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ENTERTAINMENT IN SYDNEY
Sydney has the standard of entertainment and nightlife you would expect from a cosmopolitan city. Everything from opera and ballet at Sydney Opera House to Shakespeare by the sea at the Balmoral Beach amphitheatre is on offer. Venues such as the Capital, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Theatre Royal play host to the latest musicals, while Sydney's many smaller theatres are home to interesting fringe theatre, modern dance and rock and pop concerts. Pub rock thrives in the inner city and beyond; and there are many nightspots for jazz, dance and alternative music. Movie buffs are well catered for with film festivals, art-house films and foreign titles, as well as the latest Hollywood blockbusters. One of the features of harbourside living is the free outdoor entertainment so, for children, a Sydney visit can be especially memorable.
INFORMATION
for details of events in the city, you should check the daily newspapers first. They carry cinema, and often arts and theatre, advertisements daily. The most comprehensive listings appear in the Sydney Morning Herald's "Metro" guide every Friday.
The Daily Telegraph has a gig guide on daily, with opportunities to win free tickets to special events. The Australian's main arts pages appear on Friday's and all the papers review now films in weekend editions.
Tourism NSW information kiosks have free guides and the quarterly What's on in Darling Harbour, Kiosks are found at Town Hall, Circular Quay and Martin Place. Where Magazine is available at the airport and the Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks. Hotels also offer free guides.
Music fans are well served by the free weekly guides Drum Media and 3-D World and Brag, found at video and music shops, pubs and clubs.
Many venues have leaflets about forthcoming attractions, while the major venues have information telephone lines and websites.
THEATRE AND FILM
Sydney's theatrical venues are well known for their atmosphere and quality. There is a stimulating range of productions, ranging from musicals, classic plays and Shakespeare by the Sea to contemporary, fringe and experimental theatre.
Comedy is also finding a strong niche as a mainstream performance art. Prominent playwrights include David Williamson, Debra Oswald, Brendan Cowell, Stephen Sewell and Louis Nowra.
Australian film-making has also earned ans excellent international reputation. A rich variety of both local and foreign films are screened throughout the year, as well as during eagerly anticipated annual film festivals.
THEATRE
Sydney's larger, mainstream musicals, such as those of Andrew Lloyd Webber, are staged at the Theatre Royal, the opulent State Theatre and the Capitol Theatre.
The Star City entertainment and casino complex boasts two theatres, the Showroom, and the first Lyric Theatre for musical productions and stage shows.
Smaller venues also offer a range of interesting plays and performances. These include the Seymour Theatre Centre, which has three theatres; the Belvoir Street Theatre, which has two; the Ensemble Theatre, a theatre-in-the-round by the water; and the Footbridge Theatre.
The Stables Theatre specialises in works by new Australian playwrights, while the new Parade Theatre at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) showcases work by NIDA's acting, directing and production students throughout the year. It also hosts shows by other theatre groups.
The well-respected Sydney Theatre Company (STC) has just introduced an ensemble of actors, employed full-time, who will perform a minimum of two plays each season.
Most STC productions are at The Wharf or the new Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay, though some are staged in the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House.
The Bell Shakespeare Company interprets the Bard with an innovative slant without tampering with the original text. Its productions are ideal for young or wary theatre-goers. While venues vary, there are two seasons in Sydney - one at the beginning of summer and one in autumn.
Street performances and open-air theatre are popular during the summer months when life in Sydney moves outdoors. Shakespeare by the Sea, at lovely Balmoral Beach, has no need for painted backdrops.
For the adventurous, the Sydney Festival offers a celebration of original, often quirky, Australian theatre, dance, music and visual arts. Once considered somewhat frivolous, it has now developed the reputation of having serious artistic depth, while maintaining its unique flavour of Sydney in the summer.
FILM
The city's main commercial cinema is in George Street, just one block sough of Town Hall. The cinema behemoths, Greater Union and Hoyts join to form the Greater Union Hoyts Village Complex, which shows the latest films.
Similar multiplexes can be found in the Entertainment Quarter on Driver Avenue, and in Bondi Junction on Oxford Street. The IMAX Theatre in Darling Harbour has a giant, 8-storey screen and show 2-D and 3-D films made specifically for the large screen. Many of these are suitable for children.
Cinephiles flock to Palace Cinemas' Academy Twin and Verona Theatres on Oxford Street, and to the Dendy Cinemas at Newtown and Opera Quays. Cinema Paris shows arthouse and indie films, and often screens Bollywood movies as well.
The Reading Cinema regularly shows the latest Chinese films. Foreign films are usually screened in the original language with English subtitles.
