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25.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Dialogues of the Carmelites Francis Poulenc’s 1957 opera about a convent of nuns condemned to death during the French Revolution is a firm favourite of opera-lovers around the world but is rarely seen on Australian stages. This 1984 production, filmed at the Sydney Opera House, features Dame Joan Sutherland as Madame Lidoine, the role she first performed in 1958 at the opera’s British Premiere at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She’s joined by many of our co...mpany’s most celebrated singers of the time, including Lone Koppel, Isobel Buchanan, Anne Maree-McDonald, Heather Begg, Paul Ferris and Richard Greager. You can stream the full opera for free on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/3a3lFRo

24.01.2022 The Marriage of Figaro was the first opera we ever performed, way back in 1956. Over the decades, we've revisited this masterpiece time and again with extraordinary singers, directors, conductors, designers and musicians. We've had productions that meticulously recreate the fashions of the 17th century and productions that catapult the action forward to the present day. But all of them capture the beauty and charm inherent in Mozart's comedy of sexual and social politics.

24.01.2022 Tickets now on sale A young bride enters her husband’s castle. Trembling on the threshold, she longs to warm the icy marble and let the light flood in. But the walls are wet with tears. The castle is rank with blood. See Bluebeard's Castle, Bartók’s astonishing thriller, at the Sydney Opera House, March 2021.

24.01.2022 Happy Birthday to Maestro Richard Bonynge, who today turns 90! The Australian conductor, who was our musical director from 1976-86, is being celebrated in a live concert streaming tonight with singers including Yvonne Kenny and Emma Matthews. https://bit.ly/2HBwBM1

24.01.2022 Missed out on a free ticket to our Costume and Prop Sale? We're pleased to announce that we'll be accepting a limited number of walk-in customers this Friday and Saturday. Those who hold a ticket are guaranteed priority entry, but we'll also be admitting customers who missed out. Please note that this is a COVID-safe event with limited capacities. As such, there may be wait times and we can't guarantee entry to any walk-ins customers. We ask that you familiarise yourself with the event details before attending: https://bit.ly/35tCMeu

23.01.2022 Elena Kats-Chernin is one of Australia’s most successful and prolific composers, working across opera, concert music, ballet and film. She even composed our first opera for television, The Divorce, and recently won rave reviews for the score of Whiteley. She joined us for a special solo performance of 'Immersion in Blue' from Whiteley, and an in-depth conversation with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini. Watch the full conversation on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/2RdklCS

23.01.2022 On this day in 1973: The Sydney Opera House officially opened to the world. Four years ago, we performed a new production of The Eighth Wonder, an Australian opera chronicling the tumultuous story behind the architectectural icon. Here's an interview we filmed with Danish tenor Adam Frandsen, who played a character based on the real-life mastermind behind the Opera House, Jørn Utzon.

23.01.2022 Need some inspiration for a last-minute Halloween costume? Look no further than the opera stage... From bloodied brides to tap-dancing noses and dismembered artists. We've got it all.

22.01.2022 How well do you know opera plots? How crafty are you with emojis? We all know that is the unofficial emoji for Carmen, but what about some more obscure characters? Put your skills to the test with this quiz.

22.01.2022 How do you tell that special someone exactly how you're feeling? With a thoughtful gift, of course!

22.01.2022 Though it may not have been the celebration they were initially hoping for, we want to congratulate our long-standing partner, Qantas, on their centenary! It’s wonderful to partner with you and we are proud that we’ve been with you for half of that journey partners since 1970. A lot has changed over the years, especially this one, but we look to the future with excitement and eagerness at what our partnership can bring. Cheers to the next 100 years. Happy Birthday, Qantas Bravo! : Keith Saunders (2018)

22.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Il Trovatore Verdi's fiery classic blazes to life in this classic production starring Dame Joan Sutherland and a starry Australian cast. You can watch the full opera on our free streaming service, OA | TV: https://bit.ly/35cnEAY

