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2026 Season at City Recital Hall

Where music and theatre meet in unforgettable ways — timeless works, extraordinary artists, and opera as you’ve never experienced it before.

In 2026, Pinchgut Opera presents unmissable experiences at City Recital Hall. The season begins in March with Bach & Telemann I: Concertos & Sonatas, and Pinchgut's first-ever orchestral concert, featuring the Australian premiere of Telemann’s exquisite five-part sonatas. In September, the continuation of the Bach & Telemann series with, Coffee and a Dead Canary, Pinchgut's “tiny opera” for 2026, brimming with wit, satire, and charm. The year concludes in November and December with Handel’s Semele, a sensual masterpiece brought to life in a stunning new staging by celebrated director Neil Armfield.

Together, these works reveal the depth, variety, and emotional power of music at its finest — from intimacy to spectacle, from humour to heartbreak. These performances are available as a part of a Pinchgut Opera 2026 Season Subscription.


Bach & Telemann I: Concertos & Sonatas

Sat 28 March & Sun 29 March

Experience dazzling virtuosity as Erin Helyard and the Orchestra of the Antipodes illuminate Bach’s brilliant concertos and Telemann’s rare five-part sonatas in an unforgettable musical event.

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Bach & Telemann II: Coffee and a Dead Canary

Sat 12 Sep & Sun 13 Sep

Experience Bach’s playful Coffee Cantata and Telemann’s touching Canary Cantata as Pinchgut brings these “tiny operas” vividly to life — inventive, heartfelt, and brimming with Baroque theatrical spark.

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Goldberg Variations by JS Bach

Thu 26 Nov - Wed 2 Dec

Pinchgut Opera’s season finale: Handel’s Semele. Desire, drama, and dazzling music ignite in Neil Armfield’s thrilling new staging with the Orchestra of the Antipodes and Cantillation.

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2025 Season at City Recital Hall

Pinchgut is poised to captivate audiences once again with a rich offering of Baroque masterpieces and performances of the highest calibre.

The 2025 season kicks off in March with a solo concert: Erin Helyard performs Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Helyard’s renowned expertise and artistry will bring this monumental work to life offering a meditative journey through Bach’s profound creativity. Continuing Pinchgut’s successful series of ‘tiny operas,’ the September production of Maid Made Boss (La serva padrona) by Pergolesi will deliver a concentrated burst of light-hearted entertainment. This comic gem will charm with its razor-sharp story of a clever maid who turns the tables on her boss. The season culminates in a truly special moment: Pinchgut’s performance of Handel’s Messiah. Presented in its original 1742 Dublin format with a compact orchestra and ensemble, this is a rare chance to hear this beloved work in its original and luminous version, featuring outstanding Australian and international Baroque specialists. 


Goldberg Variations by JS Bach

Performed by Erin Helyard
Sat 1 March & Sun 2 March

A monumental work, composed to soothe and enchant, Erin Helyard’s live concert performance offers a meditative journey through thirty variations on a single, elegant aria.

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Maid Made Boss (La serva donna) by Pergolesi

Sat 13 September & Sun 14 September

A delightfully funny “tiny opera” that tells the story of Serpina, a clever maid who outwits her boss, to become the mistress of the house.

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Messiah by Handel (Original Dublin Version, 1742)

Thu 27 November - Wed 3 December

A rare opportunity to hear Handel’s original Dublin version of Messiah, a deeply moving experience that transcends the boundaries of time and space.

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