For a movie and a meal, Govinda's, which is also an Indian restaurant, screens films that have just finished their run at the cinemas. The admission price includes a tasty vegetarian buffet dinner.
The latest screenings are usually at 9:30pm, although most major cinema complexes run shows up to as late as midnight. Commercial cinema houses offer half-price tickets on Tuesday, while Palace and Dendy do so on Monday.
FILM FESTIVALS
The Sydney Film Festival is a highlight of the city's calendar, screening some 200 new features, shorts and documentaries from all over the globe.
Tribute sessions and retrospectives are also presented. The main venue is the State Theatre but there are satellite screenings at other venues.
The Flickerfest International Short Film Festival is held at the Bondi Pavilion Amphitheatre at Bondi Beach in early January. It screens shorts and animation films from around the world.
In February, Tropfest shows local short films that can be no longer than seven minutes. Each must feature the special Tropfest signature item, which in past years has included a rock, a pickle and a match.
Run by Queer Screen, the New Mardi Gras Film Festival, starts mid-February and continues for 15 days. Films dealing with issues relevant to the lesbian, gay and transgender community are shown at various inner-city venues.
COMEDY
Sydney's most established comedy venue, the Comedy Store is known for its themed nights.
Open: Tuesday: mic night; Wednesday: new comics; Thursday: cutting edge;
Friday and Saturday are reserved for the best of the best.
Monday is comedy night at The Old Manly Boatshead, where both local and visiting comics perform. Monday is also comedy night at the Bridge Hotel, where live entertainment is offered most nights of the week.
OPERA, CLASSICAL MUSIC AND DANCE
Music buffs cannot possibly visit Sydney without seeing an opera or hearing the city's premier orchestra perform in the Sydney Opera House. And that is just the start. Since the 1970's, music played in Sydney has considerably broadened its base, opening the door to all manner of influences from Asia, Europe and the Pacific, not to mention local compositions. For the visitor, there is a wealth of orchestral, choral, chamber and contemporary music from which to choose.
OPERA
Australia has produced a number of world-class opera singers, including Joan Sutherland, and eminent conductors such as Sir Charles Mackerras, Simone Young and Stuart Challender.
The first recorded performance of an opera in Sydney was in 1834. For 120 years, most opera was performed by visiting international companies.
In 1956, the Australian Opera (now called Opera Australia) was formed. It presented four Mozart operas in its first year. But it was the opening of the Sydney Opera House in 1973 that heralded a new interest in opera.
Opera Australia's summer season is held from early January to early March; the winter season from June to the end of October. Each season usually includes one accessible opera in English as well as more challenging shows. Every year at the hugely popular Opera in The Domain, members of Opera Australia perform excerpts from famous operas.
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
Much of Sydney's orchestral music and recital are the work of the famous Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO). Numerous concerts are given, mostly in the Opera House Concert Hall, the City Recital Hall and the Sydney Town Hall.
A Tea and Symphony series is held mid-year on Friday mornings at the Sydney Opera House. Babies' Proms take place many times each year in the Eugene Goossens Hall for children under five.
The recently renovated Conservatorium of Music, set in the Royal Botanic Gardens, provides a wonderful atmosphere and location. It holds a number of concerts, where you can enjoy symphony and chamber orchestras or jazz big bands.
Formed in 1973, the Sydney Youth Orchestra, is praised for its talent, enthusiasm and impressive young soloists. With a loyal following, it stages several performances in major concert venues throughout the year.
Afcionados of Baroque and classical music should try to catch a performance by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Australia's first period instrument orchestra, this popular group appears regularly in Sydney's major concert halls.
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
The first concert held by Musical Viva was in 1945, at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. Originally specialising in chamber music, it now presents string quartets, jazz, piano groups, percussionists, soloists and international avant-garde artists as well. Concerts take place at the Opera House and the City Recital House.
Synergy is one of Australia's foremost percussion quartets. The group commissions works from all over the world and gives its own concert series at the Sydney Opera House and at Sydney Town Hall. It also collaborates with dance and theatre groups.
Eastside Arts, held, like Paddington Markets, in the Uniting Church, hosts Cafe Carnivale every Friday night, showcasing some of the best world music, including rembetika, Indian , African, percussion, gypsy, salsa and tango music.
Fourplay is a group of classically-trained musicians who play electric string quartet versions of popular music at various venues.
CHAMBER MUSIC
Under director Richard Tognitti, the Australian Chamber Orchestra has won high acclaim for its creativity and interesting choice of venues, including museums, churches and even wineries. Its main concerts are held at the Opera House and the City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
The Australia Ensemble is the resident chamber music group at the University of New South Wales. It performs six times a year at the Sir John Clancy Auditorium and also appears for Musical Viva.