22.01.2022 Since its premiere, Puccini's Madama Butterfly has fascinated audiences everywhere. But rarely has it had a setting as beautiful as Sydney Harbour. In 2014, we invited the theatrical visionaries from La Fura dels Baus to create the third production for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. Director Àlex Ollé brought a contemporary perspective to this tragic story with one of our boldest stagings yet. He combined moments of extraordinary beauty with confronting scenes that shed light... on the callousness at the centre of this story. Hiromi Omura and Mariana Hong shared the role of Cio-Cio-San opposite Georgy Vasiliev and Andeka Gorrotxategi as Pinkerton. The full opera is now available to stream for free on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/39vSYfS Photography: James Morgan Photo 1: Andeka Gorrotxategi as Pinkerton and Mariana Hong as Cio-Cio-San. Photo 2: The sun rises over Sydney Harbour Photo 3: Mariana Hong as Cio-Cio-San Photo 4: Anna Yun as Suzuki, Hiromi Omura as Cio-Cio-San and Jayden Lai as Sorrow Photo 5: Andeka Gorrotxategi as Pinkerton and Mariana Hong as Cio-Cio-San Photo 6: Hiromi Omura as Cio-Cio-San and Georgy Vasiliev as Pinkerton

21.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Encore! The Best of Joan Sutherland Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, Dame Joan Sutherland made regular appearances on our stages and was an essential part of our company. In collaboration with her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge, she was responsible for some of the most sublimely beautiful nights at the opera in living memory. This compilation pulls together some of the great moments from Sutherland’s appearances at the Sydney Opera House, with excerpts from o...peras including Lakmé, Lucrezia Borgia, Die Fledermaus, Il Trovatore, Norma, and the opera that made her a star, Lucia di Lammermoor. You can stream the full compilation film for free on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/312yUxU

20.01.2022 Did you know: Madama Butterfly was a disastrous flop when it first premiered? In 1904 the opera was first performed at La Scala, where the audience response was ferocious. Puccini famously described it as a real lynching an orgy of lunatics, drunk on hate. Over the coming years he rewrote the opera five times, and added in Pinkerton's 'Addio fiorito asil' aria. With those rewrites, he had a hit on his hands. The opera has been a favourite of audiences all around the world ...ever since. Our 2014 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production of this masterpiece is now available to stream for free on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/39vSYfS Photo 1: Hiromi Omura as Cio-Cio-San at Arts Centre Melbourne in 2015. Jeff Busby Photo 2: Andeka Gorrotxategi as Pinkerton and Karah Son as Cio-Cio-San at Sydney Opera House in 2019. Prudence Upton Photo 3: Mariana Hong as Cio-Cio-San at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in 2014. James Morgan

20.01.2022 Travel might be out of the question right now, but here's a bit of sunny Granada to tide you over. Diego Torre recently stopped by our studio to perform Mexican composer Agustín Lara's beloved tribute to the Spanish city and chat with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini. You can watch the full interview and performance here: https://bit.ly/2zChzld

20.01.2022 Bela Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle is a psychological thriller unlike any other. A young bride enters her husband’s castle. Trembling on the threshold, she longs to warm the icy marble and let the light flood in. But the walls are wet with tears. We're performing Bluebeard's Castle for the first time next year at the Sydney Opera House. More info and tickets: https://bit.ly/2I8DWmY

20.01.2022 Yonghoon Lee's glorious voice has been heard in the world's most prestigious opera houses. He's been a favourite of our audiences since he made his Opera Australia debut in 2013, and we're so excited to have him back this year to take on the title role in Otello. The role is one of the greatest in the tenor repertoire and requires a singer and actor who can bring this unforgettable character to life. Otello is at Sydney Opera House in July. More info & tickets: https://bit.ly.../3yKZUlh Photo 1: Yonghoon Lee as Otello. Photo 2: Yonghoon Lee in Carmen at Sydney Opera House, 2016. Keith Saunders Photo 3: Yonghoon Lee in Turandot at Sydney Opera House, 2015. Brando Gaica Photo 4: Yonghoon Lee in Tosca at Sydney Opera House, 2013. Keith Saunders

