There’s always a lot going on at Sydney’s favourite house. So much so that it can be hard to keep track – with new headliners dropping every other week, and huge events taking over the various venues seemingly out of nowhere.
Keen to go to a show under the sails over the next few months? We’ve rounded up a few top picks in the Sydney Opera House autumn season:
The Opera House’s May cinema season
Sydney’s outdoor cinema season wraps up in the cooler months, but if you’re keen to catch a movie in a unique location, the Opera House is here to help. From Thursday, May 1 until Sunday, May 4, the Playhouse will screen a series of new and classic films. The line-up includes a sing-along screening of Wicked, the latest release from Parasite director Bong Joon Ho Mickey 17, the late David Lynch’s iconic Mulholland Drive, Studio Ghibli's cherished Howl’s Moving Castle and a special screening of The Correspondent with a live Q&A.
Tickets start at $30.
Generations and Dynasties, a celebration of First Nations talent
Following its debut last year, this powerful series showcases creative First Nations families through conversation, storytelling, and performance. The 2025 program will take over the Utzon Room on Tuesday, April 29, Wednesday, May 14, Thursday, August 7 and Thursday, August 14, showcasing the musical talent, creativity and resilience of four First Nations families.
Tickets start at $25.
You Are Here, a creative play designed to encourage storytelling between children
From Saturday, April 19 until Thursday, April 24, the Utzon Room will play host to a delightful piece of visual theatre designed to gently teach toddlers how to navigate the world. The sensory-rich production features enchanting soundscapes, live music and poetic storytelling – guiding toddlers on a journey to help them connect and express.
Tickets start at $35.
Autumn music picks at the Opera House
Finally, of course, there’s the music. The autumn/ winter line-up features epic international artists including US-based indie rock artist MJ Lenderman (Tuesday, March 25), world-renowned South African cellist Abel Selaocoe (Sunday, April 6, performing as part of the ACO’s 50th anniversary program) and Chaka Khan (April 22-23).
Plus, renowned Australian musicians including Delta Goodrem (April 14-15), Tommy Emmanuel (May 16 and May 21) and Phoebe Go (May 23).
Vivid Live at Sydney Opera House
There’s also the Vivid Live music program, which will bring a ridiculously strong line-up of artists (including Sigur Rós, Marlon Williams and Ezra Collective) to the House for a series of live shows, and transform the Studio (usually used to host talks and cabaret shows) into a Euro-style super club with world-class DJs and spectacular lighting. More on that here.
That’s absolutely not all you can expect to see at the Opera House this autumn and winter. You can check out the ever-evolving program of events here.