Accessible performances
We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the magic of live shows and special programs at the Sydney Opera House. Here you'll find our program of inclusive performances for people of all ages and abilities. Click any of the below buttons to see performances from that company or genre.
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs – Handel: Messiah performed in Auslan
Handel’s greatest and most loved choral masterpiece sung by more than 500 voices at the Sydney Opera House. In a world first and in collaboration with Accessible Arts and Sydney Opera House, the concert is signed live by a choir of 18 to bring another element of meaning to this powerful piece of music.
Keep Cooking Simple with Yotam Ottolenghi
Spend your afternoon with the chef who has made tahini and pomegranate molasses pantry staples across the world. Yotam Ottolenghi joins Adam Liaw for a no holds barred conversation, sharing the stories behind his iconic recipes. Auslan Interpretation by Sweeney Interpreting.
Bell Shakespeare: John Bell, One Man In His Time (Audio Described)
Join John Bell AO as he shares his reflections on the timeless and poetic language of Shakespeare’s plays and his lifetime spent performing and directing them.
Presented in association with Bell Shakespeare.
Take an online tour of the Sydney Opera House
Follow our tour guide behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House where performers like Julie Andrews, Bob Dylan and Prince have all gone before, and discover spaces and places normally hidden from the public. Throughout your journey, learn from our tour guide as they uncover the history of this iconic building through untold anecdotes and fun facts.
Accessible theatre for children with disability
Accessible theatre for children with disability
In 2016, we presented Oddysea, an immersive sensory theatre experience designed specifically for young people with profound and complex disabilities. Sensorium Theatre’s hands-on story telling made use of all the senses – touch, taste, smell, as well as sound and vision - giving a life-changing experience to those young people who face the most challenges in coming to a regular Opera House show. Oddysea was enabled privately by an Opera House Idealist major donor.
Kids & Families
How to book an accessible performance:
- Please call +61 2 9250 7777 or email accessibility@sydneyoperahouse.com
- For web bookings, please select Auslan, Audio Described or Caption prices when choosing the price type on the event page. Click the Book Now link on the event page for Sing & Play events. Relaxed events do not have allocated seating, please book standard tickets.
Relaxed performance, Friday 10 December, 10.45am.
Audio described performance, Saturday 11 December, 10.30am. Pre-show tactile tour 9.45am.
Grug
Ted Prior’s hugely popular character Grug is brought to life on stage in this magical stage production.
Talks & Ideas
How to book an accessible performance:
- Please call +61 2 9250 7777 or email accessibility@sydneyoperahouse.com
- For web bookings, please select Auslan or Caption prices when choosing the price type on the event page. Relaxed events do not have allocated seating, please book standard tickets.
Sunday 5 September 2021
Antidote
A festival of ideas, action and change. This year, Antidote will take place live on Stream, the new streaming service from Sydney Opera House, all times listed below are AEST.
Sun 5 Sep at 11am, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
Racing to the End of the World
Acclaimed environmental writer Elizabeth Kolbert's latest book investigates science's cutting-edge fight against the effects of climate change. After doing so much damage, have we left it too late to save our world?
Sun 5 Sep at 12.15pm, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
Soul Searching in a Post-Truth Age
In times of uncertainty, we humans look for answers. From healers to spirit guides to yoni eggs, is the continued appeal of alternative practices pointing to a more fundamental need?
Sun 5 Sep at 1pm, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
Uluru Statement from the Heart
On the fiftieth anniversary of the 1967 referendum, the Uluru Statement from the Heart called for Australians to stand for real change. Join three of its authors for an urgent discussion about the future of Indigenous rights.
Sun 5 Sep at 1.30pm, live captioned talk
The Myth of the Fair Go
Racism, family trauma, poverty - social disadvantage comes in many different and often intersecting forms. How do we dispel the idea of "lifters and leaners" to build a society where everyone truly gets a fair go?
Sun 5 Sep at 2.45pm, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
The Moral High Ground
Morally bankrupt, moral challenges, a moral vacuum - commentary on politics often circles around right and wrong. What role does morality play in contemporary Australian politics?
Sun 5 Sep at 3.30pm, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
Sounds and Silence: Deaf Stories
One in six Australians have some hearing loss, and the Auslan-speaking community numbers at more than 30,000. Yet in the creation of spaces and social environments, deafness is often overlooked. How do we overcome stigma and exclusion?
Sun 5 Sep at 4pm, live captioned talk
Alternative Futures
So many facets of our current financial system are unsound - it's time to imagine something new. Yanis Varoufakis, former Finance Minister of Greece, shares theories and hopes for a new world.
