Audiences at State Opera South Australia have heard Lucy Stoddart’s voice long before many of them knew her by name. Since joining the company chorus in 2017, the Adelaide soprano has performed in productions ranging from La bohème and Macbeth to Così fan tutte, Lucia di Lammermoor and Roméo et Juliette. 

Now she is moving from the ensemble into featured roles, with her latest assignment in Constantine Costi’s new production of Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel marking another important step in her career.

Stoddart will sing the Dew Fairy and the Sandman – two of the opera’s most enchanting figures – alongside an international cast headed by star countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim as Hansel, Sofia Troncoso as Gretel and Catherine Carby in the dual role of the Witch and Mother. It is a significant spotlight moment.

Lucy Stoddart. Portait supplied

Stoddart grew up in a musical household. Becoming a singer was always on the cards, she says, although opera wasn’t the obvious destination. “I’ve always loved storytelling,” Stoddart says. “Anyone who knows me knows I love to have fun. I’m usually the one telling outrageous stories or laughing until I can’t breathe. Opera combines those things I love most – music, theatre and connecting with people.”

Her very first opera wasn’t as an audiecne member, but as a performer she adds. “In my first year at the Elder Conservatorium our cohort was involved in State Opera’s Don Pasquale. It was such a fun introduction.”

Had music not intervened, Stoddart says, she might have pursued another creative obsession. 

“I’d definitely be an interior designer. I’m obsessed with home styling – bedding, cushions, throw blankets, all of it. Creating beautiful spaces really feeds into my artistic side, so I love working on productions with striking designs.”

That side of Stoddart’s personality makes Costi’s visually adventurous Hansel & Gretel especially appealing. Designed by Jonathan Oxlade, the production promises a darker, psychologically richer interpretation of the Brothers Grimm tale, with Humperdinck’s sumptuous Wagner-inspired score performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Although the Dew Fairy and Sandman appear only briefly, they occupy pivotal moments in the opera, framing the children’s journey.

“They’re magical characters,” Stoddart says. “There’s something really special about the calm they bring amid everything that’s happening to Hansel and Gretel.”

If the Dew Fairy is a morning person and the Sandman the night owl, which one comes more naturally to Stoddart?

“This one is tricky because it depends on during season or off season,” she says.

“If I’m on a show I tend to be up later as we usually finish around 10pm and by the time I’m home and in bed it’s closer to midnight which would categorise me as a night owl. I do really love mornings though and on my days off I like to be up early for a walk or gym session followed by a coffee with my partner – we both love a little coffee date and walk in the sunshine together.”

Lucy Stoddart. Photo supplied

The production also represents another milestone in Stoddart’s career, one that has gathered momentum in recent seasons. In 2023 she made her principal debut with State Opera South Australia as Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro, before touring regional South Australia as a principal artist in The Frog Prince.

Alongside her work with the company, she has performed with the Adelaide Chamber Singers and appeared in several Adelaide Festival productions, including Barrie Kosky’s acclaimed staging of The Golden Cockerel and Christian Spuck’s production of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem.

Stoddart completed a Bachelor of Music in Classical Voice at the Elder Conservatorium before undertaking honours in Opera Performance at the Queensland Conservatorium. Inbetween her opera gigs, she teaches voice at her Adelaide alma mater but her ambitions remain firmly fixed on the stage.

“My dream role changes all the time,” Stoddart says. “Right now it would have to be Bellini’s Norma. I recently played Clotilde alongside Helena Dix, and watching her perform that role every night was absolutely magical.”

American soprano Lisette Oropesa is another inspiration.

“I met her in Paris after she’d sung at the Palais Garnier,” Stoddart recalls. “After performing for four hours she still spent half an hour talking with me about the roles I’d studied and my career. Her generosity, artistry and work ethic are incredible.”

State Opera South Australia presents Hansel & Gretel at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide from 21-29 August.