50 films celebrating 50 iconic years
Iconic artists, unforgettable performances, works that changed the way audiences saw the culture: Across its 50 year history, the Sydney Opera House has played host to an incredible diversity of talent, from musicians, choreographers and dancers to actors, playwrights, filmmakers, contemporary artists and visionary thinkers who challenged and shaped the cultural landscape. To mark our first half century, we’re digging deep into the archive to bring audiences 50 rare and often unseen performances over 50 days, and special livestreamed events from our Birthday Festival – free and exclusive to Stream.
Each day we’ll take a peek into the archive to reveal a piece of history, going all the way back to 1973 to the very first opera ever performed on our stage, a spectacular rendition of Prokofiev’s adaptation of War and Peace, going all the way up to the present day.
Program
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On this week 25 September – 1 October 2023
Celebrate the Sydney Opera House’s 50th anniversary with 50 consecutive days of rare and unseen recordings from the archive, spanning opera, classical, dance, theatre, contemporary music, documentaries and and livestreams from our Birthday Festival.

A Man and An Organ (1981)
Available Australia and New Zealand only, from 25 Sep 2023
A 1981 insight into Ronald Sharp, the builder of the Grand Organ in the Concert Hall, who worked painstakingly for ten years to build the instrument. With 10,244 pipes, it is the largest mechanical tracker-action pipe organ in the world. (Stream Premiere)

Khruangbin - Live at Sydney Opera House (2022)
Available worldwide from 26 Sep 2023 until 27 Nov 2026
Inspired by ’60s Thai funk, Tarantino soundtracks and surf-rock cool, the Texan three-piece Khruangbin summoned forth a hypnotic sound quite unlike anything else for their thrilling Sydney Opera House debut in 2022.

DeRay Mckesson - The Case For Hope (2019)
Available worldwide from 27 Sep 2023
A leader in the Black Lives Matter movement, DeRay Mckesson places the idea of shared hope for a better future at the core of his activism, in this vital conversation with Faustina Agolley, filmed at Antidote 2019.

Australian Chamber Orchestra - Goldberg Variations (2018)
Available worldwide from 28 Sep to 29 Oct 2023
Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra bring Bach’s virtuosic masterpiece to life in the 2018 Australian premiere of Canadian conductor Bernard Labadie’s dazzling, colourful arrangement for strings, filmed in the Concert Hall. (Stream Premiere)

The National - Live at Sydney Opera House (2018)
Available worldwide from 29 Sep to 29 Oct 2023
Whilst the 2018 Forecourt performances from the indie rock luminaries were not recorded for broadcast, this new concert film is taken from a range of camera sources, offering a unique and vital record of a much-loved performance. (Premiere)

Opera Australia - Lucia di Lammermoor (1986)
Available worldwide from 30 Sep to 30 Oct 2023
Dame Joan Sutherland's performance of Lucia in London in 1959 made her an almost immediate superstar. She returned to her signature role in 1986 in a season in the Concert Hall, directed by John Copley. (Stream Premiere)

What Is the City but the People? - Livestream (2023)
Available worldwide from 1 Oct 2023 until 1 Oct 2028
Backed by live music and photographs created by local artists, ‘What Is the City but the People?’ invites Sydneysiders to parade down a large scale catwalk on the Forecourt of Sydney Opera House. (Premiere)
Coming up Until 22 October 2023

Pussy Riot / Zona Prava - In Conversation (2014)
Available worldwide from 2 Oct 2023
Pussy Riot’s feminist, punk protests drew attention to the abuses of Putin’s regime, work which continued through their NGO, Zona Prava. They joined us at the 2014 Festival of Dangerous Ideas to talk about their work. (Stream Premiere)

Ensemble Offspring - Hark the Machine (2018)
Available worldwide from 3 Oct to 3 Nov 2023
In 2018, Ensemble Offspring transformed the Utzon Room with a program featuring work by American composers David Lang and Annie Gosfield, and Australian composers Andrea Keller, Fiona Hill and Thomas Meadowcroft. (Stream Premiere)