18.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Adriana Lecouvreur Italian composer Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur is one of opera's greatest love triangles. Set backstage at the famed Comédie-Française theatre, the opera is full of mistaken identities, glamour, treachery and romance. Dame Joan Sutherland stars in this production now available to stream: https://bit.ly/3nF4Tif

18.01.2022 We're looking back at eight years of Sydney's most spectacular arts event. From giant fire-breathing dragons, to awe-inspiring sunrises across the water, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour always brings the spectacle: https://bit.ly/34c1HCF

18.01.2022 Tickets now on sale She lived for love. On this desperate day, can she find the strength to kill for it? See our lavish production of Tosca at Sydney Opera House, FeburaryMarch 2021.

18.01.2022 She lived for love. On this desperate day, can she find the strength to kill for it? Our celebrated production of Tosca unfolds at breakneck pace, as Puccini's romance catapults towards tragedy. It's returning to the Sydney Opera House in February and March 2021. More info and tickets: https://bit.ly/368GRE3

18.01.2022 While most of the city has been in and out of lockdown, technical staff at Arts Centre Melbourne have been hard at work carrying out essential upgrades to the State Theatre. Read more about the state-of-the-art fly system currently being installed: https://bit.ly/351GBq3

17.01.2022 Auditions have just wrapped up for The Phantom of the Opera! We went inside the audition room with Associate Director Seth Sklar-Heyn, who explained why audiences have fallen in love with Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece, and what to expect from Cameron Mackintosh's new production. The Phantom of the Opera is at Sydney Opera House from September and Arts Centre Melbourne from November. More info & tickets: opera.org.au/phantom

17.01.2022 In 2014, one of our multitalented stage managers, Garry Alcorn, brought Opera Australia to Murwillumbah. Garry wanted the northern NSW community he grew up in to experience the joy of our tour of The Magic Flute. Incredibly, he personally undertook much of the planning (and financial risk!) to make it happen. Hear more about Garry's work and why a career in stage management leads to premature greying in this fascinating interview: https://bit.ly/3pXWGXx... Photo 1: Garry Alcorn with the cast of The Magic Flute in Murwillumbah (2014). Photo 2: Opera Australia Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini and Garry Alcon (2020).

16.01.2022 The Brisbane Ring Cycle is still more than a year away. But some fans are getting in the mood early... Jordi Marin

16.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Norma starring Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Sutherland considered Norma, the lead character of Bellini’s bel canto melodrama, one of her favourite roles. She performed the brilliant and challenging score for Australian audiences for the first time in this 1978 production at the Sydney Opera House, reuniting with her regular collaborator Margreta Elkins, who plays Adalgisa, as well as Ronald Stevens and Clifford Grant.... Watch the full opera on our free streaming service, OA | TV: https://bit.ly/3648O1g

16.01.2022 We've been asking about your cherished opera memories for the last few months. Now it's your turn to ask our team of opera professionals your burning questions. Want to know what a conductor does? Or which role is really the hardest? Or maybe just what our wigs are made of? Let us know, and we'll get one of our experts to answer some of your questions. Photo: The Eighth Wonder at Sydney Opera House, 2016. : Hamilton Lund.

15.01.2022 Tickets now on sale Sway, smile and swoon your way through our delicious production of The Merry Widow, at the Sydney Opera House in January 2021.

15.01.2022 Don't get too attached to any of the characters because they all die in the end? If you get lost just close your eyes and listen to the music? Your phone has to be *off* and not just on silent? What do you tell somebody before their first opera? Let us know!

