Behind the Curtain
Production & Partnerships
The artists, venues, and visionaries bringing Lion Kingdom Opera to life
Lion Kingdom Opera assembles Sri Lanka's greatest artistic talents alongside international collaborators of the highest calibre.
The visionary creative leader at the helm of Lion Kingdom Opera — bringing decades of experience in classical Sri Lankan performance tradition and international stage direction.
A master of Sri lankan classical dance forms, responsible for translating ancient ritual movement vocabulary into the language of contemporary operatic performance.
Original score composer and orchestra director, responsible for fusing Sri Lankan classical musical forms with Western operatic composition to create the Lion Kingdom sound.
The visionary leader of the entire production, responsible for shaping the artistic, cultural, and strategic direction of Lion Kingdom Opera, overseeing all creative, technical, and production elements to ensure a unified realization of the project’s grand vision from concept to stage.
Overall coordination of the performance flow, ensuring seamless transitions between scenes, precise timing of technical cues, and smooth collaboration between all artistic and technical departments — from rehearsal to live production.
World-class scenic and costume design drawing from Sri Lankan royal court aesthetics, ancient iconography, and contemporary theatrical visual language.
Operatic lighting design and real-time projection mapping that transforms the stage into the ancient landscapes of Sri Lanka — from tropical forests to sky fortresses.
Creative designer of character costumes that reflect the historical, mythological, and cultural identity of Sri Lanka — blending traditional motifs, ancient royal aesthetics, and contemporary stagecraft to bring each character of Lion Kingdom Opera vividly and authentically to life.
Behind every extraordinary performance is an extraordinary process of creation
Lion Kingdom Opera performs in venues that match the grandeur of the stories being told — from Sri Lanka's premier national theatre to ancient heritage sites under the open sky.
Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre — Sri Lanka's premiere performing arts venue
The magnificent Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre — named after Sri Lanka's national flower, the lotus — is the island's premier performing arts venue and the perfect home stage for Lion Kingdom Opera. With world-class acoustics, state-of-the-art technical infrastructure, and a capacity befitting a national event, Nelum Pokuna provides the grandeur these productions deserve.
Its distinctive lotus-petal architecture, visible from across Colombo, has become a symbol of Sri Lanka's commitment to cultural excellence — a fitting partner for the Lion Kingdom Opera's own aspirations.
Seat Capacity
Star Technical Rating
Year Established
City Centre Location
Outdoor sunset performances at the base of Sigiriya — one of the world's great UNESCO World Heritage Sites. An incomparable backdrop for the Kashyapa production.
Sacred open-air performances in Kandy — at the spiritual heart of Sinhalese Buddhism. The Sacred Legends production performed in the city of the Dalada Maligawa.
Select international touring performances targeting Sri Lankan diaspora communities in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the Gulf States — bringing the Opera to the world.
Bringing the world to the Lion Kingdom
Our audience is global, curious, and culturally engaged. Lion Kingdom Opera speaks to everyone who seeks to understand the world through its stories — not just its postcards.
Visitors seeking a premium cultural experience beyond beaches and wildlife — the cultural highlight of their Sri Lanka journey
Colombo port arrivals seeking world-class cultural programming during their hours on the island
Overseas Sri Lankans visiting their homeland, and diaspora communities reached through international touring
Foreign missions, cultural attachés, UNESCO representatives, and arts organisation delegations
Scholars of South Asian studies, performance art, and heritage conservation drawn to the Lion Kingdom project
Lion Kingdom Opera creates value across Sri Lanka's entire cultural and tourism economy through strategic partnerships with leading organisations.
A network of partnerships transforming Sri Lanka's cultural tourism landscape
The Lion Kingdom Opera does not stand alone — it anchors a broader ecosystem of cultural tourism value. Our partnership strategy connects the performing arts with Sri Lanka's hospitality, aviation, and heritage sectors to create integrated cultural tourism packages of unrivalled depth.
We actively seek partnerships with national tourism authorities, international airlines servicing Sri Lanka, premium hospitality groups, cultural diplomatic missions, and global arts organisations committed to the promotion of Asian heritage performance arts.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and regional destination management organisations
SriLankan Airlines and international carriers offering cultural tourism packages with Lion Kingdom Opera
Five-star hotels and luxury resorts integrating Lion Kingdom Opera into premium guest experience packages
Diplomatic missions, cultural foundations, UNESCO partnerships, and international arts bodies