Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a World Heritage-listed ‘masterpiece of human creative genius’ that belongs to all Australians.
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia
It is the nation’s premier tourism destination, a world-class performing arts centre and celebrated community meeting place, welcoming 10.9 million visitors to the site in 2019, including more than 2.1 million performance and tours patrons. Situated on Bennelong Point, formerly known as Tubowgule, the site has been a place of gathering, celebration, ceremony and belonging for the local Gadigal people for tens of thousands of years.
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. In 2022, Yarrkalpa - Hunting Ground, 2021 by the Martu Artists and Curiious (inspired by Yarrkalpa – Always Walking Country 2014) will transform the Sydney Opera House sails, bringing to life the Parnngurr community and its surrounding landscape, with an accompanying soundtrack by Electric Fields featuring the vocals of the Martu Artists.
Inside, Vivid LIVE invites music lovers to return to the world-class venue for a transformative program of live contemporary music as it reignites the city. The line-up features world premieres, one-off projects and unmissable performances from outstanding Australian artists alongside select international acts, emerging voices and Sydney’s vibrant local communities who reflect the city’s inimitable contemporary culture.
How to get there: Catch a train, bus, ferry or the light rail to Circular Quay and take the short walk along the shore.
Light Events
TRACES | Vivid LIVE
Produced by Sydney Opera House with Magabala Books and Google Creative Lab as part of Vivid LIVE 2022 TRACES is an interactive voice-to-art installation...
Music Events
In the Mood – A Love Letter to Wong Kar-wai and Hong Kong starring Rainbow Chan, Eugene Choi & Marcus Whale | Vivid LIVE
Two decades after Wong Kar-wai’s celebrated masterpiece In the Mood for Love, this ravishing new stage with a projected digital performance – specially...
Club Kooky by the Harbour | Vivid LIVE
It’s back! After shaking Vivid LIVE in 2011, 2013, 2018 and its first open-air incarnation in 2019, Sydney alternative queer institution Club Kooky sheds...
Astral People - Yussef Dayes (UK), Hiatus Kaiyote, JAY1 (UK), S1mba (UK) + more | Vivid LIVE
Astral People are bringing together a massive line-up of local and international acts for two huge nights of jazz, soul, hip-hop and R&B on the Northern...
Tangents & GODTET | Vivid LIVE
Settle in for an incredible night of free floating new jazz, cutting-edge beats and eclectic musical improv as two of Australia’s most exciting and progressive...
Liz Martin & Eliza Hull - Into the Space Between the Notes | Vivid LIVE
More than a decade since her appearance performing Walking On Air with Aerialise troupe, multi-talented singer, songwriter and musician Liz Martin is making...
Paul Kelly and his band - Time and Tide: Four Decades of Song with special guest Thelma Plum | Vivid LIVE
"We kill time, we waste time, we do time, we use time, we find time, we lose time, we race time, we hate time. Time keeps ticking - a heartbeat, a bomb...
Georgia Maq (Camp Cope) | Vivid LIVE
As the leader of Melbourne's DIY punk trio Camp Cope, singer and guitarist Georgia Maq became something of a local hero, calling out music industry sexism...
Low Life | Vivid LIVE
Following on from their bruising set for the Sydney Opera House Digital Season, Sydney’s cult post-punk heroes Low Life are back to make their very first...
RVG | Vivid LIVE
Led by the evocative howl of singer-songwriter Romy Vager, Melbourne post-punks RVG have quickly become a force to be reckoned with. Their scrappy, buzzy...
Tkay Maidza with special guest Maina Doe | Vivid LIVE
It’s been a whirlwind few years for Tkay Maidza. Since her head-turning teenage debut, ‘Brontosaurus’, the Zimbabwe-born, Australian-raised singer...