15.01.2022 Like most major performing arts companies around the world, we've been hit hard by a global, once-in-a-century pandemic. This year, we have cancelled 590 performances over nine months. With more than half of our income coming from ticket sales, the financial impact has been significant. It remains highly uncertain when that revenue will start to return. For this reason, we're taking a number of steps to ensure the ongoing viability of Opera Australia and protect our artistic ...integrity into the future. Our long-term focus is ensuring as many of our valued team are able to stay with the organisation as is possible, but this will require difficult decisions to be made in the coming weeks as we begin consultations with staff. We expect that there will be redundancies in several departments across the company. Our CEO, Rory Jeffes, has frequently said that Opera Australia is its people, not its buildings, and for this reason we're now going to market to sell our storage facility in Alexandria, Sydney, to help support staff during this period. We will also be restructuring our company to operate more efficiently and to minimise any redundancies. There is a very real risk that business at usual will mean no business at all for Opera Australia. We're now seeking to take responsible steps to ensure that our beloved company, which began its life more than 60 years ago, will be around to delight our audiences for the next 60 years. Matthew Westwood takes an in-depth look at the challenges we face in this article for The Australian ($). If you do not have a subscription to The Australian, you can read more in this article in Limelight (https://bit.ly/34qn7N2) and the Sydney Morning Herald (https://bit.ly/3hp9L7u).

14.01.2022 On this day in 1876, the first performance of Wagner's full Ring Cycle commenced. We're thrilled to have confirmed performance dates for our new production in October and November 2021. Read more about this bold new Ring Cycle in this interview with director Chen Shi-Zheng. Info and tickets: opera.org.au/ring

14.01.2022 For the first time ever we're performing Ernani, Verdi's rousing masterpiece. Ernani was the first opera recorded in full, 70 years after its premiere. This lavish co-production with La Scala features spectacular sets, period costumes, masks and headdresses. More info and tickets: https://bit.ly/3p32A96... : Brescia e Amisano

14.01.2022 Australia has produced few musical theatre performers as successful as Philip Quast. Known best for his performance as Javert in Les Misérables, Philip has worked on some of the world’s most prestigious stages in both plays and musicals. He has won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical three times and is the only actor to have achieved this feat. Philip has recently been working with the singers in our Young Artist Program, helping them unlock their dramatic talents and bring their characters to life. He joined our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, for this discussion of his extraordinary career and a masterclass in theatre: https://bit.ly/2QGdeTn

13.01.2022 The Merry Widow is packed with gorgeous, hummable tunes. At the top of the list is 'Vilja', a beautiful song from the operetta's glittering second act. Enjoy this sneak preview performed by soprano Julie Lea Goodwin, who'll be playing the titular widow in our production at the Sydney Opera House. Watch Julie Lea's full interview with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini: https://bit.ly/3kYIKc1

13.01.2022 It’s a big year for elections, but this is the only vote that really counts in 2020 We're on a quest to find Australia's Favourite Opera and we need your help! Vote at opera.org.au/australias-favourite-opera

13.01.2022 Coming soon... After eight long months away from the stage, we can't wait to welcome you safely back to the theatre. We have big plans for 2021, including grand productions in traditional venues alongside brand-new operatic experiences. Our first performances for the year will be announced next Thursday 5 November, to be performed at the Sydney Opera House from early January. Keep an eye out for more exciting announcements over the coming months as we confirm productions.... We'll have many more details for you soon, but you can familiarise yourself now with the COVID Safe plan in place for our performances at Sydney Opera House (opera.org.au/covid-safety) and read some subscriber FAQs (https://bit.ly/35GuQFP) as we prepare to welcome you back!

13.01.2022 The Magic Flute is the sort of opera that invites your imagination to run wild. With its princes and princesses, evil queens and killer serpents, demons and spirits, the opera transports audiences to a far-off land. Here are some of our favourite productions of this masterpiece, stretching right back to 1956.

12.01.2022 Soprano Stacey Alleaume comes from a long line of Mauritian musicians, and is now carrying on the family tradition as one of Australia's most exciting young singers. She recently joined us at the Opera Centre in Sydney for a performance of 'Les Nuages', a gorgeous song by Mauritian-born composer Francis Thomé, and for a conversation with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini. You can watch the full interview and performance on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/3fUqcr3

12.01.2022 FIRST LOOK: Verdi's Ernani For the first time ever, we're performing this dazzling masterpiece. This spectacular production, from the grand stage of La Scala, is coming to the Sydney Opera House in February 2021.

