How to find your own epic night at the Sydney Opera House

Kick off your big night with an old fashioned belly laugh. Nothing's quite as cathartic as guffawing from your diaphragm and Sydney Opera House has quite often got a comedy event on that will do the trick. Laugh and maybe cry a little (a great combo in our opinion) with Mary Coustas' This is Personal – a one woman storytelling show from the beloved Aussie treasure who played Effie for decades. Plan your bold night out in advance with chuckles provided by oddball Sam Simmons, deadpan legend Geraldine Hickey and political provocateurs A Rational Fear in June. 

Who needs a special occasion to celebrate with an artful meal in achingly gorge surrounds? Live a little and give yourself a splashy start to your night at Bennelong. Settle in to the romantically-lit Opera House sail and feast on Peter Gilmore's elegant Australiana-meets-global flavours menu. Get your fill of bold flavours like XO pipis, mud crab congee, Tasmanian lamb and an inventive take on the nostalgic chocolate crackle for dessert. If you're not in the market for a full dining extravaganza you can still experience the glamour with a world-class cocktail and some elevated snacks at the bar.

Nothing says "large and in charge" like a big and loud musical. Get hit in the guts with those belted ballads, tap your toes to a catchy song and be thrilled by live choreography. You're in luck with two international stage hits currently residing at Sydney Opera House. Fall in love with the instant hits of Six the Musical, a rock concert-style show that brings the stories of Henry VII's wives to life. Catch the world premiere one woman show Becoming Eliza while you're at it. Soprano Anna O'Byrne will take the audience through the highs and nerves of working with her idol Julie Andrews through a songbook of the classic dame's hits.

Sydney Opera House has always got something epic in the works. It's our boldest performance venue after all. Head harbourside and you're bound to find something mind-blowing on the roster. Be inspired by Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina (April 5- 23) spun into an extraordinary ballet with lavish costumes and cinematic staging. Challenge your inner-skeptic with some large-scale magic and illusion. World-famous mentalist Scott Silven will be gracing the stage in June with his captivating show Wonders. Silven will use the audience's own imagination to bring them together, taking the viewer's expectations of classic magic shows to their limits. What could be bigger than bringing a theatre-full of strangers closer together? Magic.

Since the dawn of live performance, opera has been using high-voltage voices and melodrama to bring out audience emotions. Chuck on your fineries and warm up those tear ducts for a classic night at the opera. Sydney Opera House, naturally, has some bombastic options on hand. Marvel at South Korean soprano Sae Kyung Rim's transcendent voice in a reimagining of Madama Butterfly (June 29 - July 30). Given a contemporary spin this Puccini classic will use choreography and a jawdropping digital set to carry the legacy of this heartbreaking classic. No matter the opera you choose you're in for a wildly flamboyant evening at our city's magical water-fringed venue.