Jack Symonds

Jessica O’Donoghue

Opera Queensland

Four decades since its Broadway premiere, Into the Woods has established itself as a beloved musical classic.

In 2026, Opera Queensland, Queensland Theatre Company and Queensland Symphony Orchestra collaborate to bring a new production of this Tony Award-winning masterpiece to QPAC’s sparkling Glasshouse Theatre.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, Into the Woods follows iconic and well-loved characters like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and Rapunzel. In a world where fairy tales collide, this timeless musical asks what happens when the story ends and “… everyone lives happily ever after”.

When deepest desires are fulfilled, not all wishes are granted without a cost…

Into the Woods dazzles with its unforgettable score, cast of dearly loved characters and a plot that refuses to play by the rules.

Into the Woods

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Jessica O’Donoghue and Jack Symonds’s undead. is a virtuosic celebration of Australian musical and literary talent.

Opera’s greatest stories are still being written, here and now.  Jessica’s performances are known to be a “tour de force of dramatic range held together with brilliant vocal precision and control” (Sydney Morning Herald) which “deftly juggle vocal virtuosity and searing energy” (Limelight).

The arias in undead. have all been especially composed for and tailored to Jessica’s unique musical and theatrical abilities, mostly premiered within productions of Sydney Chamber Opera, where Jack is Artistic Director. 
 
This recital not only showcases Jessica’s deep commitment to representing modern, complex female characters but also includes premieres and original works by both Jessica and Jack, offering a compelling cross-section of Australia’s contemporary operatic landscape. As a spectacular finale, Thomas Ades’s Life Story, a wild portrait of a Tennessee Williams one-night stand as seen through the vocalism of late-period Billie Holiday receives a scorching interpretation by these two artists who have “redefined operatic performance in Australia” (Australian Book Review).

Jessica O’Donoghue & Jack Symonds perform their album ‘undead.’