Sails and Songs A Seaside Affair
16 December 2023
In the Utzon Room
Enchanting ocean views meet poignant arias as Australia’s emerging voices enthral with evocative opera segments, masterfully accompanied by the expressive touch of piano.
| Date | Time |
| Saturday 16 December | 3pm |
Standard |
|
|---|---|
| A Reserve | $75 |
| Student | |
| A Reserve | $60 |
| Groups of 8+ Call +61 9250 7700 | |
| A Reserve | $60 |
$8.95 booking fee applies per transaction
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
The authorised agencies for this event are Sydney Opera House. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the frequently asked questions below.
General Public tickets on-sale
9am, Friday 20 October
In English
Wheelchair accessible
There are a number of wheelchair and companion seating locations available.
To book accessible seating contact Box Office via email or telephone on:
+61 2 9250 7777 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm AEST)
Find out more about accessibility at Sydney Opera House
Run time
This performance will run for approximately 95 minutes, including a 15 minute interval.
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
Age
Recommended for all ages.
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Children aged 0-23 months at the time of a performance may be seated on a parent’s lap free of charge. All children occupying a seat or aged 2 year/s of age or older must hold a valid ticket.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy.
Seaside Opera Gala
Embark on 'Sails and Songs: A Seaside Opera Affair' in the Utzon Room, where songs by Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Massenet, Lehár, and Donizetti blend beautifully with the sounds of the sea. Enjoy famous tunes from operas like 'Don Giovanni', 'Ernani', and 'La Traviata', which combine the elegance of classical music with the beauty of nature. Delight in romantic songs from 'Don Giovanni' and 'Thaïs', the playful 'Duetto buffo di due gatti', and the heartfelt 'Don Carlos'. Discover the beauty of Lehár's 'The Land of Smiles' and 'The Merry Widow', Donizetti's delightful 'L'elisir d'amore', and Puccini's tuneful 'La Bohème', all leading up to the unforgettable melodies from 'Rigoletto'. This event promises an afternoon filled with the charm of opera and the peaceful atmosphere of the seaside.
Presented by Shaumet Music
Programme
'Or Sai Che l'Onore' - Don Giovanni by Mozart
'Ernani, Ernani involami' - Ernani by Verdi
'Largo al factotum' - The Barber of Seville by Rossini
'Per me giunto... O Carlo, ascolta' - Don Carlos by Verdi
'La ci darem la mano' - Don Giovanni by Mozart
'Te souvient-il du lumineux voyage - Thaïs by Massenet
'Dein ist mein ganzes Herz' - The Land of Smiles by Franz Lehár
'Una Furtiva Lagrima' - L'Elisir d'Amore by Donizetti
'Duetto buffo di due gatti' - Attributed to Rossini
'Sempre libera' - La Traviata by Verdi
'Bell Song' - Lakmé by Delibes
'Lippen schweigen' - The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár
'O soave fanciulla' - La Bohème by Puccini
'Rigoletto Fantasy' - Clarinet "Canzonetta" - Clarinet
Artist information
Pianist Benjamin Burton
Clarinettist Mayixin Max Huang
Soprano Samanta Lestavel
Soprano Xiaoxu Aleta Shang
Tenor Daniel Verschuer
Baritone Tristan Entwistle
Pianist Scarley Liu (Special Guest)
Other information
Venue information
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer.
Getting here
The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see the Wilson Parking website for details.
Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six minute walk to the Opera House.
Covid-safe information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We remind our audiences and visitors to please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. While face masks are no longer required, we ask all our patrons and visitors to practise good hygiene.
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Frequently asked questions
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. Resale restriction applies. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
Please contact Box Office on +61 2 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
You may also like
Donald Runnicles conducts Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony
12 – 14 Sep 2025
You can feel the tension in Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Written after he had been denounced by Stalin for writing ‘muddle instead of music’, Shostakovich’s response was this symphony. Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony is a mighty, sweeping masterpiece that unleashes the full power of the orchestra; a bold statement that found universal approval. Principal Guest Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles is world-renowned for connecting audiences to the emotion of music, which means you’ll feel every dramatic twist and turn, with goosebumps guaranteed in the blazing finale.
The Tallis Scholars
12 Oct 2025
Award-winning British vocal ensemble, The Tallis Scholars return to the Sydney Opera House for the first time in over two decades with an unmissable program inspired by the timeless beauty of Gregorian chant. The Tallis Scholars are renowned for their stunning cappella performances and exquisite recordings of sacred vocal music. The choir first sang at the Sydney Opera House in 1985, 40 years ago, and has returned five times since.
A Musical Awakening
21 Sep 2025
Music is visceral and vital. In A Musical Awakening, we invite you to take a breath and lean into this program designed to nourish your soul. Directed by ACO Principal Cello Timo-Veikko Valve, the Orchestra will be joined by friend and recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey, whose mastery of this most elemental of instruments is unsurpassed.
