Opening on New Year’s Eve, La Bohème continues to delight audiences with its lush sets and costumes, soaring music and heady mix of comedy and tragedy.

This Sydney season features a dynamic melting pot of local and international talent, with many making their Opera Australia debuts, such as sought-after Canadian-Lebanese soprano Joyce El-Khoury.

Considered to be a young Maria Callas, El-Khoury makes her highly anticipated Australian debut in the celebrated role of Mimì.

Sharing the star role of Mimì is renowned Latvian soprano Maija Kovalevska, who will bring her poignancy and grace to this role, which she has played to great acclaim on some of the world’s finest stages, including The Met in New York and Opera Australia’s famous overwater stage in the 2018 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour.

Also making his debut is Italian tenor Ivan Magrì, who will play the role of the naïve Rodolfo.

Rapidly gaining a reputation as a leading tenor across the globe, and taught by the late great Luciano Pavarotti, Magrì is sought-after by some of the biggest opera houses in the business, including Royal Opera House Covent Garden, The Bolshoi, and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

Sharing the role of Rodolfo is Australia’s favourite tenor, Diego Torre, who will bring the “richness and power” (Sydney Morning Herald) of his famous voice to the role.

The all-star cast also includes incredibly talented Australian singers, Julie Lea Goodwin, Lorina Gore, Samuel Dundas, Luke Gabbedy, David Parkin, Shane Lowrencev, Graeme Macfarlane and more.

Opera Australia’s Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini is thrilled to be presenting such a universally loved production to the summer audiences.

“La Bohème has proved to be an incredible drawcard over summer, especially to visitors wanting to have a quintessential Sydney Opera House experience; it’s an opera that delivers on so many levels, it’s visually stunning, it’s moving, and has the most beautiful music,” he said.

Conducted by a trio of talented Australians who have all achieved success overseas, Opera Australia is delighted to welcome home Benjamin Northey, Nicholas Milton and Dane Lam.

Set in the chaos of the street and burlesque bars in 1930s Berlin, this glittering production provides the perfect environment for unfolding its heart-wrenching love story, accompanied by the familiar arias of Puccini’s most famous opera.

Head to Opera Australia’s website to get tickets.