Golden Jubilee Season in 2026 for State Opera South Australia

State Opera South Australia has unveiled its Golden Jubilee 2026 Season, a milestone year that marks fifty years of opera.

At its core, the program brings together four world-first, South Australian-made new productions: La Cenerentola (Cinderella), Hansel & Gretel, Into the Woods and Carmen – each re-envisioned for contemporary audiences while honouring the traditions that have shaped both the artform and the company’s first five decades.

Artistic Director Dane Lam said the 2026 season captures the unique energy of opera and the ambition of a company looking firmly ahead.

“Next year, South Australia will stand tall as the nation’s ‘Opera State.’ A place where artists from across the country and around the world come to create, innovate and perform. Our Golden Jubilee 2026 Season embodies Opera Without Borders: four new productions conceived and crafted right here in South Australia, born of collaboration, ingenuity and trust. That’s exactly what makes us one of the most exciting and forward-thinking opera companies in the Asia Pacific, because we break down borders to create these opportunities. I'm very proud to present this magnificent body of work to mark such a milestone anniversary,” Lam said.

Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) opens the year in a new staging by Neil Armfield with production design by Stephen Curtis and music conducted by Stuart Stratford. This retro 70s-inspired work champions kindness, resilience and the transformative power of love, with Anna Dowsley as Angelina (Cinderella), Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Don Magnifico and Helena Dix as Clorinda, alongside Nicholas Lester as Dandini and Pelham Andrews as Alidoro.

Mid-year, Hansel & Gretel and Into the Woods will run over alternative nights inviting opera-lovers to journey through two contrasting fairy-tale worlds: one bright and whimsical, and the other shadowy and sublime.

Hansel & Gretel draws audiences into the dark enchanted forest in Constantine Costi’s genre-bending production with design by Jonathan Oxlade. Soprano Sofia Troncoso returns to Adelaide as Gretel with counter tenor Kangmin Justin Kim as Hansel and Australian mezzo soprano, Catherine Carby, in the dual role of the Witch and Mother. Humperdinck’s Wagnerian score, performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dane Lam, underscores a haunting and deeply human reimagining of the classic tale perfect for anyone who has had to face their fears and find their way home.

Into the Woods - The Tony Award-winning musical with a score and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine, intertwines beloved fairy tales in a witty and moving musical journey about love, loss and family. Former State Opera Children’s Chorus member, Australian performer Hugh Sheridan returns to his hometown Adelaide as the Baker with Johanna Allen as his wife, leading an all–South Australian cast.

Carmen will be the main-stage season finale. Directed by Laura Hansford, Bizet’s timeless score meets striking modern design in a production that captures the fire, danger and allure of the opera. The prodigious South Australian-raised Charlotte Kelso, recently seen in Roméo et Juliette, stars as the fearless and defiant Carmen, with Gerard Schneider as Don José and Samuel Dale Johnson as Escamillo.

Beyond the mainstage, the 2026 program features Bellini’s Norma in Concert, showcasing the bel canto brilliance of Helena Dix who stars alongside performers like Anna Dowsley, Rosario La Spina and Teddy Tahu Rhodes. Brad Cohen will conduct this concert version at Her Majesty’s Theatre in May for one night only.

Opera Australia’s national tour of Don Giovanni will premiere in the Barossa Valley over two nights, giving opera fans the first look at this glamorous 1950s-inspired staging before it travels the country.

The UKARIA Recital Series, curated by Anthony Hunt, brings intimate performances to the Adelaide Hills at the UKARIA Cultural Centre – a sanctuary for music, art and nature. Set amid serene gardens designed by Jurlique founder Ulrike Klein, and overlooking rolling vine-clad hills, the venue’s natural beauty becomes part of the artistic experience.

Sharing the enduring power of opera with every demographic and age group is a cause close to State Opera’s heart. Younger audiences will be treated to multiple opportunities to engage with opera.

Starting with Piccolini-gu: An Opera for Our Little Ones, children aged 0–3 will experience the wonder of live performance. Written by First Nations’ composer Nardi Simpson and directed by Sally Chance, the title uses the Yuwaalaraay suffix form of -gu as ‘for’ so there is a placeholder for Indigenous concepts alongside operatic terminology, it also aims to centre the children with the performance adjusting around them. Expect a performance that is a gentle, immersive opera combining singing, movement and colour in a welcoming, sensory-rich space that encourages curiosity and connection.

For ‘older’ little ones, the new school production, A Score Through Time, will premiere across regional and metro South Australian primary schools. Created in South Australia, this new school performance builds on the success of The Frog Prince tour in 2024–25. It follows a young female scientist on a musical journey through centuries of sound, blending live performance and multimedia to bring opera to life in a fun and accessible way.

For family audiences there’s The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved story is transformed into an operatic journey through love, loss and imagination. This state-first collaboration between State Opera and the Elder Conservatorium of Music has been composed by Academy Award-winner Rachel Portman and will feature the Conservatorium’s young chorus as stars, lamplighters and celestial beings, providing a platform for South Australia’s emerging voices and a glimpse into the future stars of opera.

The opera community is made up of many parts, but the State Opera Chorus has been the performing backbone for half a century. To honour that legacy, they will step into the spotlight at Golden Voices - 50 Years of the State Opera Chorus at St Peter’s Cathedral over two nights in November. Conducted by Anthony Hunt, the program unites sacred and operatic works in a tribute to community, artistry and the human voice.

Lam said at the heart of this season it’s the extraordinary singers projecting without amplification. “At the heart of it allare the voices, filling our theatres with sound and soul. Opera survives only when it speaks to the present and dares to imagine the future, and that’s exactly what this season sets out to do,” he said.

Minister for the Arts, The Hon. Andrea Michaels MP agreed and congratulated the company on its milestone anniversary and 2026 season launch.

“For five decades, State Opera has been part of the cultural fabric of our state, telling stories that move, inspire and unite South Australians. The Golden Jubilee 2026 Season showcases the extraordinary creative talent we have here in South Australia, showcasing why South Australia continues to lead on the national and international stage. It’s a celebration of people and place, and a shining example of what happens when vision and artistry come together,” Minister Michaels said.

Executive Director Mark Taylor said the Golden Jubilee year is both a reflection on State Opera’s remarkable legacy and a declaration of confidence in its future.

“Reaching fifty years is a rare milestone in the arts, and to celebrate it with a season conceived, designed and built entirely in South Australia is something special. Our company has always been defined by its people; the artists, artisans and audiences who make opera possible. We honour our past, while looking forward with boldness and belief. What makes State Opera unique is our scale: we’re nimble, inventive, and deeply connected to the community we serve. That’s the power of a company that belongs to its state,” Taylor said.

Tickets for State Opera South Australia’s Golden Jubilee 2026 Season are on sale via www.stateopera.com.au

Images: State Opera South Australia’s Season Launch - Dane Lam and Charlotte Kelso. Photographer: Matt Turner