Sun 5 Sep at 5.15pm, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
End of Empire
It's been more than 200 years since the British laid claim to our country and called it Australia, but the legacy of colonialism lives on. How can we move towards a truly inclusive, decolonised Australian identity?
Sun 5 Sep at 6pm, Auslan interpreted and live captioned talk
“No Lebs”: Anti-Arab racism since 9/11
Twenty years after the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks on New York City, how much have things changed for Arab-Australians and Muslim-Australians?
Sun 5 Sep at 6.30pm, live captioned talk
#StopAsianHate
Anti-Asian hate crimes, attacks, and everyday racism have skyrocketed since the onset of COVID-19. Yet Asians living in western countries often get left out of broader conversations about racism. It's time for that to change to #StopAsianHate.
Live Captioned and Auslan Interpreted talks available to rent on demand
All About Women Festival
All About Women returned for its ninth year in March 2021 with an incredible line up of thinkers including Caitlin Moran, Isabel Allende, Koa Beck, Laura Bates, and many more for a vibrant one-day festival celebrating feminism.
If you missed out on the festival, you can rent a selection of talks on demand.
Contemporary Performances
How to book an accessible performance:
- Please call +61 2 9250 7777 or email accessibility@sydneyoperahouse.com
- For web bookings, please select Auslan, Audio Described or Caption prices when choosing the price type on the event page. Relaxed events do not have allocated seating, please book standard tickets.
There are currently no accessible performances available.
Opera Australia
To book please call +61 2 9318 8200 or email ticket@opera.org.au
There are currently no accessible performances available.
The Australian Ballet
To book please call 1300 369 741 or book online at www.australianballet.com.au
There are currently no accessible performances available.
Audio described performance, 22 October 8pm
The Lifespan of a Fact
Led by Australian legend Sigrid Thornton in her Sydney Theatre Company debut, this high-octane production questions how, in our age of fake news and big data, we’ll ever get to a world that’s post-post-truth.
Bangarra Dance Theatre
To book plesae call +61 2 9250 7777 or email accessibility@sydneyoperahouse.com. For web bookings, please select the Audio Described price type.
There are currently no accessible performances available.
Additional Information
Captioned Performances
Captions are text descriptions that display a film's dialogue, identify speakers, and describe other relevant sounds that are otherwise inaccessible to people who are deaf or have hearing loss. The areas of the venue where the screens that will show the captions are visible can be booked by selecting the CAPTION seats.
Auslan Interpreted Performances
Experienced Auslan theatre interpreters stand to the side of the stage and translate what the actors are saying or singing into Auslan. A block of seats is reserved for users of this service to ensure a good view of the interpreter and the stage. The areas of the venue where the interpreters are visible can be booked by selecting the Auslan seats.
Accessible Performance and Sing & Play Sessions
Sydney Opera House in partnership with Lifestart organisation offer Accessible Sing & Play sessions. These dedicated performances are designed to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the theatre experience in a supportive, friendly and relaxed environment. The Sing & Play session is offered in the foyer area after the performance and includes a range of fun play activities supported by the Lifestart team. A supported music program based on the musical themes from the performance is also provided and facilitated by our very own Sing & Play music therapist.
Relaxed Performances
Relaxed performances are open to everyone, but with modifications to sound and lighting to be more suited for children on the autism spectrum, individuals with other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities and anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed environment.
Audio Described Performances
For selected performances at the Sydney Opera House, an audio description service is offered to enhance the experience of customers who are blind or have low vision. This is a live commentary of the visual elements of a performance delivered by experienced audio describers. The audio description is relayed via a free headset and receiver linked to the FM radio system.
Assisted Listening Devices (FM Radio System)
FM radio system provides improved listening clarity for people with hearing loss who experience difficulty and fatigue, when trying to understand speech, because of distance, reverberation, and distracting background noise. Can be used with or without hearing aids.
Audio input or any electronic sound source feeds into an FM transmitter and the FM radio frequency signal is picked up by the patrons FM receiver. FM receivers and headsets are provided free of charge and can be obtained from the nearest cloakroom prior to the performance.
The FM system is also compatible with hearing aids and cochlear implants with a "T" switch via an induction loop provided. When the hearing aid is switched to the 'T' position, the wearer will receive the program sound through the hearing aid. FM Radio Systems are available in all Kids at the House venues.
Tactile Tour
Tactile tours allow patrons who are blind or have low vision to have a hands-on experience. Depending on the production/installation, patrons are given access to costumes, props and stage set in order to capture the atmosphere of the work. Tactile tours occur before the performance.
Thank you
Please join us in thanking our donors to the Opera House’s Accessible Performances program, including the Sydney Opera House Ladies' Committee.
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