phantom of the opera australia tour

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

The much-anticipated production opened at the Sydney Opera House in August 2022 and Arts Centre Melbourne in October 2022.

This exciting new production of  THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA broke box office history at the Opera House when tickets went on sale in 2021.

Hit after hit punctuates the thrilling score, from the stunning romance of  “Music of the Night” ,  “Think of Me”  and  “All I Ask of You”  to the splendid  “Masquerade”  and brilliant title song. Now, you can hear them all in a spectacular new production that has stunned critics across the United Kingdom and North America. It features a new direction by Laurence Connor, brand new scenic design by Paul Brown, lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable, sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Scott Ambler and the original, Tony Award-winning costume design by Maria Björnson.

Overseen by Cameron Mackintosh & Matthew Bourne, the “simply epic” new staging includes many special effects, from the famous chandelier to the underground lake, and a large cast and orchestra. It’s “bigger and better than ever before” ( Yorkshire Post ) and “stunning, intense and spectacular” ( Sunday Express ).

The Phantom of the Opera  haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House. He’s man and mystery, a deformed genius. And in Christine Daae, he’s found his angel of music: the young woman he would make a star. But how many lives will he sacrifice to make the music of the night?

The Phantom of the Opera   is produced by Opera Australia and The Really Useful Group in association with Cameron Mackintosh. Michael Cassel is Executive Producer for Cameron Mackintosh Limited and The Really Useful Group.

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Prepare To Be Swept Away By Australia’s Upcoming Production Of ‘Phantom Of The Opera’

It’s official. A magical new production of one of the world’s most specular musicals, Phantom of the Opera , will be heading to Australia later this year —and the entire cast has been announced ahead of its highly-anticipated premiere. 

The announcement of Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical comes almost 35 years to the day since the production opened in London’s West End, with news it will play at the Sydney Opera House (the first time in the show’s history), as well as at Melbourne’s Arts Centre. 

For those unfamiliar, the production is based on the classic novel  Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux and tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the  catacombs of the Paris  Opera  House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it.

The “simply epic” upcoming stage production was overseen by Mackintosh and Matthew Bourne, which has promised to be “bigger and better than ever before.” 

Excited to get your hands on tickets? Read on for everything we know about  Phantom of the Opera’s  Australian run. 

Where And When Are Tickets Available For Phantom of the Opera  In Australia? 

If you’re wanting to go and see Phantom of the Opera in Australia, you’re going to need to get in quick with shows already selling out in Sydney (with Melbourne tickets available via a waitlist). Below are the details on where to find tickets and showtimes in both cities. 

The Sydney season of Phantom of the Opera will run from Friday, September 3rd to Friday, October 29th. Tickets are available for purchase here , but again, you’ll want to be quick before they all sell out. 

The Melbourne season of Phantom of the Opera will run from Sunday, November 14th to Sunday, January 30, 2022. Tickets are not currently available, but you can sign up to be on the waitlist here (with tickets available from July 6th). 

Who Has Been Cast In Australia’s Production of Phantom of the Opera ? 

Prepare to be dazzled by the incredible cast behind  Phantom of the Opera,  with the title role of The Phantom being played by Josh Piterman. The role of the  ingénue Christine Daaé will be played by Perth native Amy Manford, while Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny will be played by acclaimed musical theatre star Blake Bowden.

Manford actually took on the role in the original London production in 2017, where she had the privilege of performing at Buckingham Palace for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, while Bowden has an incredibly impressive list of performances under his belt, recently taking on the lead role of Elder Price in  The Book of Mormon. 

Starring alongside its lead cast will be David Whitney as shrewd theatre manager Monsieur Firmin; Andy Morton as  newly appointed theatre manager Monsieur Andre; Giuseppina Grech will play the role of opera diva Carlotta Guidicelli; Jayde Westaby will take on the role of ballet mistress Madame Giry;  the Italian opera singer Ubaldo Piangi will be played by Paul Tabone, and  newcomer  Mietta White will play young ballerina Meg Giry.

Of course, the production also has an incredible lineup of creatives at its helm including Laurence Connor as director, Scott Ambler behind choreography, and set design by Paul Brown. Tony Award-winning original costume design is by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Paule Constable and sound design by Mick Potter. 

One thing is for sure, this is not to be missed! 

This article was published by the team at marie claire Australia.

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This event has finished. If you love musicals, see another song-and-dance extravaganza in 2024.

