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 a World Heritage-listed architectural masterpiece of the 20th century that belongs to all Australians. A global beacon for creativity, the Sydney Opera House’s broad and diverse programming attracts audiences in person and online, with more than 15 million people attending performances and tours over the past decade.

During Vivid Sydney, the Sydney Opera House takes centre stage. The iconic sails become one of the festival’s brightest canvasses lighting up each night with a captivating signature work. For 2023, Vivid Sydney and the Sydney Opera House will transform the sails with an immense work, Life Enlivened (2023) by Australian artist John Olsen, whose mural Salute to Five Bells (1971-73) was commissioned for the Opera House Concert Hall by building architect Jørn Utzon. Through images selected by curator Dr. Deborah Hart and animated by creative technologists Curiious, Life Enlived celebrates the propulsive power of Olsen’s painterly brush to envision the natural world anew.

Under the sails, Vivid LIVE is the annual centrepiece of the Sydney Opera House’s year-round contemporary music program – a whole-of-House takeover and the only time of year that the world-famous venue is completely reimagined by live contemporary music,  celebrating iconic and pioneering artists that defy expectations and break new ground.  As part of Vivid Sydney, Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House will present original Australian premieres, one-off projects and unmissable performances from Australian artists, alongside select global acts, emerging voices and Sydney’s vibrant local communities who amplify the nation’s culture. 

To find out more about the Sydney Opera House and book tickets for Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House events, please visit sydneyoperahouse.com/vivid-live.