Shaun Parker & Company - AM I (2014)
Available worldwide from 4 Oct to 4 Nov 2023
A collaboration between Shaun Parker and composer Nick Wales, and featuring a cast of 14 musicians, singers and dancers, 'AM I' is an inspired blend of spoken word, razor-sharp choreography and live music. (Stream Premiere)

Spinifex Gum (2019)
Available worldwide from 5 Oct to 5 Nov 2023
The voices of young Indigenous women from Gondwana Choirs, singing in English and Yindjibarndi, come together with The Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl and guests Emma Donovan, Peter Garrett and Briggs for a powerful collaboration. (Stream Premiere)

Sydney Symphony Orchestra - Inside/Out at the House: Symphony Spectacular (2023)
Available Australia only from 6 to 20 Oct 2023
For 50 years the Sydney Symphony has been resident at Sydney Opera House. In this 2023 concert, they celebrate some of their most memorable moments in the Concert Hall. (Premiere)

Peter Allen - In Concert (1977)
Available Australia only from 7 Oct to 7 Nov 2023
Entertainer extraordinaire Peter Allen performs to a sold-out Opera House crowd in this seminal 1977 concert film, performing songs such as 'I Go To Rio' and the Grammy Award winning 'I Honestly Love You'. (Stream Premiere)

Vance Joy - Live at Sydney Opera House (2022)
Available worldwide from 8 to 11 Oct 2023
Internationally-renowned, ARIA-award-winning folk-pop star Vance Joy returned to the Sydney Opera House in November 2022, bringing his intimate, anthemic hits to the Forecourt stage.

Steven Oliver - Bigger & Blacker (2021)
Available worldwide from 9 Oct 2023 until 9 Oct 2025
Steven Oliver from ABC’s hit television series 'Black Comedy' is joined on-stage with musician Michael Griffiths for the critically acclaimed comedy cabaret 'Bigger & Blacker', recorded in the Studio in 2021.

A Stroke of Genius (1983)
Available worldwide from 10 Oct 2023
Celebrating the 10th birthday of Sydney Opera House in 1983, 'A Stroke of Genius' retells the story of the building through contemporary interviews and archival recordings, including then-unseen colour footage from the 1960s, discovered in the NSW Public Works department. (Stream Premiere)

Synergy Percussion - Steve Reich, A Celebration (2012)
Available Australia only, from 11 Oct to 11 Nov 2023
In 2012, Sydney Opera House welcomed Steve Reich for a celebratory program, opening with Synergy Percussion performing ‘Drumming (Part I)’, 'Mallet Quartet' and 'Clapping Music', featuring an appearance on stage by the renowned composer. (Premiere)

Bell Shakespeare - Richard 3 (2017)
Available Australia only, from 12 Oct until 12 Nov 2023
Kate Mulvany won a Helpmann Award for her portrayal of one of the most ambitious and gleefully amoral villains ever written in Bell Shakespeare’s acclaimed 2017 production of Richard 3. (Stream Premiere)

Violent Femmes - Live at Sydney Opera House (2014)
Available worldwide from 14 Oct to 14 Nov 2023
30 years since the release of their multimillion-selling eponymous album, the acoustic punk innovators made their Opera House debut in 2014, performing the record in its entirety and transforming the Concert Hall with their inimitable rite-of-passage, alt-rock. (Premiere)

Australian Chamber Orchestra - Inside/Out at the House: Celebrating Icons - From Bach to Barnes (2023)
Available Australia only, from 14 Oct to 28 Oct 2023
The Australian Chamber Orchestra joins our birthday celebrations with music ranging from JS Bach to Jimmy Barnes. Artistic Director Richard Tognetti leads the Orchestra in a showcase of everything that makes the ACO so unique. (Premiere)