Sunset Boulevard

From May 2024, Princess Theatre, Melbourne From August 2024, Sydney Opera House

Musical superstar Sarah Brightman stars in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s extraordinary musical about a Hollywood icon.

A must-see if you love stories of old Hollywood, legends on stage, Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals.

Sounds like...

West Side Story on Sydney Harbour

22 March – 21 April 2024 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour

A musical masterpiece returns to Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in a thrilling, larger-than-life staging. Dynamic dance numbers and fireworks soar across the harbour.

A must see if you love Romeo and Juliet , showstopping song and dance numbers, a tear-jerking ending.

State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne

Running time

Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one interval.

Recommended for ages 10+

Material includes themes of violence and horror, and depiction of hanging. Parental guidance suggested.

Special Midweek Offer: Book 4+ tickets and Save!*

That’s a saving of $60 when you book four A-reserve tickets to any Monday–Thursday performance (excludes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday performances).

Simply select the ‘Group of 4+’ price when choosing your A-reserve seats and the offer will be automatically applied.

Opera Australia and the Really Useful Group In association with Cameron Mackintosh Present The New Production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s

The Phantom of the Opera

At arts centre melbourne, experience the phenomenon of one of the most successful musicals of all time, when cameron mackintosh’s new production of andrew lloyd webber’s legendary show comes to melbourne..

Hit after hit punctuates the thrilling score, from the stunning romance of ‘Music of the Night’, ‘Think of Me’ and ‘All I Ask of You’ to the splendid ‘Masquerade’ and brilliant title song.

Now, you can hear them all in a spectacular new production that has stunned critics across the United Kingdom and North America. It features new direction by Laurence Connor, new scenic design by Paul Brown, lighting design by Tony Award ® -winner Paule Constable, sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Scott Ambler and the original, Tony Award ® -winning costume design by Maria Björnson.

Overseen by Cameron Mackintosh and Matthew Bourne, the “eye-poppingly innovative” ( Australian Financial Review ) new staging includes many special effects, from the famous chandelier to the underground lake, and a large cast and orchestra. It “remains as visually ravishing as ever” ( The Age ), and “cannot fail to impress” ( Time Out ).

The Phantom haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House. He’s man and mystery, a deformed genius. And in Christine Daaé, he’s found his angel of music: the young woman he would make a star. But how many lives will he sacrifice to make the music of the night?

“Classics are classic for a reason. ★★★★★”

The Phantom of the Opera at Sydney Opera House (2022)

Photographer: Daniel Boud

Cast & Creative

Composer, book, co-orchestrator, book & additional lyrics, choreographer, costume designer, lighting designer, sound design, video & projection design, illusion consultant, orchestrations, production overseen by, associate director, associate choreographer, associate scenic designer, associate lighting designer, associate sound designer, associate costume designer and maria björnson®’s costume designs recreated by, associate hair and wig designer, musical supervisor (australia), resident director, musical director, the phantom, christine daaé, raoul, vicomte de chagny, monsieur firman, monsieur andré, carlotta giudicelli, madame giry, ubaldo piangi, princess, page, christine daaé at certain performances, don attilio, monsieur reyer, hairdresser, monsieur lefèvre, fire chief, wild woman, confidante, wardrobe mistress, princess, madame firman, princess, page, hannibal's guard, satyr, joseph buquet.

Orchestra Victoria

The Ballet Chorus of the Opéra Populaire

Swing, dance captain, swing, assistant dance captain, standby christine, standby raoul.

At an auction of opera memorabilia at the Paris Opera House, an old man, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, bids for a strange musical box which seems to hold for him some special memory. The newly restored chandelier is revealed and we are swept back to the time of Raoul’s youth, when the chandelier hung in splendour from the dome of the Opera House.

A new opera, Hannibal, is in rehearsal. LeFèvre, manager of the Opera House, arrives and explains to the company that he is retiring. He introduces the new managers, André and Firmin. André asks the prima donna, Carlotta, to sing, but a sandbag falls suddenly from the flies, almost killing her. There are murmurs among the company that it must have been the work of ‘the ghost’. Carlotta storms out, leaving the new production without a star. The new managers learn that there have been too many accidents. Madame Giry, the ballet mistress, hands the managers a note from ‘the opera ghost’ demanding a salary and a free box at the opera. Meg, Madame Giry’s daughter, suggests to André and Firmin that her friend and fellow dancer Christine Daaé could take Carlotta’s place. Christine has been taking singing lessons, but is unable (or unwilling) to say from whom. The managers grant her an audition.

