Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is the symbol of modern Australia. It is one of the world’s busiest performing arts centres, the nation’s premier tourism destination and an architectural masterpiece of the 20th century.
A global beacon for creativity, it is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and its social value has been estimated by Deloitte at $11.4 billion. Its broad and diverse programming attracts audiences in person and online, with more than 16 million people attending performances and tours over the past decade. In its ambition to be Everyone’s House, the Sydney Opera House continues to evolve alongside the community it was built to serve.
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia
Getting there
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Walk | 6 mins from Circular Quay |
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Train | Circular Quay Station (weekdays) and Wynyard Station |
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Bus | Young St for Circular Quay |
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Ferry | Ferries run regularly to and from Circular Quay |
During Vivid Sydney, the Sydney Opera House’s iconic sails become one of the festival’s brightest canvasses, lighting up each night with a captivating signature work. The Lighting of the Sails is co-curated by the Sydney Opera House and Destination NSW and is one of their most significant free events.
Under the sails, Vivid LIVE is the annual centrepiece of the Sydney Opera House’s year-round contemporary music program and forms part of Vivid Sydney's Music program – a whole-of-House takeover and the only time of year the world-famous venue is completely reimagined by live contemporary music and art, celebrating cutting-edge and legendary artists that defy expectations and break new ground.
Curated for the eleventh time by Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall, Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House will feature international cult favourites, local trailblazers and influential culture-shapers in Australian exclusives, premieres, an epic orchestral collaboration, one-off projects, anniversaries and Studio Parties.
Light Events
Lighting of the Sails: Opera Mundi
Renowned French multimedia artist Yann Nguema, known for his mesmerising projections onto significant buildings around the world, brings his unique fusion...
Music Events
Drifting Clouds | Vivid LIVE
Dubbed "the most chill band in Arnhem Land", Drifting Clouds is the unique musical project of Yolŋu singer, songwriter and keyboardist Terry Guyula, boasting...
Zipporah & Mi-kaisha | Vivid LIVE
Get ready for an evening of heavenly vocals and sublime, soulful R&B as two of Australia’s most gifted young First Nations performers take the stage...
Jeff Mills Liquid Room Mix 30th Anniversary | Vivid LIVE
Alongside the lofty likes of Robert Hood, Carl Craig and Joey Beltram, the prolific DJ, producer and composer Jeff Mills is one of the architects of American...
La Haine | Vivid LIVE Film
La Haine takes place over 24 hours following the police shooting of a young man from a deprived housing estate, and shows the world through the eyes of...
Matt Berninger (The National) | Vivid LIVE
More than 25 years and countless multi-platinum albums into his career, singer-songwriter Matt Berninger – the beloved frontman and lyricist for indie...
Rochelle Jordan | Vivid LIVE
With one of 2025's most critically acclaimed records to her name, the UK-born, Canada-based singer-songwriter Rochelle Jordan is riding a long-deserved...
Mogwai 30th Anniversary | Vivid LIVE
Brace yourself for one of the most volcanic performances at Vivid LIVE as Mogwai make their long-awaited return to the Sydney Opera House, more than a...
3NDLES5 presents SALEM w/ 3NDLES5 & Jawnino | Vivid LIVE
SALEM is a music group from the American Midwest. They inhabit the world of their music: the darkness, the struggle and the triumph. Their sound is blurry...
Derrick Gee's Radio Hour | Vivid LIVE
A cult tastemaker whose wit and wisdom are shaping the way audiences discover and listen to music, Sydney DJ and internet personality Derrick Gee took...
Alfa Mist | Vivid LIVE
London-based jazz hip-hop luminary Alfa Mist returns to Sydney Opera House off the back of his sold-out show two years ago, bringing his transcendent musical...
Food Events
Saltbush & Starlight
Experience the Sydney Opera House in a completely new light, via an exclusive guided tour followed by a show-stopping three-course dinner from First Nations...
Culture in Motion: Mindy Woods & Danielle Alvarez
Highlighting Byron Bay in a multi-sensory feast as part of the Regional Dinner Series, Bundjalung woman and culinary powerhouse Mindy Woods (Karkalla...
