Sydney Opera House 50th Birthday Festival, Peak Season Tours & NYE

This October, Sydney Opera House celebrates its 50th birthday with a festival of music, dance, theatre, art and free events for the whole family.

With a month-long program scheduled for all to enjoy, some of our favourite highlights include:

What Is the City but the People – a portrait of Sydney through its people, showcasing the story, sentiments and soul of the city (1 October)

• Whispers – a monumental public artwork by Quandamooka artist Megan Cope (27 September – 31 October)
• Opera Bar & House Canteen Gold Party - a free event open to the general public with live music, gold-themed special menus, and roving performers set to entertain against the unbeatable backdrop of the Sydney harbour (20-22 October)
• ICON - the sails will be illuminated with lasers as they shine from across the harbour from Admiralty House and Campbell Cove (20-22 October)
• Open House Weekend - welcoming thousands of visitors behind-the-scenes to celebrate the building’s 50th birthday (21-22 October)

Open House Weekend at Sydney Opera House | 21-22 October

The Sydney Opera House will open its doors to the public for its first open day in eight years, welcoming thousands of visitors behind-the-scenes to celebrate the building’s 50th birthday. Guests will enjoy access to performance spaces, roving performances by local artists, special exhibits by the Opera House’s resident companies, First Nations dance performances, and the chance to view John Coburn’s Curtain of the Sun.

Please note that allocation has been exhausted for pre-booked tickets for Open House weekend. There will be very limited walk up availability.

Find out more about Open House Weekend here.

Whispers by Quandamooka artist Megan Cope | 27 Sep - 31 Oct

On Tubowgule, now called Bennelong Point, Quandamooka artist Megan Cope introduces Whispers, a melding of First Nations history and environmental consciousness. With more than 85,000 oyster shells positioned across the Sydney Opera House precinct, the artist evokes the ancestral midden sites that were used on this site for Aboriginal celebrations and gatherings for thousands of years.

Whispers: A Monumental Public Artwork bby Quandamooka artist Megan Cope

Peak Season Availability

With high visitation forecasted for the summer season, please note the following tours are at capacity and sold out across the following peak season dates:

• All Tour Products: 30 & 31 Dec 2023
• Private ‘Booked’ English Tours: 28 Dec 2023 – 3 January 2024 (inclusive)
• Non-Exclusive Shared English Tours: 29 Dec 2023 – 1 Jan 2024 (inclusive) with limited availability for 2 Jan 2024

What's On | New Year's Eve

The Sydney Opera House will host a series of spectacular and unmissable events on New Year's Eve. From a glamorous Opera gala to swinging under the stars at Midden, from an opulent celebration in the Yallamundi Rooms, to a tropicana paradise at Opera Bar, there's a celebration for everyone to ring in the New Year in style.

View NYE event information here

* Sydney Opera House GPO BOX 4274SYDNEY, NSW 2001 Australia