Eucalyptus is an ageless story of love and longing, about a daughter and a father – Ellen and Holland. Ellen’s overprotective father has created a safe haven from the world — a forest of eucalypts. But is the forest a sanctuary? Or is Ellen, like Rapunzel, imprisoned? Ellen encounters a stranger amongst her father’s trees – a storyteller with enchanting tales of far-away lands.

This new opera by composer Sir Jonathan Mills and librettist Meredith Oakes is based on the Miles Franklin Award-winning novel Eucalyptus, by Murray Bail. Renowned Australian playwright Michael Gow directs this co-production for Victorian Opera, Opera Australia and the Perth and Brisbane Festivals, with designs by Simone Romaniuk. Desiree Frahn and Simon Meadows create the roles of Ellen and Holland, conducted by Tahu Matheson.