Many choral groups and ensembles, such as the Macquarie Trio of violin, piano and cello, like to book St James Church because of its atmosphere and acoustics. This talented group also performs at the theatre in Macquarie University.
CHORAL MUSIC
Comprising the 120-strong Sydney Philharmonia Symphonic Choir and the 40-member Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir, the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs are the city's finest. They perform at the Opera House. December is the focal point of Sydney's choral scene, with regular massed choir performances of Handel's Messiah.
The Australian Youth Choir is booked fro many private functions, but if lucky, you many catch one of their major annual performances.
One of Sydney's most impressive vocal groups is the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation, described as an "Aussie blend of a capella and gospel".
|
ENTERTAINMENT IN SYDNEY
Sydney has the standard of entertainment and nightlife you would expect from a cosmopolitan city. Everything from opera and ballet at Sydney Opera House to Shakespeare by the sea at the Balmoral Beach amphitheatre is on offer. Venues such as the Capital, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Theatre Royal play host to the latest musicals, while Sydney's many smaller theatres are home to interesting fringe theatre, modern dance and rock and pop concerts. Pub rock thrives in the inner city and beyond; and there are many nightspots for jazz, dance and alternative music. Movie buffs are well catered for with film festivals, art-house films and foreign titles, as well as the latest Hollywood blockbusters. One of the features of harbourside living is the free outdoor entertainment so, for children, a Sydney visit can be especially memorable.
INFORMATION
for details of events in the city, you should check the daily newspapers first. They carry cinema, and often arts and theatre, advertisements daily. The most comprehensive listings appear in the Sydney Morning Herald's "Metro" guide every Friday.
The Daily Telegraph has a gig guide on daily, with opportunities to win free tickets to special events. The Australian's main arts pages appear on Friday's and all the papers review now films in weekend editions.
Tourism NSW information kiosks have free guides and the quarterly What's on in Darling Harbour, Kiosks are found at Town Hall, Circular Quay and Martin Place. Where Magazine is available at the airport and the Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks. Hotels also offer free guides.
Music fans are well served by the free weekly guides Drum Media and 3-D World and Brag, found at video and music shops, pubs and clubs.
Many venues have leaflets about forthcoming attractions, while the major venues have information telephone lines and websites.
THEATRE AND FILM
Sydney's theatrical venues are well known for their atmosphere and quality. There is a stimulating range of productions, ranging from musicals, classic plays and Shakespeare by the Sea to contemporary, fringe and experimental theatre.
Comedy is also finding a strong niche as a mainstream performance art. Prominent playwrights include David Williamson, Debra Oswald, Brendan Cowell, Stephen Sewell and Louis Nowra.
Australian film-making has also earned ans excellent international reputation. A rich variety of both local and foreign films are screened throughout the year, as well as during eagerly anticipated annual film festivals.
THEATRE
Sydney's larger, mainstream musicals, such as those of Andrew Lloyd Webber, are staged at the Theatre Royal, the opulent State Theatre and the Capitol Theatre.
The Star City entertainment and casino complex boasts two theatres, the Showroom, and the first Lyric Theatre for musical productions and stage shows.
Smaller venues also offer a range of interesting plays and performances. These include the Seymour Theatre Centre, which has three theatres; the Belvoir Street Theatre, which has two; the Ensemble Theatre, a theatre-in-the-round by the water; and the Footbridge Theatre.
The Stables Theatre specialises in works by new Australian playwrights, while the new Parade Theatre at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) showcases work by NIDA's acting, directing and production students throughout the year. It also hosts shows by other theatre groups.
The well-respected Sydney Theatre Company (STC) has just introduced an ensemble of actors, employed full-time, who will perform a minimum of two plays each season.
Most STC productions are at The Wharf or the new Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay, though some are staged in the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House.
The Bell Shakespeare Company interprets the Bard with an innovative slant without tampering with the original text. Its productions are ideal for young or wary theatre-goers. While venues vary, there are two seasons in Sydney - one at the beginning of summer and one in autumn.
Street performances and open-air theatre are popular during the summer months when life in Sydney moves outdoors. Shakespeare by the Sea, at lovely Balmoral Beach, has no need for painted backdrops.
For the adventurous, the Sydney Festival offers a celebration of original, often quirky, Australian theatre, dance, music and visual arts. Once considered somewhat frivolous, it has now developed the reputation of having serious artistic depth, while maintaining its unique flavour of Sydney in the summer.
