There’s something poetic about Adelaide taking one of the world’s greatest love stories and making it its own.
On 23 October, State Opera South Australia will debut a brand new version of Roméo et Juliette at Her Majesty’s Theatre. This fresh production has been created here, crafted here, and soon to be shared with audiences across the world.
The opening night later this month will be the global premiere of a totally reimagined production of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.
It’s been over 25 years since Gounod’s opera last swept across a South Australian stage, and this one is shaping up to be something really special.
The company’s Artistic Director and Conductor, Dane Lam, says it’s the kind of project that reminds people just how powerful local creativity can be.
“This production is a celebration of what Adelaide can achieve,” says Dane.
“We’ve built it from the ground up with incredible South Australian artists and international collaborators. It’s emotional, ambitious, and absolutely beautiful.”
Guiding the story are two acclaimed creatives making their Adelaide debut. Director Rodula Gaitanou and Designer takis. Both are based in London and are known for their visually rich, emotionally charged productions.
Director Rodula Gaitanou describes her vision as “a space suspended between dream and memory, where love feels infinite and terrifying all at once.”
At the centre of it all are two luminous voices. Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg as Juliette and Adelaide-based tenor Kyle Stegall as Roméo. Their chemistry, paired with the full might of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera Chorus, promises a performance that will stay with the audience long after the curtain falls.
Artistic Director and Conductor, Dane Lam says Gounod’s music gives audiences a window into the raw emotion of first love.
“It’s not just romantic—it’s electric. The music builds and breaks in waves, taking you right into the heart of what it means to fall completely, recklessly in love,” says Dane.
The production is also the latest chapter in State Opera’s Opera Without Borders initiative, which aims to create major works in South Australia and share them with the world.
After its Adelaide premiere, Roméo et Juliette will travel to Western Australia next year and to Ireland in 2028.
Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette
State Opera South Australia
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, 58 Grote Street, Adelaide
When: 23 October to 1 November, 2025
For more information, click here.
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