State Opera South Australia has revealed its Golden Jubilee 2026 Season, a milestone year that marks fifty years of world-class opera with a program designed to inspire imagination, transformation and wonder, leading the company into the hearts of future audiences.
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 and our community while honouring the traditions that have shaped both the artform and the company’s first five decades.
Together they underpin a season that is magical, modern and unapologetically South Australian. 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,” said Lam.
“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,” said Lam.
Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) opens the year in a dazzling 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, world premieres of 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. The stunning voice of soprano Sofia Troncoso returns to Adelaide as Gretel with one of the world’s most in demand counter tenors Kangmin Justin Kim as Hansel and the great Australia mezzo soprano, Catherine Carby, in the dual role of the Witch and Mother.
Humperdinck’s lush, 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 an unforgettable score and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and masterful storytelling in the 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 and now renowned Australian performer Hugh Sheridan returns to his hometown Adelaide as the Baker with Johanna Allen as his wife, leading an all–South Australian cast in this spellbinding celebration of storytelling.
A bold, world premiere of 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 that has captivated audiences for generations.
The prodigious South Australian-raised Charlotte Kelso, recently seen in the global premiere last week of 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 is equally rich and ambitious. Bellini’s Norma in Concert will showcase 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, creating moments where music is not just heard, but deeply felt.
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.
This luminous concert will celebrate these extraordinary artists. 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 all are 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.
State Opera’s Golden Jubilee 2026 Season cements its place as a creative leader for South Australia – bringing the world to Adelaide and Adelaide to the world.
Tickets for State Opera South Australia’s Golden Jubilee 2026 Season are now on sale. For more information, visit: www.stateopera.com.au for details.
Image: Dane Lam and Charlotte Kelso – photo by Matt Turner