Sydney Opera House’s 50th birthday celebrations announced | LindaMorrissmh
Sydney Opera House will throw open its doors to the public during a year-long build-up to its 50th birthday celebrations with free outdoor concerts to be headlined by Tim Minchin, folk-pop singer Vance Joy and soul artist Ngaiire.
On Wednesday morning Arts Minister Ben Franklin unveiled a program of more than 230 performances, free community events and artistic collaborations to celebrate the Opera House’s five decades, saying that the festivities had been carefully crafted to drive international visitation while not creating a celebration for elites.“I think there is a danger for these things that there seems to be one central event that only the elite get to go to. That’s not what this is about,” Franklin said.
It would be “discordant to have something that was viewed as one pinnacle event”, said Opera House CEO Louise Herron. “Of course we’ll have certain gatherings, and we’ll invite communities and people of different interests to come to special functions aligned with various events, but it’s not about privilege.”starring the Welsh actor Michael Sheen.first hit the London stage in 1979, six years after late Queen Elizabeth II cut the ribbon on Jorn Utzon’s iconic Opera House.
In November soul artist Ngaiire will join musicians of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for a free forecourt concert, with Tim Minchin, folk-pop star Vance Joy and New Zealand’s Fat Freddy’s Drop to also perform shows.