Adelaide Festival 2027

Running from 26 February to 14 March 2027, the 42nd Adelaide Festival brings 17 days of opera, classical and contemporary music, theatre, dance, visual art and literature to South Australia’s capital. Under Artistic Director Matthew Lutton, the programme features 54 events, including seven world premieres and 12 Australian premieres, balancing celebrated works with bold new productions and distinctive international voices.

Opera and theatre take centre stage. Béla Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle receives a striking interpretation by Italian director Romeo Castellucci, exploring the secrets and psychological shadows behind the doors of Bluebeard’s domain. In Robert Icke’s Oedipus, Richard Roxburgh and Heather Mitchell portray a political couple whose lives unravel on election night as long-buried truths emerge. Barrie Kosky’s K. brings Franz Kafka’s The Trial to the stage in a compelling theatrical reimagining.

Australian creativity features prominently in the world premiere of Eucalyptus, a new opera by composer Jonathan Mills, with a libretto by Meredith Oakes based on Murray Bail’s award-winning novel. Performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and State Opera South Australia Chorus, this large-scale musical drama transforms a distinctly Australian story of love and obsession into an operatic experience.

Classical music highlights include the Australian debut of Italian Baroque ensemble il Pomo d’Oro, performing works by Vivaldi and Bach with virtuoso cellist Giovanni Sollima and organist Cameron Carpenter. Ten international pianists come together for The Complete Philip Glass Piano Etudes, celebrating the influential American composer’s 90th birthday. Other notable artists include pianist Angela Hewitt, violinist Marc Bouchkov and Icelandic composer and performer Ólafur Arnalds, whose Falling Apart Together blends neoclassical music, electronics and live performance.

Dance adds another dimension to the programme. Belgian company Peeping Tom presents DIPTYCH: The Missing Door and The Lost Room, a surreal dance-theatre work with the unsettling atmosphere of a psychological thriller. TAO Dance Theater brings its acclaimed 13 & 14, showcasing extraordinary precision and collective movement, while Australian choreographer Larissa McGowan unveils the world premiere of ShadowSide.

Beyond the main stages, contemporary music, exhibitions, talks and literary events broaden the festival’s scope. Adelaide Writers’ Week, directed by Rosemarie Milsom, welcomes audiences to explore ideas and literature, while WOMADelaide returns to Botanic Park from 5 to 8 March with its international celebration of music, dance and culture.

With adventurous opera, distinguished musicians and innovative work across the performing arts, Adelaide Festival 2027 offers an engaging meeting of Australian creativity and international artistic talent.