
Anna Karenina Final Dress Rehearsal
‘There are as many kinds of love as there are hearts …’
– Leo Tolstoy
The Australian Ballet are welcoming you back to the theatre with the exquisite and tragic Anna Karenina.
Cinematic staging, elegant costumes and Yuri Possokhov’s sensual choreography illuminate the tragedy of Anna Karenina, whose desire brings about her ruin. When Anna meets Vronsky, a handsome young officer, the instant connection between them flames into an affair – with disastrous consequences. Anna leaves her conservative husband and relinquishes her son to be with her lover, but her bliss is fleeting, and when Vronsky’s passion cools she takes desperate action.
Possokhov, formerly a principal dancer with Bolshoi Ballet and San Francisco Ballet and now a major international choreographer, does full justice to Tolstoy’s novel, distilling its central romances and conflicts into a fast-moving, immersive narrative.
Anna Karenina Dress Rehearsal
Monday 4 April // 7pm
Sydney Opera House
Tickets
$46 – $125*
Members Pre-sale 11am 14 February
General sale 17 February
* All prices include a booking fee
** If you require wheelchair or accessible seating, please contact the office directly on 02 9252 7322 to book.
A $5 handling fee will be charged per transaction for all sales conducted over the phone

Anna Karenina
Choreography Yuri Possokhov
Composer Ilya Demutsky
Libretto Valeriy Pecheykin
based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy
Costume and set design Tom Pye
Lighting design David Finn
Projection design Finn Ross
Anna Karenina is a co-production of Joffrey Ballet and The Australian Ballet.
IMPORTANT BOOKING INFORMATION
The Anna Karenina Final Dress Rehearsal is going ahead with capacity in line with current NSW Government restrictions. This capacity may change. All sales are subject to The Friends COVID Ticketing Policy.
The Friends ticket allocation for dress rehearsals is provided by The Australian Ballet and begins at Row N in the Stalls.
You must a hold a current Friends membership to book tickets at the Friends member price. The non-member ticket price includes a 12-month membership to the Friends.
If you selected to receive a credit for any performances or events that were cancelled in 2020/21, you can use this credit to book for this performance. To book using your credit or check your current balance, please call the office on 02 9252 7322.
Physical tickets are no longer being issued. Prior to the performance, a digital ticket will be sent to the email address provided at the time of booking.
The Sydney Opera House currently requires that all guests aged 16 years and over are double vaccinated with a Covid-19 vaccine unless lawfully exempt (under 16s not fully vaccinated must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult from their household).
Face masks are required for patrons aged 12 years and over while inside the foyers and theatres, including during the performance. The Sydney Opera House recommends children aged 11 years an younger wear a mask at all times.
All patrons and visitors will be asked to check-in via QR code on arrival at the Sydney Opera House.
SAFETY WITH THE FRIENDS
The Friends are working hard to make you feel confident returning to the Ballet!
To help you feel secure when booking tickets, we are offering:
- Account credits if you are sick and unable to attend Dress Rehearsal performances.
- If a performance is cancelled, your choice of a refund, credit, or donation will be processed within 21 days of request.
Terms and Conditions apply as outlined in The Friends COVID Ticketing Policy.
SAFETY AT THE OPERA HOUSE
The Sydney Opera House and its food and beverage centres are registered as COVID Safe businesses with the NSW Government. To ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone, the Opera House has a number of COVID safe measures are in place for the safety and wellbeing of everyone on site:
- Patrons and visitors aged 16 years and over entering the building or attending the Opera House’s bars and restaurants are required to show they are fully vaccinated unless lawfully exempt (under 16s not fully vaccinated must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult from their household);
- Face masks are required for patrons aged 12 years and over while inside our foyers and theatres unless lawfully exempt. We highly recommend children aged 11 years and younger wear a mask at all times;
- QR code check-in – all patrons and their guests must continue to check-in upon entry with the Service NSW QR code;
- Reduced theatre capacities – venue capacity is currently limited to 75%. Please note that you may be seated directly alongside other patrons;
- Well maintained and effective air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation with fresh air;
- Regular cleaning of high-traffic and high-touch areas with hospital-grade disinfectant;
- Hand sanitiser stations available in paths of travel, frequently accessed areas and near bathroom facilities; and
- COVID-19 safety training for all operational, frontline and contract staff, as well as on-site COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshals.
The Opera House is closely following all NSW Government health guidelines and will continue to update its policies and procedures as necessary.
View Sydney Opera House’s website for further information to Plan Your Visit and view Terms and Conditions.
ABOUT DRESS REHEARSALS
The Friends of The Australian Ballet are fortunate to invite our members and guests to attend the dress rehearsal for The Australian Ballet’s Sydney season of Anna Karenina.
Join us for this exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes as The Australian Ballet fine-tunes a production to performance standard.

What is a Dress Rehearsal?
A Dress Rehearsal provides a small window into the world of creating a performance and gives an impression of the final production. It is part of the creative process of getting an event ready for a season and may be stopped at any time by a member of the Creative team. The Artistic Director or other members of the Creative team may interrupt the rehearsal to speak to dancers or musicians, and some part of the performance may be repeated. You will experience first-hand the meticulous standards of all performers.
The Creative team may, at their discretion, determine a Dress Rehearsal is no longer open to the public and we may be asked to leave the auditorium. As such, there is no guarantee that a full performance will be seen during a Dress Rehearsal.
The exact timing of the Dress Rehearsal is subject to change dependant on the requirements of the Creative team.
Can I applaud?
An attentive audience can applaud at appropriate moments.
If the rehearsal is stopped by members of the Creative team, please remain quiet so that performers are not distracted and can receive clear instruction from the team.
Please remain quiet throughout the rehearsal, including the period used by Creative time to go over sections of music, dance, lighting, scene changes or other aspects of the production which need adjustment.
Where will I sit and when can I leave?
The Australian Ballet makes limited seats available to certain groups. The Friends allocation typically begins at Row N of the Stalls.
Similar rules for general performances apply to a dress rehearsal. The use of mobile pones is prohibited during the Dress Rehearsal – including photography, flashlights and other functionality. All devices should be switched completely off.
You must remain seated until give the signal to leave by either the Stage Manager or the Artistic Director. At no time should you leave the auditorium until the house lights have been switched on.
Latecomers will not be admitted until a break in the program. If you must leave early, leave at interval.