Audition and performance merge and, from the managers’ box, the young Raoul, patron of the Opera House, voices his enthusiasm for the new star. After the Gala, Meg asks Christine about her mysterious teacher, but Christine can only tell Meg that he is the Angel of Music whom her late father had always promised would one day visit her. Christine’s performance is met with unanimous approval and Raoul goes backstage to congratulate her. The meeting becomes a reunion, both realising that they used to play together as children. As soon as Christine is alone, a figure appears behind the mirror. It is The Phantom, the teacher whom she has never seen – her Angel of Music. The Phantom draws Christine into the dark beyond the mirror and, when Raoul returns, the room is empty. Christine is led beneath the Opera House. They cross a lake and arrive at The Phantom’s subterranean lair. The Phantom explains that he is a composer and she has been his inspiration. He is teaching her so that she can sing his music.

Christine falls asleep, waking the following morning to the sound of the music box. Consumed with curiosity, Christine succeeds in revealing The Phantom’s face. His anger dissolves into self-pity and Christine feels herself almost reciprocating his affection. The Phantom agrees to return her to the outside world.

Backstage at the Opera, Buquet, the flyman, taunts the ballet chorus with stories of ‘the ghost’. Madame Giry cautions him to hold his tongue.

Meanwhile the Opera has been thrown into confusion by Christine’s disappearance. Everyone has received notes from The Phantom.

The Phantom demands that Carlotta be replaced by Christine as leading lady in a forthcoming revival of the opera Il Muto. News arrives of Christine’s return, but the managers assure Carlotta that no heed will be paid to The Phantom’s demands.

The Phantom’s voice is heard threatening ‘a disaster beyond imagination’. Il Muto is performed with Christine cast in a silent role. The Phantom’s voice reiterates his demands and, when these are ignored, he causes Carlotta to emit the croak of a toad instead of singing. As the indisposed prima donna is led away, André replaces her with Christine. But The Phantom is still much in evidence. He appears in the wings during the Il Muto ballet, disguised as a stagehand, and puts a noose around Buquet’s to hang him.

In the ensuing pandemonium Christine flees with Raoul to the safety of the roof of the Opera House. They agree to leave together that night. The Phantom emerges from his hiding place, where he has heard everything, and vows vengeance. As Christine and the cast take their bows, the chandelier crashes down from the ceiling.

At a masked ball, twelve months later, all celebrate the New Year and the disappearance of The Phantom. Raoul and Christine have secretly become engaged. At the height of the festivities a strange figure appears through the mirrored walls of the ballroom. The Phantom has returned. He flings to André the score of his new opera, Don Juan Triumphant, commanding that it be performed. Backstage, Raoul interrogates Madame Giry about the identity of The Phantom. He is an escaped fairground freak – a physical monstrosity with a brilliant mind. Presumed dead, he in fact lives still, somewhere in the Opera House.

Raoul hits upon a scheme to ensnare The Phantom using his own opera as bait. If Christine agrees to sing the principal role, The Phantom is sure to attend. With the doors locked and guarded he will be unable to escape. Christine unhappily agrees to co-operate. The singers have immense difficulty learning the dissonant score, but their task is mysteriously facilitated when the piano magically takes over and the singers, mesmerised, begin to perform flawlessly.

Christine visits her father’s grave. She knows that if she can free herself from his memory she will no longer be in thrall to The Phantom. The Phantom appears to her in the graveyard. His hypnotic influence, however, is broken when Raoul arrives on the scene. Enraged, The Phantom declares war on them both.

In the final scene of Don Juan Triumphant, Christine becomes aware that The Phantom has taken the place of Piangi in the role of Don Juan. As her duet finishes, she exposes him and tears the mask from his face. Surrounded by police, The Phantom is nevertheless able to escape, dragging Christine with him. The garrotted body of Piangi is revealed.

Madame Giry agrees to lead Raoul to The Phantom’s lair. An angry mob follows. In the underground lair, Christine confronts The Phantom: his true disfigurement lies not in his face but in his soul. Raoul appears and The Phantom traps him. The Phantom offers Christine a bizarre choice: she must either stay with him forever or see Raoul killed. Christine, calmly facing off with The Phantom, decides to act. She kisses and embraces him. The embrace lasts a long time. With the mob drawing ever closer, The Phantom relents and orders Christine and Raoul to go. The mob descends towards the lair, but all that remains of The Phantom is a white mask.