12.01.2022 To eat or not to eat, that is the question. When your body is your instrument, everything you do to it matters. So how does an opera singer stay in peak physical form? What sort of foods affect your ability to create the most beautiful sound?

12.01.2022 For all of his professional life, Brian Castles-Onion has been associated with Opera Australia. He was the conductor for both our 40th and 60th anniversary gala concerts, the Dame Joan Sutherland State Memorial Service, and is the driving musical force behind Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. He recently joined our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, for a conversation about his work and a special performance of Edvard Grieg's Nocturne: https://bit.ly/2HiRN9r

11.01.2022 A new Prime Minister meets opera's reigning Queen. In 1983, a few short months after his election, Prime Minister Bob Hawke ventured backstage at a performance of Il Trovatore at the Sydney Opera House to pay tribute to Dame Joan Sutherland. That timeless production of Verdi's classic is now available to stream in full: https://bit.ly/35cnEAY

11.01.2022 Have you had a night at Sydney Opera House you'll never forget? The Opera House is giving you the opportunity to share your favourite moment and have it projected onto Sydney's world-famous sails. Read more about #MySydneyOperaHouse and how you can play your part: https://bit.ly/35zATgC

11.01.2022 Did you know: Gaetano Donizetti was one of the most prolific opera composers of all time? He packed a lot into his 50-year life, with 65 operas, 16 symphonies, 193 songs, 19 string quartets and a plethora of duets, oratorios, cantatas and other classical works. His operas range from deadly serious tragedies to rib-tickling comedies You can now watch four Donizetti operas for free on our streaming service, OA | TV. There's our Roman Holiday-inspired Don Pasquale, as well as th...ree Donizetti operas showcasing Dame Joan Sutherland at her best: Lucia di Lammermoor, Lucrezia Borgia and The Daughter of the Regiment. Watch the films here: https://bit.ly/2YRCoTy

11.01.2022 ANNOUNCING... the 32 finalists for Australia's Favourite Opera! Madama Butterfly vs Tristan und Isolde, HMS Pinafore vs The Magic Flute, Lakmé vs Turandot. Which opera will reign supreme? Vote now at opera.org.au/australias-favourite-opera... Photo 1: Andeka Gorrotxategi and Karah Son in Madama Butterfly at Sydney Opera House (2019). : Prudence Upton. Photo 2: Lisa Gasteen and Horst Hoffmann in Tristan und Isolde at Arts Centre Melbourne (2001). : Jeff Busby. Photo 3: Anthony Warlow and Richard Anderson in HMS Pinafore at Arts Centre Melbourne (2005). : Jeff Busby. Photo 4: John Longmuir in The Magic Flute at Sydney Opera House (2016). : Branco Gaica.

11.01.2022 Gale Edwards has had the sort of career most stage directors dream of. For more than three decades, she's been one of Australia's most influential theatre-makers, having worked across all variety of performances; from large-scale operatic spectaculars, including our Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour productions of Carmen and Aida, to the most intimate of plays. She joined our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, to discuss her work in opera, on Broadway and the West End: https://...bit.ly/3czTGu5 Photo 1: Gale Edwards in conversation with Lyndon Terracini (2020). : Joshua Dang, Photo 2: Rinat Shaham and Dmytro Popov in Carmen on Sydney Harbour (2013). : Lightbox Photography. Photo 3: The cast of La Bohème at Sydney Opera House (2011). : Branco Gaica. Photo 4: Cheryl Barker in Salome at Sydney Opera House (2012). : Lisa Tomasetti.

