Pinchgut brings magic to Sydney’s Roslyn Packer stage for performances of Purcell’s spectacular semi-opera, The Fairy Queen. An adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it was first performed in 1692 and was the 32-year-old composer’s most ambitious stage work to date, full of scenic transformations, fairies and frivolity. Purcell sets a series of masques intended to punctuate the drama itself, which makes a staging complicated, but with the brilliant British director and video pioneer Netia Jones on hand, all augurs well. A fine Australian cast and conductor Erin Helyard will do the rest.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

Purcell’s The Fairy Queen is a curious and captivating opera, which originated as an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Pinchgut’s brilliant reimagining explores love in all its guises and disguises across a city in twenty-four hours.

Renowned for her imaginative and innovative work, award-winning UK director Netia Jones makes her Pinchgut debut to create this enthralling new production. The Fairy Queen examines the deepest of human emotions in a timeless portrait of our attempts to communicate, cohabitate, and love.

The score encompasses everything from French-style dances to exquisite laments and elaborate choruses. Its diversity and richness are a shining example of Purcell’s brilliance, securing its status as an enduring masterpiece.

Staged at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, The Fairy Queen marks a significant moment for Pinchgut and a highlight of the 2025 season.