50th anniversary report
Our 50th anniversary in October 2023 was a chance to celebrate everything that has made the Opera House what it is today. At the same time, we wanted to give artists, audiences and visitors a taste of what the Opera House could be in the years ahead.
This report documents the sweep of activities presented on site and online in our 50th anniversary year, including large-scale outdoor activities, heritage events, international spectacles, community gatherings, contemporary art, storytelling innovations, plus new merchandise and dining experiences. It also sets out some of the lessons we learned along the way.
The program began in October 2022, with an audiovisual narrative on the sails and community choirs on the Monumental Steps, and peaked a year later with the Open House Weekend, when almost 30,000 people came to explore the newly renewed building. Those two events were the bookends of 12 months of diverse programming that encouraged everyone to share in the possibility and wonder of the Opera House.
More than 340 events took place across the year, with many being free or low-cost. More than 240,000 people attended ticketed events, including a quarter at free events, while almost two million people experienced free outdoor events/activities. Our online Screen program also hosted a digital audience of more than 1.3 million.
The anniversary came at a time of renewal for Sydney itself. Over 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 had forced us all to recalibrate our thinking during months of uncertainty and disruption. We set out to deliver a celebration for the whole community in an environment characterised by recovery, skills shortages and cost-of-living pressures. NSW Government support through the Create NSW Blockbusters Funding initiative helped the Opera House rise to this challenge with a broad and diverse artistic program as the community engaged once again with public gatherings and shared experiences.
Our challenge now is to build on the momentum of this remarkable year and ensure the Opera House is a place everyone feels welcome, on site and online.
