 December
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 10 February—11 March
Faust intends to win his heart’s desires, even if it costs him his soul. Led into temptation by the charming Méphistophélès, the ageing academic swaps moral restraint for a salacious journey through life’s earthly pleasures. But as the lives around him start to unravel, the devil, it seems, is in the detail. French maestro Guillaume Tourniaire leads an exciting cast. Saimir Pirgu sings the title role with the impossibly young Kazakh soprano, Maria Mudryak, as Marguerite. Teddy Tahu Rhodes is dazzling as Méphistophélès.
Vivaldi
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, 4—10 December
Farnace is a passionate drama of political and dynastic intrigue and the ideal candidate to receive the unique Pinchgut touch. A rarely performed gem, it was one of Vivaldi's most meticulously prepared operas, with orchestral colour and dramatic characterisation. Pinchgut Opera has assembled some of the world's finest voices to bring these characters to life and showcase Vivaldi's thrilling tunes.
Puccini
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 31 December
Leave the crowds behind as you enter the Sydney Opera House, then settle back for an evening with Rodolfo, Mimì, Marcello and Musetta in Puccini's La Bohème.
The way that first love grabs hold of your insides and floods you with something you've never felt before. The fire that burns you the first time jealousy flares. The growing up you do in the instant you realise love can't last forever. Puccini takes these achingly human feelings and sets them to music — music that soars with the ecstacy of love, crackles with the pain of jealousy and cries with the agony of loss.
Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, 31 December
Step into the the Sydney Opera House's magnificent Concert Hall to watch the Opera Gala concert of popular arias by Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini, with Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks at interval.
Puccini
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 2—30 January
On a freezing Christmas Eve, love sparks. Two hands meet in the dark and four friends’ lives change forever. Experience the romance of the original bohemian love story.
Relaxed performance: Thursday 21 January 2020, 7:30pm
A relaxed performance is
designed to ensure guests with disability and their families, or anyone who may benefit
from a more relaxed environment, can more fully enjoy the performance experience together.
Bizet
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 11 January—26 March
In the colourful streets of a colonial city, Carmen is a red hot spark. She sings her siren song, and suddenly, Don José's world is alight with a volatile fire.
John Bell's production is a bold look at the intense relationships at the heart of Bizet's famous opera. It hones in on the wild love that promises freedom, while binding the lovers in an unbreakable web of fate.
Jimmy Chi & Kuckles
Parramatta Riverside Theatre, 16 January—1 February
Comedy Theatre, 12 June—12 July
Jimmy Chi’s coming-of-age musical Bran Nue Dae is an exuberant ride through 1960s Western Australia. A feel-good mash-up of rock-and-roll, gospel, country and blues music made this first-ever Aboriginal musical a sparkling success in 1990.
Relaxed performance: Saturday 25 January 2020, 2pm
A relaxed performance is
designed to ensure guests with disability and their families, or anyone who may benefit
from a more relaxed environment, can more fully enjoy the performance experience together.
Mozart
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 24 January—27 February
He’s mad. He’s bad. He’s dangerous. But damn him to hell, his serenades are divine.
Sir David McVicar’s production reveals the darkness in opera’s most compelling anti-hero. His Don Giovanni is a psychological thriller on a grand scale.
Verdi
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 12—28 March
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre, 25—30 May
No one can stand before Attila and his hordes, until a warrior woman turns his head. As he opens his heart to his prisoner Odabella, the barbarian king reveals his weakness. So the scene is set for one of the great revenge operas of the 19th century: an early Verdi in the vein of Aida.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Opera on Sydney Harbour, Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point, 27 March—26 April
Violetta is the life of every party. A courtesan with a heart of gold, she’s free and free-spirited. Everyone wants to be near her. Could a little love change everything?
Experience the joy and heartache of the world’s most popular opera at Sydney’s best night out. Fireworks light up the sky at every performance. A giant chandelier shimmers over the harbour stage. Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is “the ultimate Sydney experience” (Yahoo! Travel).
