Opera Australia has announced a three-month COVID-safe season that includes two productions never before performed by the Company.

The organization will reduce venue capacities by 50 percent and will implement physically-distanced theater seating, regular cleaning of high-traffic and high-touch areas with hospital-grade disinfectant, and hand sanitizer stations in frequently accessed areas and near bathroom facilities. There will also be COVID-19 safety training for all operational, frontline, and contract staff, as well as on-site COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshals.

The season opens with Lehar’s “The Merry Widow” conducted by Brian Castles-Onion and Paul Fitzsimon. The production by director Graeme Murphy will star Julie Lea Goodwin and Alexander Lewis as Hanna Glavari and Danilo Danilovich. The cast will be rounded by Stacey Alleaume and David Whitney.

Performance Dates: Jan. 5 – 16, 2021

Verdi’s “Ernani” will be conducted by Renato Palumbo and diretced by Sven-Eric Bechtolf. The opera will star Diego Torre, Natalie Aroyan, Vladimir Stoyanov, and Vitalij Kowaljow.

Performance Dates: Feb. 2 – 13, 2021

Carmen Giannattasio stars in Puccini’s “Tosca” alongside Marco Vratogna and Diego Torre. John Bell conducts.

Performance Dates: Feb. 22 – March 13, 2021

The final opera of the season will be Bartok’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” conducted by Andrea Molino and directed by Andy Morton. The production will star Daniel Sumegi and Carmen Topciu. 

Performance Dates: March 1 – 10, 2021

The season will also include Great Opera Hits, a 90-minute show featuring the world’s most famous arias by Bizet, Puccini, Rossini, and Verdi. The concert will be hosted by Guy Noble and performed by some of Australia’s finest singers.

Performance Dates: Jan. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 26, Feb. 3, 5, 2021