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Phantom of the Opera review – a grittier revamp of the timeless phenomenon is still a one-in-a-million treat

Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House

While a more sophisticated take on the classic set slightly dampens the spectacle of old theatre magic, it’s the music that truly brings the thrills

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There’s something about the Phantom of the Opera.

It starts early, when auctioneers clearing memorabilia from the old Paris Opera House arrive at Lot 666: an enormous chandelier. Perhaps we remember, the auctioneer asks, the story of the Phantom of the Opera? Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny (Blake Bowden) does. He bids and the chandelier rises above our heads to find its place, ablaze with light. It’s a grand set piece infused with magic. You might applaud.

That chandelier leads us back to the time of that “opera ghost” with a striking half-mask (Josh Piterman), the rising young singer under his possessive tutelage (Amy Manford), and the Vicomte who loved her. It’s all obsession and gothic romance and spectacle, and the chandelier waits patiently above us for the entire first act.

And then it falls.

Since 1986, the improbable mix of operatic flourish, classic broadway pop, and 80s synth-rock that forms the backbone of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s love-triangle take on Gaston Leroux’s novel has won hearts across the globe, surpassing its source to become our best-known version of the tale. Impossibly of its time and remarkably persistent, it is the longest running show in the history of Broadway and the second longest running musical in the West End (after only Les Miserables).

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Indeed, Australia has its own long history with the Phantom, making international careers for its most famous men in the mask, Rob Guest and Anthony Warlow. Local creative collaborators Simon Phillips and Gabriela Tylesova made the best out of Webber’s muddled Phantom sequel, Love Never Dies, and their production remains the definitive, recorded for international posterity. Opera Australia even staged Phantom of the Opera earlier this year for Handa Opera on the harbour before coming back indoors to do it again. It seems we can’t quite let go of this phenomenon.

This production, however, is something new. Producer Cameron Mackintosh created a new version of the frozen-in-time musical in 2012 for touring through the UK and North America, and after the West End Covid-19 theatre shutdowns, it was installed at London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre , the show’s spiritual home. This new production – claiming to be grittier (which in the world of the Phantom seems to mean “more shadows”) and more empowering of its protagonist, Christine (which isn’t really possible in this story) – has never been seen before in Australia.

The now classic (and gently dated) set has given way to a refresh by Paul Brown with more modular pieces, mirrors to heighten the show’s preoccupation with illusion and tricks of light. He has downsized all the power-ballad music video-style candles and crosses for a more sophisticated (if less fun) take on the Phantom’s lair. Gothic staircases have been replaced by one that seems to appear magically out of a wall, step by step, and the gondola still glides on the Opera House’s underground lake, though it’s a journey taken more out of efficiency now than spectacle.

Paule Constable’s lights add a little more gravitas to the whole affair. With costume tweaks that elaborate on the late Maria Björnson’s original sketches, the new look as a whole feels partly like the world of the Phantom has grown up, and partly like it’s trying to be taken more seriously. But the beauty of the Phantom has always been its unselfconscious earnestness, its insistence on embellishments and old theatre magic. Giving it a straight face dampens its impact.

But it’s not all dull: that risen chandelier still falls, and in the Australian production, a little extra spectacle has been added to the moment. This now-old trick, incredibly, still thrills. That’s the heart of the show right there: bold, beautiful, spectacle.

Nothing, however, thrills more than the music. The West End production took on this new staging while also reducing their orchestra by 50%. Luckily, Opera Australia’s orchestra is at full complement, and under the keen intelligence of Guy Simpson’s musical supervision, it’s an absolute joy.

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Simpson has worked on Phantom’s score since Australia’s original 1990 production and has overseen its sound across the world; it’s difficult to imagine a better custodian. With conductor Anthony Barnhill on board to coax a commanding richness from the orchestra, when the electronic bass and drums collide with horns and strings, it’s joyous – pop melodies made high drama. He ensures the score is shot through with such delicious clarity it could make you giddy.

It’s also beautifully sung. Piterman, returning home to Australia after playing the Phantom in the West End, holds the centre with his steady, sure performance that ensures the Phantom is never quite a monster, and never fully redeemable, either. Bowden’s vocal warmth gives Raoul’s feelings for Christine a depth that Webber’s book never bothers to construct.

But it’s Amy Manford who shines brightest. The Australian-American soprano has played Christine (also in the West End), and she steps into the role here like she was born for it, finding new tenderness without sacrificing strength. In the title number, when the Phantom commands Christine to sing ever higher, she doesn’t waver: she rises to it, and her voice travels to us like a gift.

