Summer at the House Sizzles
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Media Release: Tuesday 22 February 2011
SUMMER AT THE HOUSE SIZZLES
The success of Summer at the House 2011 confirms Sydney Opera House as the place to be in Summer.
Sydneysiders and visitors from Australia and abroad have delivered record ticket sales across the wide range of 31 shows and events that made up the second season of Sydney Opera House’s latest curated summer program, Summer at the House. As this program draws to a close, just under 200,000 tickets have been sold with a combined value of more than $7.8 million. This represents revenue growth of 51% on the same period last year. Summer was also a strong season for tourism with 67,000 people taking a paid tour since the beginning of December.
The Architects of Air’s Mirazozo on the Forecourt was a runaway hit with queues of people from morning to evening patiently waiting to experience the colourful and mysterious interior of the inflatable ‘Luminarium’. Mirazozo is confirmed as the highest ever ticket-seller under the Sydney Opera House Presents banner with 45,323 tickets sold over January.
Sydney Opera House CEO, Richard Evans, said, "Following the success of last year’s inaugural Summer at the House program, we broadened this year’s offering with a selection of shows and events created for young adults and families. The success of our summer programming demonstrates that quality experiences will deliver audiences. Together with Sydney Festival, Opera Australia, the Sydney Symphony and Sydney Theatre Company also playing on Bennelong Point, Sydney Opera House programming delivered a comprehensive complementary offering that has dramatically increased overall audiences.”
Four shows had their premier seasons extended, Charlie and Lola, Soap, Love, Loss and What I Wore and Le Grand Cirque. These four very different theatre experiences – a kids’ show, a late-night burlesque, a series of anecdotes spoken by five actresses and a daredevil circus – highlighted the diversity of Summer at the House and confirmed the broadening community engagement with the House. In addition, the programming of contemporary music artists such as Blonde Redhead, CocoRosie, Amanda Palmer and Cat Power, under the direction of Fergus Linehan, Sydney Opera House Head of Music, has reinvigorated the Concert Hall and placed it on the venue list for a generation of young music lovers.
Richard Evans went on to say, “More than 50% of people who bought tickets to Summer at the House were first time ticket-buyers to any show or event across our venues and more than 100,000 of total tickets sold were for family shows. This is clear evidence that we are hitting the mark by providing a great selection of family and children’s entertainment that is also well priced for these audiences. Half of all sales were transacted online which allowed us to communicate with these audiences effectively and efficiently. “
SUMMER AT THE HOUSE 2011 – THE LINE UP
All shows/events are under the banner Sydney Opera House Presents unless otherwise indicated.
Dec
Babies Proms #6 - The Three Kings
My Stories Your Emails
Roby Lakatos
The Man Who Planted Trees
Late Night Lounge - December
APO - Not New Years Eve With the Australian Pops Orchestra
Drag XXXmas!
Jan
Charlie & Lola
Amanda Palmer - Australia Day Concert
Blonde Redhead
Cat Power
CocoRosie
Jimmy Buffet
Sufjan Stevens With Sydney Festival
John Baldessari
Mirazozo
Le Grand Cirque
Love Loss & What I Wore
Briefs
Soap
Super Night Shot With Sydney Festival & The Performance Space
The Wau Wau Sisters - Last Supper
Feb
Strelitzia Trio
Martha Wainwright
Love, Loss and What I Wore Extension
Late Night Lounge -February
The Axis of Awesome
The Ultimate Rock 'n' Roll Jam Session
Mar
Jack de Johnette
Armistead Maupin
Ziggy Stardust meets Tiny Tim Songbook
Further information contact:
Vanessa Duscio, Sydney Opera House, 02 9250 7678 / vduscio@sydneyoperahouse.com
Christopher Wynton, Sydney Opera House, 02 9250 7836 / cwynton@sydneyoperahouse.com