What was the first opera performed at the Sydney Opera House?

The first opera performed at the Sydney Opera House was Sergei Prokofiev’s War and Peace.

The Australian Opera presented the first public performance in the building’s Opera Theatre on 28 September 1973, several weeks before the formal opening. The production was conducted by Edward Downes, the company’s music director, who had previously championed Prokofiev’s operatic adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel.

War and Peace is an exceptionally large opera divided into 13 scenes. Its story follows five aristocratic Russian families during Napoleon’s 1812 invasion: the first part depicts peacetime society, while the latter part turns to war. Choosing it surprised some people who expected a more familiar crowd-pleaser such as Carmen or The Magic Flute.

The distinction between “first opera” and “official opening” matters. Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the building on 20 October 1973, when the programme included Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. That ceremonial event was not the first opera performance in the Opera Theatre.