Volatile Ombré

Silhouetted figure with a feathered headdress sits among intricate foliage and seed pods, illuminated by a warm backlight in a shadow-puppet style scene.
  • Kids & Families
  • Contemporary Music
  • Theatre
  • Australian premiere
  • Wild Things
  • Utzon Room
  • Run time: 30 minutes, no interval Subject to change

A poetic ode to nature, brought to life through shadow puppetry

France

Volatile Ombré is a gentle, mesmerising musical journey into the natural world, inviting young children to listen, look and wonder.

Often, a bird is heard before it is seen. Beneath a tree canopy and beside a riverbed, shadow puppetry brings to life nests and eggs, delicate wading birds, a moorhen with her boldly painted beak and the pure joy of flight. Words, shadows and music weave together as live cello, guitar, ondes martenot (a spectral electronic keyboard) and voice are joined by birdsong.

Performed in French and English, this tender, sensory-rich show combines soft light, shadow play and spatialised sound – with subtle vibrations from music bars on the floor inviting children to feel the music as much as hear it. A beautiful way to reconnect with the wonder of simple things.

Sydney Opera House presents a La Rotule production

Event details

Volatile Ombré is a precious spotlight on the wonders that surround us.

Junkpage, France

We love how this performance uses both shadow play from an old school projector, with a live music accompaniment. It reminds us that we can create theatrical magic with the simplest of things.

Why the Wild Things Festival Curator loves this show

Meet the cast

Headshot of Coline Hateau

Vincent Lahens

Headshot of Arnaud Millan

About La Rotule

Making their Australian debut, French company La Rotule brings their award-winning work to Sydney Opera House for the first time.

La Rotule is a collective of artists and creative professionals spanning music, theatre, set design and live performance. Meeting around 2014 during a Fête de la Musique in the Lot region of France, the company brings together over 25 years of experience across their respective fields. Sharing a common aesthetic, they develop ambitious and meticulously crafted work that connects with audiences on a deeply emotional level. 

Credits

Director, Writer and Puppeteer Coline Hateau
Director Vincent Lahens
Composer, Song Writer, Musician and Vocalist Arnaud Millan

Co-production
Un deux un deux, Théâtre Municipal Ducourneau, Agen - L'Astrolabe, Grand Figeac - Le ScénOgraph, SCIN Art et Création, Art en territoire St Céré - Marionnettissimo, Tournefeuille - Odyssud, Scène des possibles, Blagnac

Partners
Odradek - Pupella Noguès, Quint-Fonsegrives

With the support of 
La Halle Culturelle, Limogne en Quercy - SMAC le Club, Rodez - Département du Lot - Ville de Concots

Attending this event

More for crawling cubs (ages 0-2)

Handa’s Surprise

28 Sep – 2 Oct 2026

  • Kids & Families
  • Musical Theatre
  • Theatre
  • Australian premiere
  • Wild Things
A woman stands on stage, holding a giraffe puppet.

Grand Soft Day

8 – 11 Oct 2026

  • Kids & Families
  • Musical Theatre
  • Theatre
  • Australian premiere
  • Wild Things
Four figures stare forward in a forest-scape.

SWING

26 Sep – 11 Oct 2026

  • Kids & Families
  • Experiences
  • Free
  • Installation
  • Wild Things
Two young girls sit side by side on a swing. Their legs are outstretched and they have smiling faces.

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Utzon Room

The Utzon Room is located on the Eastern side of the Opera House, in front of the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Best accessed through the Box Office Foyer or the Covered Concourse. All Sydney Opera House foyers are 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).

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