Opera Australia (OA) has announced The Phantom of the Opera as the most successful Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour season in the annual event’s 15-year history.
The event celebrated sold-out houses every night of its extended five-week 2026 season. More than 92,000 people attended, a 30 per cent increase on the last time Phantom played on Sydney Harbour in 2022.
Critically acclaimed as “a dazzling open-air triumph that redefines what musical theatre can be" by Australian Arts Review, and “a truly unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience” by Arts Hub, the production was the most attended and highest grossing of any Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour season since the event’s debut in 2012.
The combination of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s perennial hit musical, currently celebrating its 40th Anniversary and the epic-scale production elements that Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is famous for, including the stunning harbour backdrop, live orchestra and nightly fireworks, proved to be a winning combination.
The production’s appeal spread far beyond Sydney, with more than half of all ticket buyers being from outside of metropolitan Sydney, including 19 per cent from interstate and 25 per cent from overseas.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “I’m delighted Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour has broken its box-office record this year, which underscores its growing reputation as a signature event and major visitor drawcard on our city’s cultural events calendar.
“Nothing showcases Sydney’s unique combination of cultural vibrancy and natural wonder to the world quite like Handa Opera. I congratulate the team at Opera Australia and the entire cast and crew on this year’s special record-breaking 40th anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera.”
OA CEO Alex Budd said: “We have been blown away by the extraordinary success of this production. With record-breaking attendance, night after night has seen Sydneysiders alongside audiences from across Australia and across the globe, gathered on the harbour to experience this spectacular production of The Phantom of the Opera.
“The show’s success is a testament to the vision of director Simon Phillips and his creative team, the brilliance of the cast and orchestra, and the work of the many people behind the scenes who bring this production to life each night. It is a mammoth undertaking, and its success depends on consistent excellence across every part of the company.”
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is supported by the NSW Government, via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, and through the International Foundation for Arts and Culture as Naming Rights Partner, Dr Haruhisa Handa OA’s Patron in Chief, and OA’s Principal Partner HSBC.
