

Foto: Westrup
From London to Copenhagen and now Sydney: Opera Australia announces Amy Lane as Director of Opera.
Following a rigorous national and international search, Opera Australia (OA) today announced the appointment of Amy Lane as Director of Opera. Amy joins OA from a successful seven-year tenure as Artistic Director of the Copenhagen Opera Festival and prior to that, as Head Staff Director at The Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden.
Amy’s career spans major opera houses and festivals across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. She has previously worked with OA as Revival Director for Kasper Holten’s celebrated production of Szymanowski’s King Roger, performed in Melbourne and Sydney. Opera Australias CEO Alex Budd said, “Amy is one of the most compelling leaders of her generation in the opera world." Read the full announcement here
Copenhagen opera Festival 2026: This year we mark Amy Lanes final festival here in Copenhagen before wishing her well as she moves on to one of the world’s leading opera houses. So mark your calendars for 13–23 August and join us once again for a city-wide celebration of opera in all its forms. Venues ranging from the urban open-air Festival Stage to the city's old underground water reservoir and the magnificent Tivoli Gardens. Site-specific formats, a pop-up opera.
Opera Australia skriver: “We’re thrilled that Amy Lane will be joining Opera Australia as our Director of Opera, commencing this September! Amy joins us after a highly successful seven-year tenure as Artistic Director of the Copenhagen Opera Festival. Prior to that, she was Head Staff Director at The Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden.” Læs mere på deres hjemmeside.
Read more about Copenhagen Opera Festival
Foundations and partners

photo: Marek Piwnick
“I wanted to send a personal greeting to you to say thank you for the support that you have shown to myself and the Festival during my time here in beautiful, inspirational and wonderful Copenhagen! I am so proud of the community that we have grown and nurtured together - at the Festival Stage, on the streets and canals and in so many spaces that called out loud for Opera to inhabit them! And essentially, I have loved meeting all of you at so many of our events.
I am therefore really delighted to share with you that I have been offered and have accepted the role of Director of Opera for Opera Australia, and I will commence in this new position in September of this year, after my final festival this August.
I have learned so much during my time here at Copenhagen Opera Festival - my eyes have been opened to so many more possibilities of how Opera can exist, thrive and evolve today and I will miss working with the amazing team here immensely. I will also miss the incredible Artists who have created and joined us to make our Festivals a place where vibrant conversations begin, where we all gather together to experience great music, drama and storytelling and where the importance of the Arts in everyday life have been celebrated.
I am so grateful to have spent these wonderful years in Copenhagen, following my time at the Royal Opera and Ballet in Covent Garden. My next adventures lie ahead of me in Sydney and Melbourne, but I do hope we will somehow all stay in touch. I look forward to seeing you all this summer, and then to watching from afar, the next chapter of this wonderful Festival unfold under the brilliant new leadership team of Rikke and Louise. Tusind tak til alle!” Amy

Foto: Westrup
From London to Copenhagen and now Sydney: Opera Australia announces Amy Lane as Director of Opera.
Following a rigorous national and international search, Opera Australia (OA) today announced the appointment of Amy Lane as Director of Opera. Amy joins OA from a successful seven-year tenure as Artistic Director of the Copenhagen Opera Festival and prior to that, as Head Staff Director at The Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden.
Amy’s career spans major opera houses and festivals across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. She has previously worked with OA as Revival Director for Kasper Holten’s celebrated production of Szymanowski’s King Roger, performed in Melbourne and Sydney. Opera Australias CEO Alex Budd said, “Amy is one of the most compelling leaders of her generation in the opera world." Read the full announcement here
Copenhagen opera Festival 2026: This year we mark Amy Lanes final festival here in Copenhagen before wishing her well as she moves on to one of the world’s leading opera houses. So mark your calendars for 13–23 August and join us once again for Denmark’s largest celebration of opera, with performances and experiences across Copenhagen.
Opera Australia skriver: “We’re thrilled that Amy Lane will be joining Opera Australia as our Director of Opera, commencing this September! Amy joins us after a highly successful seven-year tenure as Artistic Director of the Copenhagen Opera Festival. Prior to that, she was Head Staff Director at The Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden.” Læs mere på deres hjemmeside.
Read more about Copenhagen Opera Festival
Foundations and partners

photo: Marek Piwnick
“I wanted to send a personal greeting to you to say thank you for the support that you have shown to myself and the Festival during my time here in beautiful, inspirational and wonderful Copenhagen! I am so proud of the community that we have grown and nurtured together - at the Festival Stage, on the streets and canals and in so many spaces that called out loud for Opera to inhabit them! And essentially, I have loved meeting all of you at so many of our events.
I am therefore really delighted to share with you that I have been offered and have accepted the role of Director of Opera for Opera Australia, and I will commence in this new position in September of this year, after my final festival this August.
I have learned so much during my time here at Copenhagen Opera Festival - my eyes have been opened to so many more possibilities of how Opera can exist, thrive and evolve today and I will miss working with the amazing team here immensely. I will also miss the incredible Artists who have created and joined us to make our Festivals a place where vibrant conversations begin, where we all gather together to experience great music, drama and storytelling and where the importance of the Arts in everyday life have been celebrated.
I am so grateful to have spent these wonderful years in Copenhagen, following my time at the Royal Opera and Ballet in Covent Garden. My next adventures lie ahead of me in Sydney and Melbourne, but I do hope we will somehow all stay in touch. I look forward to seeing you all this summer, and then to watching from afar, the next chapter of this wonderful Festival unfold under the brilliant new leadership team of Rikke and Louise. Tusind tak til alle!” Amy

Best future project 2025 and Opera of the Year 2023