If it weren’t for Hansel and Gretel, Opera Australia head of music Tahu Matheson wouldn’t be where he is today.
Engelbert Humperdinck – the 19th-century German composer who wrote the opera adaptation of the fairy tale – can claim some credit for Matheson’s success, as can his parents. Matheson’s father, a conductor, and mother, an opera singer, took five-year-old Tahu to see Hansel and Gretel, ensuring their son would follow in their footsteps.
“Opera is such a complex, powerful art form,” Matheson says. As head of music since 2017, he plays a vital role in connecting opera’s past with its future. “You need a great director, a great conductor, great musicians and great singers who can act. When these things come together, there’s nothing like it.”
Tahu Matheson. Photo supplied.
Not that you need to be born into a musical family to appreciate the art form. As Opera Australia’s hero partner, HSBC is unlocking a wealth of opera for Australians in 2026 and helping the company celebrate its 70th anniversary with a multi-dimensional array of rich cultural experiences, storytelling and drama.
According to Matheson, the company’s next season will “transcend the limits of theatre” by delivering life-altering experiences and perspectives that will stay with audiences long after the final curtain call. The 2026 line-up is bold, daring and promises opera aficionados and newcomers alike a night to remember, he says.
HSBC Premier customers can unlock an even more elevated experience for the 2026 season: with 20% off opera tickets and 10% off musicals for the season, as well as 10% off dining packages at the HSBC Platinum Club – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s luxury undercover restaurant and bar.
To help you make the most of Opera Australia’s 2026 line-up, Matheson – who, incidentally, will celebrate 30 years as a professional pianist in 2026 – offers his list of the season’s must-see productions.
Hansel and Gretel
Hansel and Gretel. Photo credit: Georges Antoni.
I obviously have a soft spot for this opera, but Hansel and Gretel is just beautiful. It’s a slightly shorter opera, performed in English, and we’re hoping to attract a younger audience as they do in Germany, where it’s known as a young person’s opera. The music is potent and visceral, while recurring themes and motifs develop to elucidate the story. The famous Evening Prayer, which Hansel and Gretel sing just before they go to sleep, is arguably one of the most stunning pieces ever written.
Turandot
Turandot. Photo credit: Georges Antoni.
In this co-production with Opera Queensland, West Australian Opera and State Opera South Australia, Turandot, an Italian classic set in ancient China, is updated by Chinese American director Ann Yee. She wants to address the tropes and stereotypes of previous productions and offer a contemporary outlook. In particular, she wants to find a reason for Turandot’s icy demeanour. Can we understand her, feel for her, sympathise with her? Yee, also a choreographer, is a brilliant visual director; her work is optically evocative.
Eugene Onegin
Eugene Onegin. Photo credit: Cybele Malinowski.
This opera, based on Russian poet Alexander Pushkin’s novel, is one of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s greatest works, which is saying a lot. Kasper Holten’s production, which is thoughtful and aims to penetrate deeply into the mind of Tatiana, is a feast for the senses. Australian singer Lauren Fagan is playing Tatiana for the first time for Opera Australia, and Ukrainian baritone Andrei Bondarenko has been cast as Onegin. It’s everything you want from an opera.
The Drover’s Wife
Image credit: David Kelly.
A monumental new opera based on the play, novel and film by Leah Purcell, with a score by George Palmer, and co-commissioned with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. The expressive power of the operatic tradition meets the potency and raw drama of Purcell’s beautiful, but hard-hitting libretto. Soaring melodies rise and fall with the arc of the characters; lush orchestrations communicate the beauty of the Australian high country; and pungent harmonies convey convoluted inner worlds as the story unfolds. Australia’s newest opera star Nina Korbe (West Side Story, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour) leads the cast.
La Bohème
Constantine Costi, the remarkably unconventional (one might even say bohemian) director, delivers a new production of La Bohème for Opera Australia. Bohème is that classic masterpiece that can’t be outdone: the story of youthful idealism subsumed and overwhelmed by tragedy and pathos is one of universal eloquence. Composer Giacomo Puccini’s music enhances the drama by illuminating passions and feelings in a way that words cannot. Add modernist painter Marc Chagall-inspired designs, a magnificent cast, and Costi’s flair for the dramatic – who could want a better evening?
The Phantom of the Opera
In 2026, Opera Australia will also present some of the world’s most-loved musical theatre experiences, not least The Phantom of the Opera at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. When you bring together Andrew Lloyd Webber’s global phenomenon, the beauty of Sydney Harbour and such an iconic outdoor venue, it is going to be spectacular.
Celebrate The Phantom’s 40th anniversary with an elegant pre-performance dinner at the HSBC Platinum Club - the perfect spot to take in the sunset.
Opera Australia’s 2026 season commences in January. Find the full schedule here.
Open up a wealth of opportunities with HSBC Premier.
All photos are supplied by Opera Australia.