It’s the music, ultimately, that matters: Christine singing because she must; electronic drums and harp and strings swelling to convey heightened emotion; a lonely man drowning in echoed melodies. Forgive the new staging – the sound is still a one-in-a-million treat.

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• Sydney Opera House

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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Australian Cast Announced

The Phantom will be played by Josh Piterman with Perth's own Amy Manford will take on the role of the ingénue Christine Daaé.

Opera Australia in association with The Really Useful Group, will present Cameron Mackintosh 's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber 's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, have announced the full cast for its highly anticipated Australian production.

Marking almost 35 years to the day since it opened in London's West End, before going on to become one of the most successful musicals of all time, this will be the first time in the show's history that it will play at the Sydney Opera House, opening on September 3rd before making its way to Arts Centre Melbourne from November 14th.

As previously announced the lead role of The Phantom will be played by Josh Piterman and now joining him in this new Australian production making her Australian theatre debut, Perth's own Amy Manford will take on the role of the ingénue Christine Daaé and Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny will be played by acclaimed musical theatre star Blake Bowden.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber said, "'We are thrilled with the wonderful new Australian cast we have found for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The exciting talents of Josh, Amy and Blake will lead a terrific company and orchestra".

Cameron Mackintosh added, "I am certain this spectacular new staging overseen by Matthew Bourne and myself will capture audiences in Sydney this spring (where most performances are already sold out), and Melbourne later this year".

Starring alongside the lead cast will be Australian musical theatre stalwart David Whitney playing shrewd theatre manager Monsieur Firmin, the newly appointed theatre manager Monsieur Andre will be played by experienced musical and opera performer Andy Morton , soprano Giuseppina Grech will play the role of opera diva Carlotta Guidicelli, seasoned musical theatre performer Jayde Westaby will take on the role of ballet mistress Madame Giry, the Italian opera singer Ubaldo Piangi will be played by classical crossover artist Paul Tabone, and newcomer Mietta White will play young ballerina Meg Giry.

Joining them will be the talented ensemble cast including Annie Aitken , Anton Berezin, Laura Bianchi-Bishop, Eleanor Blythman , Gavin Brown, Benjamin Clark, Bridget Costello , Andrew Dunne, Lewis Francis, Christina Gibbs, Claudia Hastings, Olivia Jenkins, Daniel Koek , Naomi Livingston, Aaron Lynch , Kayleigh Marven, Emma McFarlane, Lachlan O'Brien, Brittany Page, Kiran Rajasingam, Edward Smith , Anna Stephens, Troy Sussman, Liam White, Paul Whiteley, Raphael Wong and Elisha Zion Lee.

Josh Piterman recently scored a huge personal triumph with an impressive West End debut as he took on the most coveted role of Phantom in the London production in 2019. He is an established musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has been working consistently on Australian and UK stages over the past 15 years. His past credits include being a part of international pop opera group The Ten Tenors, Tony in the 2010 Australian production of Westside Story, Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2015/16 Australian season of Cats (a role that won him the Green Room Award for best supporting actor in a Musical), Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray and Gerry Goffin in the 2017/18 Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Born and raised in Perth, Amy Manford has had an exciting start to her career after graduating from WAAPA and making her way to London. She did a Masters degree at The Royal College of Music whilst landing her first role on the West End cast as the Christine alternate in the original London production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in 2017. During her time in London, she also had the privilege of performing for Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace and for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle .

Blake Bowden has starred on many Australian stages with his most acclaimed performance to date, leading the cast in the Australian production of The Book of Mormon in the lead role of Elder Price which also garnered him a Helpmann Award nomination for Best Male Actor in a Musical in 2019. Blake has also starred in productions including Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story and The Boy From Oz Arena Spectacular with Hugh Jackman .

This spectacular new staging by Cameron Mackintosh premiered with a record-breaking sell out tour of the UK followed by a 7-year tour of the United States which grossed over US$400 million and thrilled critics and audiences alike. Australia is now only the third country to see this new PHANTOM with its beloved and thrilling score including the hit songs The Music of the Night, All I Ask of You and Masquerade. With stunning new staging and scenic design, Maria Björnson's iconic original costumes and many special effects including a spectacular new realisation of the show's chandelier. It will be performed in Australia by a cast and orchestra of 65, making it one of the largest musical productions ever in Australia.

