A dress rehearsal of Opera Australia’s The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour held the audience spellbound on Wednesday, and the production, which launches tonight, is headed for stellar success.
Ahead of tonight’s opening, Opera Australia (OA) has announced that The Phantom of the Opera has become its most successful Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production, already breaking its own previous box-office record as the highest-grossing season of the annual harbourside event.
Having seen the dress rehearsal on Wednesday, I was left wondering how the opening-night production could possibly top it! The cast and orchestra were superb, the atmosphere was thrilling, the giant chandelier is mesmerising and the lengthy ovation from the audience at the end was well deserved.
Australian-Italian soprano Giuseppina Grech as Carlotta Giudicelli in The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour
I have seen the musical previously in London’s West End in 1987, and I consider Opera Australia’s production superior, even in dress rehearsal. The Sydney Harbour backdrop blends perfectly and makes the production extra special. The fireworks add a dramatic festive touch.
Indications are that the public already senses the excellence of this year’s event. In 2026, The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour has sold more tickets than any other year in the event’s 15-year history, with more than 70,000 tickets booked and many performances of the extended five-week season already sold out.
OA CEO Alex Budd said, “Forty years on, The Phantom of the Opera continues to pull audiences that most productions never attain. We’re thrilled to be a part of this 40th Anniversary global celebration with our Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour season.
“Supercharged by our unique outdoor setting on the shores of Sydney Harbour, there’s nowhere else in the world to see a Phantom like this.”
Amy Manford playing the role of Christine Daaé in Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour © Daniel Boud
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “It’s wonderful to welcome one of the world’s most beloved musicals back to the Harbour City for its 40th anniversary. Staged on the harbour under the stars with Sydney’s iconic city skyline in the background, this is a truly world-class experience not found anywhere else.
“Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour showcases our city’s unique combination of cultural vibrancy and natural wonder, highlighting Sydney’s position as one of the world’s premier destinations for unforgettable cultural experiences.”
This epic outdoor production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical will be the first in a yearlong program of international events celebrating its 40th anniversary. The story of the mysterious Phantom and his ingénue, Christine Daaé, set in a Paris opera house, continues to enthral audiences around the world, having played to more than 160 million people in 205 cities across 58 territories and in 21 languages.
The Cast of The Phantom of the Opera in Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s 2022 production of The Phantom of the Opera, © Prudence Upton
Starring newcomer Jake Lyle, making his musical theatre debut as The Phantom, soprano Amy Manford in her highly acclaimed signature role of Christine and rising musical theatre star Jarrod Draper as Raoul, alongside a brilliant cast of some of Australia’s best singers, dancers and musicians, this production is overflowing with local talent.
With Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s stunning views, live orchestra, fireworks every night and pop-up restaurants and bars, it is a guaranteed night to remember. The Phantom of the Opera is a strictly limited season and must close on Sunday, 3 May.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is supported by the NSW Government, via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, and through the International Foundation for Arts and Culture as Naming Rights Partner, Dr Haruhisa Handa OA’s Patron in Chief, and OA’s Principal Partner HSBC.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour – The Phantom of the Opera runs from 27 March to 3 May 2026 at Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point, Sydney.
Bookings: +61 2 9318 8200 | opera.org.au/harbour
by Peter Needham – (c) 2026.
Read Time: 4 minutes.
About the Writer.
With more than 35 years in travel journalism, Peter Needham has filed stories from Fleet Street to Fiji, and just about everywhere in between. As Managing Editor (Australasia) for Global Travel Media, he shapes industry coverage with the steady hand of someone who’s seen fashions come and go and knows what lasts.
Since going freelance in 1993, his byline has appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Reader’s Digest and Qantas’ inflight magazines. He edited Inside Tourism for seven years, wrote the long-running Travel Tales column for Vacations & Travel, and even crafted copy for Tourism Australia ahead of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
A Reuters, Guardian and AAP veteran, Peter has travelled widely from South American backpacking trails to a Saudi military hospital, gathering stories the old-fashioned way: by being there.
