We said: "a proper classic musical theatre spectacle, that remains authentic to the source material...with the picturesque backdrop of the Sydney skyline, to boot."
The recipe for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour (HOSH) is simple but brilliant: take one stunning outdoor location with world-class city views, add spectacular over-the-top set design, razzle-dazzle costumes, show-stopping dance routines, a live orchestra, some world-class performers – and a great big dash of fireworks for good measure.
Heck, you might as well top it off with a tipple of Champagne, right? And you can’t settle in for a show on an empty stomach – lucky for you, there’s a variety of vendors on location at Mrs Macquarie’s Point, with themed menus that range from cheap-ish snacks to bougie sit-down dinners. Consumed while overlooking the harbour as dusk falls, we’d say this renders your night out a bona fide experience. We’re not the only ones, over half a million tickets have been sold for this annual event since it began.
HOSH has been an annual highlight of the city’s culture calendar for 14 years now, and we reckon this spectacle deserves a place on everyone’s bucket list. After spending more than a decade dedicated solely to operatic classics, Opera Australia (OA) started mixing it up in 2019 by introducing classic musicals to the mix as well. If you’re intimidated by the thought of reading along with the English surtitles during an opera in an unfamiliar language, perhaps you’ll be tempted by a Broadway classic?
And for the opera purists, we have the words of OA’s Associate Director, Shaun Rennie, who says: “I don't see them as separate streams [operas and musicals]. I see that there is a line between Verdi and Guys & Dolls, you know?”
In 2025, HOSH presents the classic 1950s musical comedy, Guys & Dolls. Directed by Shaun Rennie, with all-new choreography by Kelley Abbey, new orchestrations by Guy Simpson, and yes, Cody Simpson leading an all-star cast in his Aussie musical debut – it certainly won over our theatre critic (read more on that here) – and prepare yourself for a fabulous night out with our tips below.
DO HOSH LIKE A BOSS
Wear this: Something fancy *and* warm, and also bring something waterproof (see below); consider comfortable shoes, because there are stairs that you may need to traverse when navigating to your seat.
Eat this: The site opens from 5pm to accommodate pre-show dining, and there are five different food outposts, each offering a different style of cuisine and varying levels of formality (and, ahem, prices). The dining options are usually on-theme with the show, and this year the brief is New York-style diner feeds and Cuban-inspired pizzas.
At the luxe end, you can be seated for a gourmet feast with matching wines in the HSBC Platinum Club ($266 for three courses, or $236 for two courses; bookings essential). Meanwhile, the Feels New Sydney Terrace serves up hot meals, small bites and desserts; the Northern Cantina has more substantial meals, quick bites and desserts; the Southern Terrace does hot dogs, pizzas, salads and quick bites; and the Qantas Garden Bar is pouring a signature Manhattan cocktail alongside sandwiches, small bites and desserts.
(Note: the show’s interval also runs longer than most, at 35 minutes, so there’s plenty of time for a mid-show refuel.)
Drink this: Champagne! Because it’s a fancy night out, right!? No really, drink whatever you want – there's a decent selection of local wines, beers and mixed drinks available at bars all around the venue. But we also love that they have coffee on site, especially as the show is almost three-hours long!
Turn up: With plenty of time to spare! If you’re attending on a weekday (Tuesday to Friday), arrive between 5pm–6pm to take advantage of Happy Hour on the Harbour, where all the major onsite bars are slinging $12 cocktails all season long (T&Cs apply). Plus, on Friday nights, the first 100 people through the gates will score a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
We recommend arriving by 7pm at the latest, ahead of the 7.30pm performance. As mentioned, the site is not quite as straightforward as your usual theatre, and you want to have time to find your way to your seats.
Plan your trip: There are a few options for travelling to and from the site. Bus route 200 stops on Macquarie Street, and the nearest train stations are St James (approximately 16-minutes’ walk), Martin Place (18-minutes’ walk) and Circular Quay (29-minutes walk). Plan your trip with transportnsw.info. Word to the wise: do not walk through the Royal Botanic Garden after 6.30pm, as that’s when they lock all the entrances and you won’t be able to get through.
If you’re driving, you can use the Domain Car Park and catch the complimentary shuttle bus to and from Mrs Macquarie’s Point (view the pick-up point here). After the show, the shuttle bus also takes passengers to Circular Quay. (View shuttle drop-off and pick-up points here.)
What if it rains? THE SHOW GOES ON. Really! Unless there are electrical storms or extremely high winds and/or very heavy rain. You won't be able to put up an umbrella (for obvious reasons), so wear something waterproof, or buy a $5 biodegradable poncho on site. (They do wipe down the seats for you on arrival, we noted.)
Can I Insta this? Yes you can – but photography and filming of any kind is prohibited during the performances, so limit those stage shots to pre-show, post-show, or during the interval. It’s also pretty acceptable to capture the bows at the end of the show nowadays, so feel free to whip your phone out for that (but please make sure your flash is off! And good lord, don’t block anyone’s view with an iPad!).
How accessible is the location? You can refer to OA’s Access Guide here, and find more information about accessibility under the FAQs over here.
