Can you imagine what this city would be without the Sydney Opera House? Just the very sight of those pointy sails invokes our harbourside lifestyle. But while Jørn Utzon’s iconic building is always quite the showstopper, it’s what’s inside those sails that really matters.
The Sydney Opera House is constantly teeming with a love for the arts. Whether it’s live music, big-ticket keynotes or stage productions, you’ll find excitement in the acoustically sound Concert Hall any day of the week. But there’s even more than that. The Sydney Opera House has multiple performance spaces of varying capacity, and even a hidden studio that sometimes functions as a nightclub or cabaret space. There are multiple restaurants and, in the shadows, the famous Opera Bar that sits right along the water’s edge.
Wondering what’s coming up at the Sydney Opera House? We’ve got you covered. See below for what we think are the highlights that’ll take the House right up until the end of 2025.
What’s on at the Sydney Opera House?
1. La Bohème
A sparkling set straight out of 1930s Berlin takes to the John Sutherland Theatre for one of the biggest opera events of the year. Predating RENT and Moulin Rouge, this is a production that went on to reshape the landscape for opera, fashioned at the original bohemian love story with a riveting score by Puccini.
In this iteration, Gale Edwards’ dazzling production heightens the sense of drama and delight with set production from Brian Thompson and costume design from Julie Lynch.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre
When: August 30 – September 20, 2025
Tickets: $49 – $355 from sydneyoperahouse.com
2. Donald Runnicles conducts Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony
Written in response to an insult from Stalin, the Fifth Symphony is one of Dmitri Shostakovich timeless masterpieces and a hefty workout for any full orchestra. The powerful symphony is filled with bold risks and soaring peaks, and, according to Dmitri himself, tracks the making of a man and his path towards an optimistic solution pulled from the opening chaos.
Sir Donald Runnicles is renowned for really teasing out the emotion of music and making audiences feel every dramatic twist and turn. As part of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 season, he’ll lead a complete orchestra in bringing this masterwork to life. Also on the night, Canadian virtuoso Marc-Andrew Hamelin performs Beethoven’s elegant Piano Concerto No.4 and Anna Clyne’s This Midnight Hour.
Where: Concert Hall
When: September 12-14, 2025
Tickets: $49 – $109 from sydneyoperahouse.com
3. The Music of Joe Hisaishi
Studio Ghibli fans assemble. The extraordinary music of Joe Hisaishi, a close collaborator of Hayao Miyazaki, will be lifted in incredible detail by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. This one-off show will pay homage to countless classics from films like Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbour Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle, delivering an imaginative and vivid concert that uses the full force of the acclaimed orchestra.
The show, part of Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s seasonal concert series, will be narrated by Art of the Score podcasters Andrew Pogson, Dan Golding and conductor Nicholas Buc. Working in tandem with the orchestra, the trio will discuss and unpack these multi-award-winning works and the great Japanese maestro’s career.
Where: Concert Hall
When: September 24-27, 2025
Tickets: $109 – $190 from sydneyoperahouse.com
4. Genesis Owusu
Acclaimed Australian rapper Genesis Owusu heads to the bowels of the Sydney Opera House to preview his brand new album in a special 360-degree live music experience. Across three nights, the theatrical rapper will build a unique intimate show in The Studio, keeping the capacity tight while he debuts live music and further experiments with live instrumentation.
The award-winning Ghanian-Australian musician has been noted for his boundary-pushing fusion of hip hop, punk, rock, folk and jazz, so this should be a cerebral live performance for those who really love their live music. On Thursday, Genesis will be supported by xmunashe and on Friday and Saturday he’ll bring Shady Nasty along for the ride.
Where: The Studio
When: September 18-20, 2025
Tickets: $75.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
5. The Art of Violin
Sydney Opera House continues its incredible Utzon Room series with more intimate, contemplative performances from leading musicians in their field. The Art of Violin is just one of the shows coming up as part of the program, showcasing principal violinists from Bach Akademie Australia. They’ll be exploring the Baroque virtuoso violin writing of Bach and his peers Handel, Leclair, Telemann and Vivaldi in a thrilling performance.
As with all Utzon Room concerts, this is a great way to deepen your appreciation for classical and worldly music. The violin concerto will double as a history lesson, tracking the legacy of the violin from the end of the 17th century to the rise of the Baroque violin concerto throughout the ages. You’ll learn how German, Italian and French composers interpreted this genre with virtuosic concertos set in one of the Sydney Opera House’ most underrated spaces.
Where: Utzon Room
When: September 26, 2025
Tickets: $95 – $120 from sydneyoperahouse.com
6. Rent
One of the most endearing Broadway shows in history is heading on back to the Sydney Opera House. Rent takes place on the vibrant streets of New York City’s East Village, reinterpreting Puccini’s La Bohème as something much more closer to the cracks in the pavement.
