What is born at night and dies by dawn?
What is hot as flame, yet gives no light?
What is the ice that gives off fire?
Turandot never asked them to come, yet they came. She gave them every reason to turn back, even the threat of death. Shrouded in mystery, riddles were her last defence. What would happen if anyone ever cracked her armour?
International director and choreographer Ann Yee creates a spectacular new Turandot for Australia's national Opera Conference. Featuring monumental sets, immersive visuals and mesmerising dance, this is unmissable theatre. Yee draws the threads of the story — Turandot’s courage, her ancestor’s trauma, and another woman's sacrificial love — into a powerful tale of strength and resilience. Puccini’s atmospheric music takes you to another world, traversing the emotional extremes of his largest ever choral piece and the electrifying top notes of the iconic aria ‘Nessun dorma’.
Two of Australia’s most exciting dramatic sopranos take on the title role: Rebecca Nash, fresh from the Metropolitan Opera of New York, and Anna-Louise Cole, following her triumph in the Ring Cycle. Acclaimed tenor Young Woo Kim returns to Australia to share the role of Calaf with audience favourites Diego Torre and Rosario La Spina, under the batons of Henrik Nánási, Nicholas Milton, Andrea Battistoni and Tahu Matheson.
Turandot captivates audiences with its fable-like story, extraordinary music and grand spectacle. This dramatic new production promises to be a season highlight.
Event Details:
Dates: 15 January–27 March 2026
Duration: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one interval.
Suitable for: Not provided
Location: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Warnings: This production contains adult themes.
Notes: Performed in Italian with English surtitles.