Opera Australia has announced that Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour (HOSH) will extend its 2026 season for the first time in the event’s history, following overwhelming demand for tickets to The Phantom of the Opera.
Opening 27 March and now running until 3 May, the extended season will launch the iconic musical’s 40th anniversary global celebrations. First staged on the harbour in 2022, The Phantom of the Opera quickly became the highest-grossing HOSH production ever. Four years later, it remains as captivating as ever, with 2026 pre-sales already surpassing expectations months ahead of opening night.
Directed by Australia’s master of musical theatre, Simon Phillips, with lavish costumes and sets by Gabriela Tylesova and choreography by Simone Sault, the production transforms Sydney Harbour into an open-air world of theatrical wonder. The mirror, the Phantom’s lair, and the famous chandelier are all reimagined on an immense stage floating over the water, framed by the Sydney skyline and the Opera House beyond.
Accompanied by a live orchestra, nightly fireworks, and pop-up restaurants and bars along Mrs Macquaries Point, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour has become one of the most distinctive outdoor theatrical experiences in the world — the only place where audiences can see this monumental production of The Phantom of the Opera under the stars.
Presented by Opera Australia with the support of Destination NSW and the International Foundation for Arts and Culture, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour – The Phantom of the Opera will run from 27 March to 3 May 2026 at Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point.
Tickets for the additional week go on sale to the public Friday 31 October at opera.org.au/harbour.