Pinchgut Opera presents
The Great Hall, University of Sydney, 26—26 April
The rich and sonorous sound world created for the splendour of St Mark's in Venice comes to Sydney. Shining music for voices and brass, as glorious as the gold mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica. Immerse yourself in the transcendent beauty of Allegri's sublime Miserere and the rich resonances of Renaissance masters Claudio Monteverdi and Giovanni Gabrieli: the original surround sound.
Puccini
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre, 6—28 May
On tour in Japan, the American sailor Pinkerton cannot wait to bed his Japanese bride. But he’s already dreaming of an American life with an American wife. When his ship departs, he condemns Butterfly to purgatory.
This new production is by Australia’s most famous choreographer, Graeme Murphy. It’s a contemporary look at Puccini’s alluring heroine. He captures the grace and gravity of a tale that begins in rapturous love and ends in cruel heartbreak. The production features floor-to-ceiling LED panels as a dynamic set. Fragments of film flutter across the stage. Puccini’s sublime music imbues this ageless story with beauty, from the irrepressible aria ‘Un bel dì’ (‘One fine day’) to the intense finale.
Wagner
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre, 16—29 May
Exclusive to Melbourne
Elsa stands accused of a horrible crime. She prays for a champion, and a noble knight appears. But his help comes with a condition: she must never ask his name. Does true love demand blind faith?
Lohengrin is a fantastical romance. It’s filled with shimmering string passages and angelic choruses, including the famous Bridal March. Wagner described his music as “streams of gold, ravishing the senses of the beholder.”
Pinchgut Opera presents
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, 18—23 June
Médée’s passion for Jason turns to murderous fury when he shifts his attention to a younger woman. Is there anything she won’t do to get her revenge? Charpentier’s sensual lyricism and dramatic insight take us deep inside the mind and heart of this terrifying woman who refuses to be a victim – even at the cost of her own flesh and blood.
Opera Australia and Opera Queensland present
Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, 17 November—4 December
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 25 June—10 August
Verdi’s monumental music makes this historic epic a popular favourite. Davide Livermore’s radiant production is a thrilling theatrical experience. From the famous Triumphal March to the intimate ending, every scene is spectacular.
Donizetti
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 30 June—16 July
Elizabeth has been the Virgin Queen too long. She relishes the attention of a younger courtier: the ambitious Roberto Devereux. But Devereux stands accused of treason. Elizabeth has to choose between her country and her heart.
This tale of love, lust and betrayal in the Tudor royal court strays a long way from history, but makes a sensational plot. Add Donizetti’s luxurious music, a brilliant cast and an extraordinary new production, and it becomes a must-see.
Halévy
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 14 July—7 August
A young couple begin a dangerous, passionate affair. In their world, a Jew cannot love a Christian.
The punishment is death. When it all comes out, Rachel faces two impossible choices. Deny her love, and save her lover. Deny her God, and save herself.
Tchaikovsky
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 25 July—8 August
Tatyana is a dreamer, lost in romantic stories. When the dashing Eugene Onegin walks into her world, she feels her own love story beginning. But Onegin rejects her passion.
Eugene Onegin is the journey from what could be to what might have been. Between lies tragedy.
Norman & Simon
Sydney Lyric , 4 August—6 September
When it premiered on Broadway in 1991, The Secret Garden took New York by storm. Tony Awards, national tours and international productions all followed. Now, for the first time in 25 years, this sensational musical returns to Australia in all its glory.
The famous novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett on which the musical is based is known and loved by many. This heart-warming story comes to life on stage with the same magical qualities, and rewards audiences with its sophisticated take on this literary classic.
John Berry and Anthony Lilley for Scenario Two Ltd & Karl Sydow present
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 14—22 August
Margaret and her daughter Clara are taking in the wonders of Florence during a languid 1950s summer. A windborne hat sparks an intense romance between Clara and local dreamer Fabrizio. But Clara isn’t quite what she appears, and soon they must confront a secret kept in the shadows for far too long.
Four-time Grammy Award winner Renée Fleming stars in this enchanting Broadway musical which won six Tony Awards, including Best Original Score.