Plus, with the Berlin-based production playing at the Joan Sutherland Theatre from now until September 20, you can play around with some contrast. Rent is playing from September 27 and La Bohème wraps up just a week before. Grab tickets to see the latter in late September and then, with the story still fresh in your mind, head along to see the modern conception with Rent. This is one of those rare opportunities that musical fans don’t get very often.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre
When: Setember 27 – November 1, 2025
Tickets: $49 – $179 from sydneyoperahouse.com
7. Magic Workshop with Adam Mada
Take the kids along to a world of wonder as Australian master magician Adam Mada puts on a special school holiday workshop for would-be magic makers aged 8-12. Everyday objects will be manipulated with the mind, showcasing show-stopping tricks and secrets so kids and their parents get a complete walkthrough of what it takes to be a true magician.
All guests of the one-hour workshop will leave with their own bag of tricks to help them make life a bit more interesting.
Where: Centre for Creativity
When: October 1-3, 2025
Tickets: $29 from sydneyoperahouse.com
8. Connan Mockasin
Known for his heady blend of psychedelic pop, trippy funk, glam and prog rock, New Zealand’s Connan Mockasin plans to take the small, intimate stage at Playhouse. With a three-band behind him, Connan promises a night of sonic fusion, perfect for anyone with eclectic tastes who’ve been following the multi-instrumentalist since he first broke out onto the scene with his jazzy, soft rock-inspired Forever Dolphin Love in 2010.
Mockasin has built up a unique performance style across his career, which has seen him tour with everyone from Radiohead to Neil and Liam Finn. Getting to see him in such an intimate setting is a rate treat, validating the strong seasonal programming that’s helping take the Sydney Opera House into the latter half of 2025.
Where: Playhouse
When: October 16, 2025
Tickets: $89.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
9. Convergence
The Australian String Quartet will pay homage to wildly contrasting works by the likes of Stanhope, Britten and Schubert as they perform an intimate concert in the Utzon Room. The rhythmic vitality of Elegis and Dances, evocative movements of Britten’s String Quartet No.2, and towering mastery of Henry Purcell will fold into each other on the night, continuing Sydney Opera House’s high-culture pitch for the Utzon Room.
The program will finish with Schubert’s definitive Death and the Maiden quartet, providing a window into the artist’s tortured brilliance, which he wrote at the height of his fame in 1824.
Where: Utzon Room
When: October 21, 2025
Tickets: $36 – $85.50 from sydneyoperahouse.com
10. Prism
Prism is a triple-bill dance performance, pulling together three distinct artistic journeys into one visionary whole by William Forsythe and Jerome Robbins. These internationally renowned choreographers will take over Joan Sutherland Theatre for a kaleidoscopic, uplifting celebration of contemporary dance that rethinks numerous genres of dance and conceives of three works as a total piece.
William Forsyth’s Blake Works V (The Barre Project), Stephanie Lake’s New Work, and Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces are all vastly different from each other in conceit and function. The Barre Project, for example, was created at the height of the pandemic, paying homage to the dancers who improvised with pieces of domestic furniture to perform at-home barre exercises. On the other hand is Robbin’s Glass Pieces, inspired by ballet’s urban side with the West Side Story choreographer fusing rules taken from both urban movement and traditional ballet.
The different perspectives on dance are refracted by Prism’s three-dimensional scope, giving meaning to each and, hopefully, offering dance fans a rare opportunity to compare and contrast in real-time.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre
When: November 6-15, 2025
Tickets: $46 – $257 from sydneyoperahouse.com
11. Simone Young conducts Siegfried
Simone Young dives deep in Wagner’s Ring, working through layers of passion, violence, rage, betrayal and tragedy to really get at the meaning of Siegfried. The core of Wagner’s masterwork will be brought to life with a world-class cast of singers, including internationally acclaimed Simone O’Neill in the title role for this third instalment of Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Ring Cycle in concert.
Young is a prolific interpreter of Wagner’s work, so this is a rare opportunity to gain a deeper insight into Richard Wagner and the German composer’s influence in the world of classical music. If you like your operatic experience grand and immersive, this is the show for you.
Where: Concert Hall
When: November 13-16, 2025
Tickets: $89 – $199 from sydneyoperahouse.com
12. Just For Laughs All Star Gala
The side-splitting Just For Laughs All-Star Gala will be hosted by Shaun Micallef this year, continuing a long legacy of Australian comedy with a blockbuster lineup including Reggie Watts, Wil Anderson and Preacher Lawson. A sell-out year-after-year, the event is one of those rare opportunities to catch a large-scale comedy event in one of Sydney’s most iconic buildings. And you don’t even have to wait for next year’s Sydney Comedy Festival.
Not only will you get a set from the quick-witted Micallef but you’ll get to enjoy comedy from the following:
- Reggie Watts
- Melanie Bracewell
- Wil Anderson
- Joel Creasey
- Celia Pacquola
- Preacher Lawson
Where: Concert Hall
When: November 15, 2025
Tickets: $99.90 – $119.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
13. Kacey Musgraves
8 time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Kasey Musgraves has emerged as one of the most important and reliable country music artists of our time. With millions of streaming hits to her name, she’ll have plenty of material to pull on when she makes her Sydney Opera House debut on the greatest stage of them all.
New tickets have just been released for the fast-selling show, where Musgraves will weave together her country, folk and pop across her entire discography, from Same Trailer Different Park to last year’s beautiful Deeper Well.
