Opera Australia, in association with Sydney Festival, has announced its first production for 2025: the Australian premiere of French director Laurent Pelly’s staging of Massenet’s Cinderella (Cendrillon).

A familiar story retold with effervescent melodies, this production comes to Sydney after successful seasons at The Metropolitan Opera of New York and Royal Opera House Covent Garden. It opens on New Year’s Eve at the Sydney Opera House.

The first production in Opera Australia Artistic Director Jo Davies’ summer season, Cinderella stars Emily Edmonds in the title role, Emma Matthews as the Fairy Godmother and the Vienna-based Margaret Plummer in the ‘pants’ role of Prince Charming.

“Enticing Margaret to return to Australia and having Emily and Emma back at OA feels like a casting dream to me,” said Davies. “This will be a wonderful show for all to enjoy and a real highlight of my first summer season at the Sydney Opera House.”

Sung in English and trimmed to the tight 95 minutes plus interval, this production was first seen at the Royal Opera House, London in 2011. It premiered at The Metropolitan Opera in 2021.