Opera Australia's Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini commented, "It's such an exciting production, with arguably the most well-known score and lyrics in musical theatre history. So we're thrilled to have such a talented cast of homegrown singers to present this new production of PHANTOM to Australian audiences.

"The chemistry between Josh and Amy as the Phantom and Christine, is electric, and together with Blake as the aristocratic Raoul, they lead an extraordinary cast. They're all wonderful performers whom I know fans are going to absolutely love, trust me, it will be worth the wait", said Terracini.

The Sydney season of PHANTOM is supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.

NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said tickets for the production of PHANTOM at Sydney Opera House had been in high demand, and with finalisation of the cast, anticipation for opening night was building.

"There is no more evocative venue than Sydney Opera House and we expect that fans of the Andrew Lloyd Webber original, and this new adaptation produced in partnership with Cameron Mackintosh will visit from near and far to experience the magic and power of the PHANTOM here in the Harbour City," Mr Ayres said.

"This will be a history-making moment when the story and voice of the PHANTOM fills the hallowed Sydney Opera House for the first time ever."

Directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by Scott Ambler , set design by Paul Brown , Tony Award-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Paule Constable and sound design by Mick Potter , THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber , lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe ), book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber , orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber . This new production is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh .

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in Australia is directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn and produced by Cameron Mackintosh , The Really Useful Group and Opera Australia.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra by Gaston Leroux , THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

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Australian tour of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ postponed to 2022

Opera Australia is disappointed to announce the forced postponement of their production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ that was scheduled to open at the Sydney Opera House in September and Arts Centre Melbourne in November.

The company has taken the incredibly difficult step to postpone both seasons due to the uncertainty created by the ongoing restrictions imposed by both the New South Wales and Victorian Governments because of the indefinite COVID-19 lockdowns.

Opera Australia acknowledges the health and safety of the community – including its performers, crew and audiences – is of the utmost importance and respects the health advice and orders in place to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Although a disappointing development for Opera Australia, Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini is confident new dates will be secured for 2022.

“This has been a really difficult decision for OA and our partners to make and has certainly not been made lightly when so many people will be affected,” said Terracini.

“After making box office history at the Opera House, it was clear that Australians were very excited about this new production of the world’s most successful musical, and we’d brought together a fantastic cast of Australian performers, it’s heartbreaking to have to postpone.

“Rest assured we are working hard to secure dates for 2022 in both venues, that we’ll announce as soon as we can. We encourage all those who are able, to hold onto their tickets for next year.”

Of the postponement, producer Cameron Mackintosh also commented disappointment.

“The consequences of COVID-19 continue to disrupt people’s lives worldwide, with spikes, lockdowns and quarantine causing chaos in planning. Having got a wonderful Australian cast together for my new production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, due to open shortly with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, followed by the Arts Centre Melbourne, it is a huge disappointment, especially for the company and mostly sold-out audiences, that we have been forced by government restrictions to postpone the upcoming seasons,” said Mackintosh.

“We very much hope that we will be able to confirm in the not-too-distant future that the production will open next year, by which time the vaccination rollout should be long completed and disruptions to theatre-going will be an unpleasant distant memory.”

The ongoing lockdown in Sydney has made it impossible for Opera Australia to continue its work in the wardrobe and scenery manufacturing workshops, which has compromised the delivery of costumes and sets, to the high standards expected of this production, to be ready in time for the scheduled opening in September.

It also means that rehearsals, scheduled to start this Monday, 26 July 2021, cannot go ahead, and with no possibility of delaying the opening, a full postponement was the only viable option for the Company.

Both State Governments have indicated that any return to indoor performances when the full lockdowns lift are likely to involve reverting to previous COVID-safe practices including reduced audience capacities, which for a show as large as Phantom would be financially unviable.

Opera Australia is encouraging ticket holders to keep their tickets for 2022. All affected ticket holders will be contacted when new dates are announced.

For more information, please visit Opera Australia’s website . 

Media Release supplied. 

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• Why WordPress coding standards are everything
• Our first e-book is here, here is how you can get it
• Weekly round-up of WordPress news – Vol 21
• Weekly round-up of WordPress news – Vol 20
• Weekly round-up of WordPress news – Vol 19
• Weekly round-up of WordPress news – Vol 18
• Weekly round-up of WordPress news – Vol 17
• How to find the best WordPress developers for you: Part 10 – Security
• Licensing Phantom

Through the Years

• Original Cast
• Facts & Figures

Archives: Tour Dates