Artistic Director Announcement
Media Release - 13 November 2024
National Opera is delighted to announce the appointment of Sonia Anfiloff as its new Artistic Director. Having returned from almost a decade of performing in Vienna, and with extensive experience in both performance and music education, Sonia brings exciting new ideas and a deep commitment to her new role with the company.
A graduate of the Canberra School of Music, current voice teacher and examiner at the ANU School of Music and Head of Choirs at Canberra Girls Grammar School, Sonia has been an influential force within the Canberra arts community for many years. She is known for her dedication to nurturing young talent and her passion for storytelling through music. These values will guide her work in shaping National Opera’s programming and outreach.
"Canberra is not a linear city; audiences here crave more music and are eager to support quality productions, particularly when it highlights our local singers,” Sonia said. “This is an open and liberal city for art and creativity, making it the perfect place for National Opera to innovate and find new ways to bring opera to the forefront. It’s not just about the city—it’s about supporting our local singers by giving them meaningful opportunities to perform, develop their skills, and thrive.”
Sonia is committed to nurturing the growth of Canberra’s vocal talent, prioritising vocal health, technique, and performance experience. She is also focused on fostering strong relationships and collaborations within the arts community and corporate sponsors to ensure that the quality of performances remains high and that National Opera’s productions continue to resonate with audiences.
“Sonia’s deep ties to our community, combined with her international performance experience and creative vision, make her an ideal leader for National Opera,” said Andrew Barrow, President of National Opera. “Her experience as both an educator and a performer will help us continue to reach new audiences, enrich our artistic offerings, and will reinvigorate the local connections of the company.”
In her new role, Sonia plans to develop an engaging season that celebrates traditional opera while exploring innovative productions for today’s audiences. Having now started in the role, auditions will be held for the 2025 season on 8 December 2024.
Look out for our season announcement in early 2025 - exciting performances await!