After five long years behind closed doors, the Jersey Opera House has thrown open its doors, and what a return it’s been. Reopening on 3 October 2025, marking its 125th anniversary, the island’s much-loved cultural landmark is once again alive with music, laughter, dance and applause. The comeback was fittingly theatrical, launched with Encore! Welcome Home, a joyful three-night gala featuring more than 100 local performers and a whole lot of emotion.
The £12.5 million refurbishment has given the Opera House a new lease of life while honouring its historic soul. Think carefully refreshed interiors, where vital structural repairs sit alongside new seating, renewed carpets and paintwork, all beneath that iconic chandelier we know and love. It’s been a careful balancing act between preservation and progress, shaping a venue that honours its past while looking ahead with ambition. Now fully operational, the Opera House is back doing what it does best: putting on a stellar programme. From comedy and family favourites to live music, dance and touring productions, the 2026 calendar is packed. There’s also a slick new website making it easier than ever to browse shows and book tickets. As a registered charity, the Opera House continues to fundraise as it looks ahead, with a clear focus on remaining a vibrant cultural hub at the heart of island life, alive with performance, community and creative energy. We met up with the new CEO, Sebastian Warrack, to find out more…
You’re stepping into the role just months after the Opera House’s long-awaited reopening, what was your very first thought when you walked through the doors?
My very first thoughts were what a stunning building and what a huge privilege and responsibility to be leading the theatre into its next exciting chapter. I felt immediately the history of the building and how the people of Jersey must take enormous pride in the theatre, especially after such a generous Capital upgrade. Jersey Opera House now deserves energy, care and ambition in equal measure.
You’ve led theatres and festivals across the UK, what was it about Jersey, and this role in particular, that made you say “yes”?
Jersey offers something rare and exciting: a strong sense of identity paired with an appetite for culture on an island, which is wholly new to me – in short, a huge adventure. To be given the opportunity to help develop a new chapter for a beautifully refurbished Victorian theatre, which sits at the heart of its community was a hugely attractive proposition. I, therefore, jumped at the chance when the board offered me the role.
If someone hasn’t been back since before the closure, what do you think will surprise them most about the ‘new’ Opera House?
It will still feel reassuringly familiar but the surprise will be that it is lighter, brighter, more accessible and more welcoming than before the Capital project. The improvements have focused on care, safety and comfort rather than reinvention, so it feels refreshed without losing its character. People will recognise it instantly, but it will feel ready to be inhabited again.
What kind of shows or experiences are you most excited to bring to Jersey audiences?
Variety is key. We certainly want to bring big-name touring productions such as The Mousetrap, but we also want to programme bold new work, comedy, music and family shows. We want to offer opportunities for local talent to perform on the Jersey Opera House stage. I’m particularly excited by work that emboldens and surprises audiences: performances that spark debate and unite different generations.
How do you want people to feel when they leave a night at the Opera House under your leadership?
So many different emotions. Uplifted. Joyous. Moved. Well looked-after. Whether they’ve laughed, cried, thought deeply or simply escaped for a couple of hours, I want them to treasure their whole experience at the Opera House, from the high-level customer service to the quality of the show. In addition, as they leave, I want them to be planning their return visit.
The Opera House is clearly more than a performance venue, how important is its role as a community and cultural hub for the island?
It’s essential. A theatre only truly thrives when it belongs to its community. That means being open, accessible and relevant, a place where islanders feel represented, welcomed and inspired, whether they’re on stage, in the audience, or walking through the doors for the first time. Jersey Opera House is a public resource, funded by the people of Jersey, for the people of Jersey, so we take our role as a local cultural and community hub very seriously.
You’re joining at a moment of real momentum. What does success look like for you in your first year as CEO?
Success means stability, trust, profile and momentum. This means an artistic programme, which excites people, strong partnerships both across the island and with the UK theatre network, and a theatre run by a team which feels supported and proud of what they’re achieving. I would like to feel a year from now, that the industry and audiences within and outside Jersey are excited by what we are doing.
Every great theatre has its backstage moments, what’s the most memorable or unexpected experience you’ve had behind the scenes in your career so far?
I started out as an actor, and my last acting job was in a production of Chimes at Midnight starring Simon Callow at Chichester Festival Theatre. I was playing Prince John, but I was also understudying Prince Hal, the male lead. One night, during one of the key scenes, the stage manager brought the curtain down “for technical issues.” It turned out that the actor playing Prince Hal had fallen downstairs and broken his leg. Within 15 minutes I was back on stage but playing Prince Hal. It was the most terrifying but thrilling moment of my life as an actor.
Finally, when you’re not at the theatre, how do you like to unwind and what are you most looking forward to discovering about life in Jersey?
I love to cook and I really enjoy trying out new recipes. I made a delicious lemon soufflé on a shortbread base the other day. I am really looking forward to discovering all the beaches in Jersey. There are many alluring pictures of them at Jersey airport, but I can’t wait to experience them for myself.
Fresh leadership, a buzzing programme and a building that’s ready for its next act. The Jersey Opera House is well and truly back. Get yourself down to a show soon!
