Opera Australia
Australia’s National Opera Company
Australia’s national opera company was born when a band of idealists — butchers, pharmacists, newsagents — gave up their day jobs to celebrate the 1956 Mozart bicentenary with a season of four operas. Today, Opera Australia (OA) is Australia’s largest performing arts company, which each year presents an extensive season showcasing the world’s great opera and music theatre repertoire under the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House and at Arts Centre Melbourne, together with a regional touring program and performance broadcasts in cinemas and on national television and radio. In the 21st century, under artistic director Lyndon Terracini, OA has won the hearts of ever larger and more diverse audiences, giving more than 700 performances to more than half a million people every year.
“The Sydney Opera House should be heard and not just seen.”The Wall Street Journal
Opera Australia | Something worth sharing
Opera Australia | Something worth sharing
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2023 Season
Fly on the wings of madness, melancholy, and music in 2023. Opera is never tame. From your seat, you can feel the passion of first love, blossoming in tender duet. Watch devotion descend into desperation with a soprano in full flight. Delight in drama worlds away.
In 2023, you can see operas few people have ever heard live, hear incredible voices from performers at the top of their game, and enjoy beloved productions of operas you know and love.
Lyndon Terracini AM, Artistic Director
Lyndon Terracini is the Artistic Director of Opera Australia, and has also enjoyed a highly successful international opera career as well as a successful career as an actor, director and writer.
Lyndon Terracini was appointed Artistic Director and CEO of the Queensland Music Festival in July 2000 and directed the 2001, 2003 and 2005 Festivals. He was appointed Artistic Director/CEO of Brisbane Festival in 2005 and Artistic Director/CEO of Major Brisbane Festivals in November 2007.
In 2014, Lyndon’s service to the performing arts as an opera performer, director and administrator was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.