State Opera South Australia has today unveiled the rest of its 2025 season with two new productions; a dazzling reimagining of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and a landmark new staging of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette set for Her Majesty’s Theatre later this year.
With powerful international collaborations, these major new productions underscore Lam’s bold vision to create Opera Without Borders and signal the company’s evolution as a globally connected and artistically fearless institution—one that brings the world to Adelaide, and South Australia to the world.
“As we look toward our 50th anniversary next year, this season is about forging a new future by showing what opera can mean in the 21st century,” said Lam. “At its best, opera is the most collaborative of human endeavours. Through ambitious international and local partnerships, we at State Opera have reimagined classic works for contemporary audiences while creating new opportunities for South Australian artists and creatives. It’s opera without borders in action,” he said.
The global premiere of The Magic Flute opens tonight in Hong Kong, before travelling to Adelaide in late August, and then to Beijing in 2026, and marks a world-first collaboration between State Opera, Opera Hong Kong, the Beijing Music Festival and China National Opera House—the first major opera co-production between China and Australia.
Directed by acclaimed film and opera director Shuang Zou, with State Opera’s Artistic Director, Dane Lam conducting all seasons, this visionary production blends Mozart’s timeless score with modern Asia-Pacific visual culture. Set in a dystopian multiverse inspired by the Hong Kong MTR subway system, it recasts the classic fantasy adventure for a new era—complete with The Three Ladies dressed as Cathay Pacific flight attendants, and a Queen of the Night that will leave audiences spellbound.
Starring an extraordinary cast including State Opera debutants David Greco (Papageno), Helena Dix (First Lady), Danielle Bavli (Queen of the Night), and Sofia Troncosco (Pamina), the production is designed by legendary Australian creative Dan Potra—whose work includes the Sydney Olympic ceremonies—and features cutting-edge staging that fuses traditional opera with 21st-century spectacle.
This stunning new production of The Magic Flute has been made possible with the support of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, an Australian Government initiative committed to strengthening practical cooperation and engagement between Australia and China.
Gary Cowan, CEO of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations said, “The Foundation is delighted to support the South Australia State Opera’s program of collaborative performances of The Magic Flute in Hong Kong and mainland China. It is brilliant to see our artists from Adelaide working together with their counterparts in Hong Kong and Beijing. This kind of cultural exchange deepens our people-to-people ties and our friendship. The project will also strengthen Australia’s reputation for producing world class artists and performances.”
Opening in November, Roméo et Juliette brings Shakespeare’s iconic lovers to life in a sumptuous, homegrown Adelaide-made production that will travel the world. Created in collaboration with Irish National Opera and West Australian Opera, this co-production is being led and produced by State Opera, positioning South Australia as a driving force in international opera-making.
The cast features some of the world’s most exciting operatic talents: one of Australia’s most acclaimed operatic exports, soprano Siobhan Stagg stars in her State Opera début as Juliette, with extraordinary tenor and Adelaide-resident Kyle Stegall as Roméo. Baritone Morgan Pearse returns to Adelaide as Mercutio, while South Australian dramatic soprano, Charlotte Kelso, returns home as Stephano. The cast also includes several exciting homecomings and first-time appearances, showcasing the next generation of Australian operatic talent.
Directed by Rodula Gaitanou and designed by takis, both based in London and in high demand across Europe’s leading opera houses, Roméo et Juliette merges classical grandeur with striking modernity. It is the first time this work has been performed by State Opera in decades—and a powerful artistic statement for the company.
Following the bold success of Flight last week, these final two shows cement 2025 as a year of transformation for State Opera as a world leader in opera. Each production is a collaboration that expands creative horizons, nurtures local talent, and opens South Australia to the world stage while bringing the world to South Australia.
“We’re creating an operatic home in Adelaide that is globally connected and artistically fearless. We want opera to feel vital, urgent, and alive—to be the artistic heartbeat of the city and a place where the world meets,” Lam said.