11.01.2022 We're thrilled our Melbourne Ring Cycle has been selected as one of The Australian's "Top five electrifying moments in theatre". It was an enormous undertaking and we can't wait to unveil our new Ring Cycle next year in Brisbane. Read the article ($): https://bit.ly/2Sc5lFR

10.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Carmen at the Sydney Opera House There are few operas as beloved as Carmen, with its sizzling score and dangerously seductive title character. This classic production, originally staged in 1987, was directed by international opera legend John Copley. The staging was filmed at the Sydney Opera House in 1991, with Richard Bonynge on the conductor’s podium and Chilean mezzo-soprano Victoria Vergara as Carmen. She's joined by two great Australian singers who have n...ow sadly died: Deborah Riedel and John Wegner. You can watch the full opera now on our free streaming service, OA | TV: https://bit.ly/3aNc95A

10.01.2022 FLASHBACK: Our 2013 and 2017 performances of Carmen on Sydney Harbour featured some spectacular dance numbers, capturing the heat of a Spanish summer. Meet Kelley Abbey, the visionary choreographer who created these fiery dances: https://bit.ly/2H4JqOK

10.01.2022 ON THIS DAY: Dame Joan Sutherland bids farewell to the stage. A historic gala performance of Les Huguenots, starring one of the world's greatest singers, was filmed live at the Sydney Opera House 30 years ago today. It is now available to stream in full: https://bit.ly/30bR8gP

10.01.2022 Our National Tour, supported by QBE Insurance Australia, has been crossing the beautiful country we call home for 25 years, bringing opera to regions all around Australia. Unfortunately we've been forced to halt the tour this year and instead get our opera fix in our homes (and occasionally on our balconies). National Tour veteran Andrew Moran would usually be on the road this time of year but, like many of us, has ended up spending more time at home than ever before. Read about his experiences on tour and how an opera singer copes with the COVID-19 pandemic.

10.01.2022 While we hope every night at the opera is a memorable one, some performances truly make history. We recently released a film of our first ever production at the Sydney Opera House, War and Peace, to an extraordinary audience response. But the story behind this landmark production is just as fascinating as anything that happened on stage. Read about this incredible undertaking, how the staging came to be, and the one furry cast member who made a surprise onstage appearance at the final rehearsal.

10.01.2022 ANNOUNCEMENT: New dates confirmed for the Ring Cycle and Aida in Brisbane. We recently announced the postponement of our Brisbane performances of the Ring Cycle and Aida in Brisbane to 2021. We're now excited to be able to share new performance dates. Our three Ring Cycles will now be performed from 29 October to 20 November 2021, with performances of Aida from 3 to 19 November, all at Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Ticketholders will receive an email advising of their new performance times and dates. You can find out more and purchase tickets at opera.org.au/ring

09.01.2022 Tahu Matheson has been part of our team since 2007, and in 2017 became our Head of Music. While you might be used to seeing him with a baton in hand, he's also a brilliant pianist. He recently stopped by the OA | TV studio to dazzle us with a bit of Rachmaninoff. You can watch the performance and get to know more about Tahu's work at OA in this revealing interview with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini: https://bit.ly/336U8x4

09.01.2022 The Merry Widow is an opulent party, all glitz and glamour and Parisian charm. You're invited back to the Sydney Opera House for this frothy comedy, packed with Broadway-style dance numbers and memorable tunes. More info and tickets: https://bit.ly/32hE2jc

07.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: In Conversation with Anson Austin From 1970 until 2004, Anson Austin was one of our audience’s favourite singers. He tackled some 50 leading roles in his 34 years at Opera Australia and partnered with singers such as Dame Joan Sutherland and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in everything from Puccini to Mozart and contemporary opera. Anson recently sat down with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, to reflect on the highlights of his extraordinary career. You can watch ...the full interview on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/2Dq7IRF Photo 1: Anson Austin in Conversation, 2020 Photo 2: Anson Austin in La Traviata at Sydney Opera House, 2004. Photographer: Branco Gaica.

07.01.2022 John Bell is a legend of the Australian stage, responsible for some of the defining moments in our theatrical history. He's created several productions for us, including thrilling versions of Tosca and Carmen. Next week he's returning to his first love the words of Shakespeare in a special performance from the stage of the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House, in association with the company he founded, Bell Shakespeare.