Bizet
Canberra Theatre, 3—5 September
Carmen is the femme fatale you can’t forget. In Bizet’s famous opera, she sings her sensual Habanera, and lures Don José into her world. He gives up everything to follow her. But Carmen’s wandering eye has already found a new lover: the dashing bullfighter Escamillo.
Experience the thrilling Spanish colour and rhythms of Bizet’s vibrant score with Opera Australia’s singers, live chamber orchestra and a children’s chorus drawn from the local community. This new production includes gorgeous sets and vintage-inspired costumes.
Stein, Bock, Harnick & Friedman
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 10 September—31 October
Comedy Theatre, 15 November—20 December
Experience Fiddler on the Roof (A Fidler afn Dakh) in a new way — performed in Yiddish, the language of Tevye and his family!
Following sold-out seasons in New York, and Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Musical Revival, we’re delighted to present Australian audiences with this unique, authentic language version of a much-loved musical theatre classic.
Pinchgut Opera presents
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, 12—13 September
Melbourne Recital Centre, 11 September
Music fit for royalty: Charpentier’s majestic Te Deum was written in honour of the Sun King, Louis XIV, and its grandeur and elegance reflect the magnificence of his palace at Versailles. Across the Channel, written just one year later, Purcell’s Come, Ye Sons of Art celebrates the birthday of Queen Mary with music of sheer delight
Ford & Smith
Opera Australia Scenery Workshop, The Opera Centre, Dawson St, Surry Hills, 16—19 September
The Coopers Malthouse, Merlyn Theatre , 30 September—3 October
Rembrandt was famous for his portraits: rosy cheeks, smiling women, luscious naked curves. He lived with his wife, Saskia, in love and luxury. But as an old man, Rembrandt did not paint laughing women. He died alone, destitute.
Discover this extraordinary story in the first revival of this 2009 chamber opera by Andrew Ford and Sue Smith.
Andrew McKinnon in association with Opera Australia presents
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, 16 October
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall, 3 October
Joseph Calleja is one of the most exciting lyric tenors in the world today. In this, his eagerly anticipated debut Australian tour, the Maltese-born singer described as the young Pavarotti will be joined by two of Australia’s best-loved artists, soprano Amelia Farrugia, who is also of Maltese heritage, and internationally acclaimed pianist Piers Lane, for an unforgettable performance.
Donizetti
Sydney Town Hall, 8—10 October
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall, 13 October
It’s got poison and betrayals galore. But the best reason to see Lucrezia Borgia in concert is to bask in the skills of an extraordinary soprano. Impossible trills and stratospheric notes make this classic Donizetti an important conquest for the best coloratura sopranos.
This is your chance to hear Jessica Pratt perform the title role of Lucrezia Borgia (including the infamous final aria) in concert.
Wagner
Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, 10—28 November
In the space of a single, majestic, two-and-a-half hour musical span, Wagner immerses you in a mysterious, primordial world of scheming gods, misshapen dwarfs, alluring maidens and fearsome monsters. The Ring Cycle is sold as a four-opera cycle only.
Wagner
Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, 12 November—1 December
The second opera in the Ring Cycle holds special appeal for audiences with its dramatic power and remarkable music, including the famous ‘Ride of the Valkyries’. The Ring Cycle is sold as a four-opera cycle only.
Wagner
Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, 14 November—3 December
The Ring Cycle’s third part is intensely focused on the fortunes of a single figure. Siegfried charts the rise of the son of Siegmund and Sieglinde into the greatest hero of the age. The Ring Cycle is sold as a four-opera cycle only.
Wagner
Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, 16 November—5 December
The Ring Cycle reaches its devastating finale in Götterdämmerung’s tale of treachery and destruction. All seems lost after love is betrayed by naked ambition and villains outsmart heroes. The Ring Cycle is sold as a four-opera cycle only.
Pinchgut Opera presents
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, 3—9 December
In this magical tale of chivalry and cunning, the knight Rinaldo battles the scheming sorceress Armida to rescue his beloved Almirena. This was the first Italian opera ever written for the London stage, and it catapulted the young Handel to fame and fortune with its brilliant display of arias, duets and orchestral effects, by turns ravishing and thrilling.