Opera Australia - Il Trovatore (1983)
Available worldwide from 15 Oct until 15 Nov 2023
This 1983 performance features some of Australia’s all-time greatest: Dame Joan Sutherland stars as Leonora, with Kenneth Collins and Jonathan Summers as the two men who love her. Richard Bonynge conducts with sets by legendary Australian painter Sidney Nolan. (Stream Premiere)

The Australian Ballet - Pacquita (2013)
Available worldwide from 16 Oct to 16 Nov 2023
Recorded at Sydney Opera House in 2013, Paquita is a sparkling showcase for The Australian Ballet, showcasing Marius Petipa's choreography, in a performance that is full of spectacular turns, exuberant leaps and delicate footwork.

UNSW Sydney UTZON Lecture - Livestream (2023)
Available worldwide from 17 Oct 2023
Join Jan and Lin Utzon in conversation – as we journey through the legacy of their father, Jørn Utzon, the visionary architect of the Sydney Opera House, examining the architectural brilliance of the building that has inspired a nation.

Sydney Dance Company - Boxes (1985)
Available worldwide from 18 Oct to 18 Nov 2023
In collaboration with Iva Davies and the band Icehouse, Graeme Murphy produced a phenomenally successful dance / theatre / rock music extravaganza, in a breathtaking production which quickly filled the Opera Theatre to capacity in November 1985. (Stream Premiere)

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs - Inside/Out at the House: The Golden Age of Broadway (2023)
Available Australia only, from 19 Oct to 2 Nov 2023
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs’ dazzling tribute to Broadway will take you back to an era of lush orchestrations and catchy songs that changed the shape of musical theatre for decades to come. (Premiere)

Bangarra Dance Theatre - Yuldea (2023)
Available worldwide from 20 Oct to 3 Nov 2023
Bangarra Dance Theatre present the streaming premiere of Frances Rings’ first work as Artistic Director - the acclaimed 2023 production ‘Yuldea’, a ceremonial affirmation of history and heritage. (Premiere)

Autopsy on a Dream / The Dream of Perfection (1968 / 2013)
Available worldwide from 21 Oct to 21 Nov 2023
A controversial and provocative 1968 BBC film about the building of Sydney Opera House, and architect Jorn Utzon’s ultimate departure from the project, rediscovered decades after it was presumed to be destroyed. (Stream Premiere)

Open House Weekend - Livestream (2023)
Available worldwide from 22 Oct 2023
To celebrate our 50th birthday, we’re throwing open our doors for a free event, live-streamed around the world. Join us as we move explore our famous venues and witness the magic that takes place behind the scenes. (Premiere)
Watch on demand
Other information
Frequently asked questions
Stream is Sydney Opera House’s online streaming platform showcasing world-class performing and digital arts, highlights from the Opera House’s incredible multi-genre archive, livestreams of new performances, presentations by local and international performing arts companies, plus original content created exclusively for the platform.
Turn your living room into a theatre or stream world-class performing arts from the back of the bus anytime, anywhere. Download the Stream app for mobile, tablet and TV from the App Store or Google Play now, or watch on your preferred browser.
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Other TVs
If you have a Samsung TV, it may not be possible to log in or play the content from the built-in internet browser as these browsers are not currently supported. To try watching on a TV’s browser:
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If these steps don't work, then it's likely your TV will not be compatible. In this case, you can try connecting your computer or mobile device to your TV using a HDMI cord or casting via Chromecast or Airplay with Apple devices.
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Search the Help Center to find answers or, if you're still having trouble, contact us (https://stream.sydneyoperahouse.com/contact/support).
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If you've downloaded the Stream Android app, you can Chromecast directly from the player in the app to a Chromecast device connected to the same network as your Android device.
Note: At this time, we do not support Chromecast devices that some TVs have built-in. While it may work, our player is not developed to support this and we cannot troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Only external Chromecast devices are officially supported.
- Launch the Stream Android app and open a video. Tap the screen so that the player controls appear. If you see the Chromecast icon in the lower right of the screen, you will be able to Chromecast the video.
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