07.01.2022 Last chance to vote! More than 3,000 of you have now submitted your choices for the Australia's Favourite Opera shortlist. You've got until 5pm this Friday (AEST) to get your votes in, and we'll be revealing the 32 operas on Monday morning: opera.org.au/australias-favourite-opera

07.01.2022 There are few singers who have had a career as long as Graeme Macfarlane. For almost five decades, Graeme has been singing tenor roles from across a broad repertoire on our stages, and is still going strong. He recently joined us for a performance of Australian composer Vera Black's 'Reminiscence' and an interview with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini: https://bit.ly/34ZBwQz

06.01.2022 INTRODUCING... Our new podcast For the last six months our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, has been interviewing the extraordinary talents of Opera Australia and inviting them to perform in our studio. These fascinating conversations are now available as a free podcast, with new episodes uploaded each week. You can find 'In Conversation with Lyndon Terracini' on your favourite podcast apps or at opera.org.au/podcast

06.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Don Pasquale We could all use a little silliness in these very serious times. Enter Don Pasquale. Donizetti’s colourful confection is reimagined with plenty of style (and plenty of laughs) in this charming 2013 production by Roger Hodgman. With fast-paced arias to match the production’s fast-paced action, this is comedic opera at its bright and bubbly best.... Watch the full opera on our free streaming service, OA | TV: https://bit.ly/2ELUoaw

06.01.2022 Are you missing our Opera Australia Orchestra? This Sunday night four of our musicians will be giving a live streamed concert from Melbourne Digital Concert Hall alongside series curator Kirsty McCahon. They'll be playing Verdi’s luscious E minor String Quartet, and Dvorak’s majestic String Quintet in G. The concert is live at 8.30pm AEST. Tickets can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/33fI3pp

06.01.2022 Our thoughts are with the entire Lebanese community, both overseas and in Australia, as they deal with the devastation wrought by the Beirut port explosion.

06.01.2022 For five decades, Brian Thomson has been one of Australian most influential designers, shaping the way local audiences see live performance. He started his career with three of the biggest rock musicals of all time: Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair and The Rocky Horror Show. In the years since, he’s worked on projects ranging from small-scale indie theatre to the biggest live performance events in the world, including several years of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. He recently ...joined our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, for an in-depth conversation about his career. Watch the full interview here: https://bit.ly/2ZeuRyj Photo 1: West Side Story on Sydney Harbour (2019). : Hamilton Lund Photo 2: La Bohème at the Sydney Opera House (2019). : Keith Saunders Photo 3: La Traviata on Sydney Harbour (2012). : Lisa Tomasetti Photo 4: Lyndon Terracini and Brian Thomson in conversation on OA | TV (2020). : Joshua Dang

06.01.2022 The AFL Grand Final is being played between Richmond and Geelong tonight. While we're not going to take sides, we do have a soft spot for Geelong, who drew inspiration from a certain Spanish-set opera for their club song...

05.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Fledermaus Australian stage legend Anthony Warlow leads a brilliant cast of opera all stars in this glittering version of one of the world’s favourite operettas. Directed by Lindy Hume, this production moves this quintessentially Austrian piece to 1930s New York, and is packed with Art Deco glamour and gags aplenty. Watch the full production for free on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/35oUa4H

05.01.2022 Tickets now on sale Duty! Youth! Honour! Beauty! Ernani is an outlaw, ready to fight for his honour and die for his ideals. See Verdi's rousing Ernani at the Sydney Opera House, February 2021.

05.01.2022 Aida is a massive opera, so let's talk numbers! Our production uses 400 metres of accordion-pleated organza, 400 metres of moleskin, 150 metres of gold lamé and 10 state-of-the-art digital screens totalling 400 million pixels! That's pretty hefty. Aida is at Sydney Opera House starting this month! opera.org.au/aida... Prudence Upton

04.01.2022 You may not know John Frost, but if you’re a musical theatre fan in Australia, there’s a good chance he’s been responsible for some of your favourite nights out. Known in the industry as ‘Frosty the Showman’, John is Australia’s most prolific theatre producer, having been in the business of producing large-scale musicals since the 1980s. Since 2012, we’ve collaborated with Frosty on some of our most successful musicals: South Pacific, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Anything Go...es and Evita. He recently stopped by the OA | TV studio to chat with our Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini, about all things showbiz: https://bit.ly/3iNqu4F Photo 1: John Frost in conversation on OA | TV Photo 2: My Fair Lady. Photography by Jeff Busby Photo 3: The King and I. Photography by Brian Geach Photo 4: Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Lisa McCune in South Pacific. Photography by Jeff Busby.