Where: Concert Hall
When: November 19-20, 2025
Tickets: $199.90 – $149.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
14. Loyle Carner
Renowned for his thought-provoking lyrics and emotionally rich storytelling, English rapper Loyle Carner brings his acclaimed new album Hopefully! to the world stage.
There’s no better place to experience his powerful performance than on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House, with the sun setting behind you and the city skyline as your backdrop. He’ll be performing tracks from his debut studio album Yesterday’s Gone, as well as hits from Not Waving, but Drowning, which features standout tracks such as Loose Ends and Ice Water.
Where: Forecourt
When: December 4, 2025
Tickets: $117.20
15. Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand are still going. The prolific Scottish band were at the forefront of the britpop renaissance in the mid-to-late 2000’s, but nostalgia isn’t the only reason to head along to this special show. With Sydney finally coming into good weather, this will be a special outdoor performance for On The Steps at Sydney Opera House Forecourt, playing opposite the iconic building on an intimate stage with special guests Teenage Dads and Delivery.
Where: Forecourt
When: December 3, 2025
Tickets: $129.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
16. Synthony
Want some symphonic brilliance mixed in with EDM nostalgia? That’s what Synthony brings to table, and they’ll be popping their brand-new show, Synthony No. 5, over to Sydney Opera House’s On The Steps summer concert series in early December. Expect the greatest dance anthems of the last three decades, completely transformed by a full orchestra to replace drums and whirrs with strings and sections, led by The Metropolitan Orchestra conductor Sarah-Grace Williams.
Ready to hear the likes of Avicii, Eric Prydz and Fatboy Slim meshed with high-culture? You’ve only got one chance to see this unique performance, which will be backed by an enormous laster light show to turn it all into one massive rave in front of the Sydney Opera House.
Where: Forecourt
When: December 5, 2025
Tickets: $129.90 – $179.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
17. Ruel
Hometown hero Ruel returns to Sydney after becoming the youngest artist to sell out the Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall, twice, in 2019. Now he’ll be taking his show to the open-air, settling in as part of The House’s On The Steps series with a new show celebrating his forthcoming sophomore album Kicking My Feet.
He’s been described as the “Justin Bieber of Australia” before, but that just gets at Ruel’s dominance in the world of pop music. Across his growing career, Ruel has amassed over three billion streams, sold out multiple world tours, and is now a regular at some of the world’s most coveted fashion shows. But none of that would be possible if the music wasn’t up to scratch, and you’ll be hearing proof of that as the 22-year-old singer-songwriter plans a stylish homecoming show to help round out a big year for live music.
Where: Forecourt
When: December 9, 2025
Tickets: $109.90 from sydneyoperahouse.com
18. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
With the holiday season right around the corner, Sydney Opera House will host Bach’s brilliant and festive Christmas Oratorio, a series of six cantatas that highlight the legendary composer’s various styles. The performance is conceived as a sequel of sorts, following on from 2023 when Brett Weymark conducted the first three parts of the wider oratorio, following Bach’s many narrative turns to track the wise men from the East who followed the star to the Christ child.
Composer Elizabeth Scott continues that journey two years later, performing the final three parts of the series to help deepen our experience of Bach’s music and complete the journey of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Where: Concert Hall
When: December 13, 2025
Tickets: $45 – $140 from sydneyoperahouse.com
19. Bread & Butter Poetry: Slampionship 2025
Since launching in early 2023, Bread & Butter Poetry Slam has been deeply embedded in Sydney’s artsy Inner West culture, exploring the city’s growing spoken word scene and cementing itself as the premiere event for emerging and youth poets from all over the city. In 2025, the cultural institution shifts over to the Utzon Room, where champion wordsmiths will compete for the title of this year’s Bread & Butter Poetry Slampion.
It’s not everyday you see a show at the Sydney Opera House dedicated entirely to storytelling, wordsmithery and laughs in the form of slam poetry. In fact, you never see something like this. So consider this week-before-Christmas event a rare opportunity to see a different side of the performing arts.
Where: Utzon Room
When: December 19, 2025
Tickets: $30 from sydneyoperahouse.com
20. Storytime Ballet: The Nutcracker
Perfect for children aged three and up, Storytime Ballet’s presentation of The Nutcracker helps introduce little ones to the world of ballet with a show that runs for just under an hour. Dazzling costumes and set pieces help bring the classic tale to life, inviting audiences into an immersive, fantastical world that faithfully follows the Christmas caper.
As the story goes, Eve Clara receives a nutcracker doll who magically springs to life on Christmas. Together, the duo battle the Rat King and visit the Land of Sweets for a grand celebration with the Sugar Plum Fairy. When Clara wakes up under the Christmas tree she wonders if it was all really a dream. The story is told with interactive elements, using light-up wands that’ll keep the kids engaged. Note that some smoke and haze will be used in the performance as well.
Where: Drama Theatre
When: December 18, 2025 – January 4, 2026
Tickets: $65 – $79 from sydneyoperahouse.com
Sydney Opera House
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney
Contact: (02) 9250 7111
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