The Sydney Opera House will be holding a 50th Birthday Festival. Get ready for an iconic celebration!
Photo credit: Sydney Opera House
Join the Sydney Opera House this October 2023 for a festival of music, dance, theatre, art and free events for the whole family.
Step inside to discover the untold stories, hidden spaces and extraordinary performances that make this place so magical.
Photo credit: Sydney Opera House
Free Highlights Include:
Open House Weekend - Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd October. The whole community is invited to wander through the corridors of this World Heritage-listed masterpiece, to explore the famous venues and witness the magic that takes place behind the scenes. Free. 9AM to 4PM both days. All ages.
What Is the City but the People? - Sunday 1 October. Sydneysiders who make-up the fabric of our city are invited to parade down a catwalk stretching the full length of the Opera House’s Forecourt. Free. 4pm. Duration 1 hour. All ages.
UNSW Sydney UTZON Lecture - Tuesday 17 October. Join Jan and Lin Utzon in conversation – as they journey through the legacy of their father, Jørn Utzon, the visionary architect of the Sydney Opera House. Free. 6:30pm. All ages. Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
A Monumental Public Artwork - Thursday 28 September. Tuesday 31 October 2023. Drawing inspiration from Tubowgule as a historic place of ceremony, gathering and celebration in Aboriginal Australia, Quandamooka artist Megan Cope will transform the Sydney Opera House. Free.
50/50 - Sunday 3 September to Sunday 22 October. Celebrate the Sydney Opera House’s 50th anniversary with 50 consecutive days of rare and unseen recordings from the archive, spanning opera, classical, dance, theatre, contemporary music, documentaries and and livestreams from our Birthday Festival. Free and exclusive to Stream.
Photo credit: Sydney Opera House
Ticketed events Highlights include:
Soweto Gospel Choir - HOPE - Tuesday 10 October. Hope is an all-new concert by 3-time Grammy®-winning Soweto Gospel Choir; celebrating songs and anthems from the Freedom movement of Nelson Mandela’s South Africa, back to the Civil Rights Movement of Martin Luther King’s 1950's America. Ticket prices vary. 7:30pm.
Chi Udaka - Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st October 2023. Chi Udaka is a kaleidoscope of sound and vision with taiko drums, shakuhachi flute, cello, classical Indian vocals and dance. Inspired by the forces of nature, Chi (earth) and Udaka (water) merge in joyful celebration in this collaboration between two Australian companies Taikoz and Lingalayam. Ticket prices vary. 7:30pm.
Sibyl by William Kentridge - Thursday 2nd November to Saturday 4th November 2023. Sibyl is a rich sensory experience melding exquisite music, powerful vocals, and compelling visuals from visionary South African artist William Kentridge. The evening of two parts begins with The Moment Has Gone, a film with live score, followed by Waiting for the Sibyl, a chamber opera featuring nine performers and piano. Ticket prices vary. 7:30pm.
Dimanche - Thursday 12th October to Saturday 21st October. Dimanche uses physical theatre to tell a dreamlike story about the uncontrollable forces of nature. Combining puppetry, video and deadpan mime, Dimanche observes the ingenuity of humans as they try to preserve their day-to-day habits despite the chaos of an ecological collapse. Ticket prices vary. 7:00pm.
Photo credit: Sydney Opera House