04.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: La Bohème Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour might take place in Sydney’s temperate autumn each year, but snow fell over the water every night in 2018. That snow is an integral part of this spectacular, heart-wrenching staging of Puccini’s original bohemian love story. Starring Iulia Maria Dan and Ho-Yoon Chung as Mimì and Rodolfo, the production is performed across a Parisian streetscape designed by Dan Potra, who returns to the har...bour after his work on Turandot. Julie Lea Goodwin makes for a glamorous Musetta opposite Samuel Dundas as Marcello. You can watch the full production on OA | TV: https://bit.ly/3g0j6AX

03.01.2022 NOW STREAMING: Nabucco Long before he conquered the opera houses of Europe, Australian director and provocateur Barrie Kosky made this bold production of Verdi's Nabucco. Featuring Jonathan Summers, Elizabeth Connell and Bruce Martin, this unforgettable performance was filmed at Arts Centre Melbourne in 1996 and is now available to stream in full: https://bit.ly/366Iwdj

03.01.2022 Ever wanted to get up close and personal with costumes worn by a true opera diva? Last year we donated 30 of Dame Joan Sutherland's most beautiful costumes to the Australian Performing Arts Collection. You can now view some of these fabulous frocks and hear the stories behind them in this stunning digital gallery from Arts Centre Melbourne.

03.01.2022 POSTPONEMENT: The Ring Cycle and Aida will come to Brisbane in 2021 As the COVID-19 crisis continues to evolve and new uncertainties emerge, we've decided to postpone our productions of the Ring Cycle and Aida at Queensland Performing Arts Centre until 2021. We know this is disappointing news for many of you, but it means we can provide more certainty for ticketholders, performers and all of those involved with staging the event. We're excited to bring these spectacular prod...uctions to Brisbane in 2021, and thank everyone for their understanding as we work through this challenging period. Dates are currently being finalised for 2021 and we will be in touch with ticketholders shortly, advising them of their options. If you have any questions, please get in touch at [email protected]

03.01.2022 Happy Birthday Bizet! On this day in 1838, Georges Bizet was born in Paris. Celebrate by watching his most famous work in full, Carmen, performed on Sydney Harbour on OA TV: https://bit.ly/3o9WDH9

02.01.2022 Fill your days with Queensland's natural wonders and your evenings with epic opera this November! We've created a guide to help you get the most out of a trip to Queensland. Explore golden beaches, tropical emerald rainforests and rugged mountain ranges between performances of the Ring Cycle at QPAC: https://bit.ly/33SqRFI #thisisqueensland #visitbrisbane #brisbaneanyday #seeaustralia Visit Queensland, Australia Visit Brisbane

02.01.2022 Opera is back! Tickets are now on sale for our first operas of 2021, playing at the Sydney Opera House. See what's on offer and book your tickets at opera.org.au/2021

02.01.2022 There's no aphrodisiac like opera. We recently conducted a social study into some of the unexpected impacts of opera. What we found might surprise you...

02.01.2022 More than 1,000 of you have already submitted your votes in the shortlist round of Australia's Favourite Opera! And we're only two days into voting! Here are glimpses of some of the operas currently in the top ten. Can you guess what they are?

01.01.2022 Which widow will triumph? Our first round of voting for Australia's Favourite Opera is well underway. But there's one particular battle that's tighter than all the others: The Merry Widow and Lucia di Lammermoor are neck-and-neck. These are two masterpieces (one light and fluffy the other much less so) but one is about to be eliminated. Vote by 5pm Friday (AEST) to save your favourite: opera.org.au/australias-favourite-opera