FILM
The city's main commercial cinema is in George Street, just one block sough of Town Hall. The cinema behemoths, Greater Union and Hoyts join to form the Greater Union Hoyts Village Complex, which shows the latest films.
Similar multiplexes can be found in the Entertainment Quarter on Driver Avenue, and in Bondi Junction on Oxford Street. The IMAX Theatre in Darling Harbour has a giant, 8-storey screen and show 2-D and 3-D films made specifically for the large screen. Many of these are suitable for children.
Cinephiles flock to Palace Cinemas' Academy Twin and Verona Theatres on Oxford Street, and to the Dendy Cinemas at Newtown and Opera Quays. Cinema Paris shows arthouse and indie films, and often screens Bollywood movies as well.
The Reading Cinema regularly shows the latest Chinese films. Foreign films are usually screened in the original language with English subtitles.
For a movie and a meal, Govinda's, which is also an Indian restaurant, screens films that have just finished their run at the cinemas. The admission price includes a tasty vegetarian buffet dinner.
The latest screenings are usually at 9:30pm, although most major cinema complexes run shows up to as late as midnight. Commercial cinema houses offer half-price tickets on Tuesday, while Palace and Dendy do so on Monday.
FILM FESTIVALS
The Sydney Film Festival is a highlight of the city's calendar, screening some 200 new features, shorts and documentaries from all over the globe.
Tribute sessions and retrospectives are also presented. The main venue is the State Theatre but there are satellite screenings at other venues.
The Flickerfest International Short Film Festival is held at the Bondi Pavilion Amphitheatre at Bondi Beach in early January. It screens shorts and animation films from around the world.
In February, Tropfest shows local short films that can be no longer than seven minutes. Each must feature the special Tropfest signature item, which in past years has included a rock, a pickle and a match.
Run by Queer Screen, the New Mardi Gras Film Festival, starts mid-February and continues for 15 days. Films dealing with issues relevant to the lesbian, gay and transgender community are shown at various inner-city venues.
COMEDY
Sydney's most established comedy venue, the Comedy Store is known for its themed nights.
Open: Tuesday: mic night; Wednesday: new comics; Thursday: cutting edge;
Friday and Saturday are reserved for the best of the best.
Monday is comedy night at The Old Manly Boatshead, where both local and visiting comics perform. Monday is also comedy night at the Bridge Hotel, where live entertainment is offered most nights of the week.
OPERA, CLASSICAL MUSIC AND DANCE
Music buffs cannot possibly visit Sydney without seeing an opera or hearing the city's premier orchestra perform in the Sydney Opera House. And that is just the start. Since the 1970's, music played in Sydney has considerably broadened its base, opening the door to all manner of influences from Asia, Europe and the Pacific, not to mention local compositions. For the visitor, there is a wealth of orchestral, choral, chamber and contemporary music from which to choose.
OPERA
Australia has produced a number of world-class opera singers, including Joan Sutherland, and eminent conductors such as Sir Charles Mackerras, Simone Young and Stuart Challender.
The first recorded performance of an opera in Sydney was in 1834. For 120 years, most opera was performed by visiting international companies.
In 1956, the Australian Opera (now called Opera Australia) was formed. It presented four Mozart operas in its first year. But it was the opening of the Sydney Opera House in 1973 that heralded a new interest in opera.
Opera Australia's summer season is held from early January to early March; the winter season from June to the end of October. Each season usually includes one accessible opera in English as well as more challenging shows. Every year at the hugely popular Opera in The Domain, members of Opera Australia perform excerpts from famous operas.
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
Much of Sydney's orchestral music and recital are the work of the famous Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO). Numerous concerts are given, mostly in the Opera House Concert Hall, the City Recital Hall and the Sydney Town Hall.
A Tea and Symphony series is held mid-year on Friday mornings at the Sydney Opera House. Babies' Proms take place many times each year in the Eugene Goossens Hall for children under five.
The recently renovated Conservatorium of Music, set in the Royal Botanic Gardens, provides a wonderful atmosphere and location. It holds a number of concerts, where you can enjoy symphony and chamber orchestras or jazz big bands.
Formed in 1973, the Sydney Youth Orchestra, is praised for its talent, enthusiasm and impressive young soloists. With a loyal following, it stages several performances in major concert venues throughout the year.
Afcionados of Baroque and classical music should try to catch a performance by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Australia's first period instrument orchestra, this popular group appears regularly in Sydney's major concert halls.
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
The first concert held by Musical Viva was in 1945, at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. Originally specialising in chamber music, it now presents string quartets, jazz, piano groups, percussionists, soloists and international avant-garde artists as well. Concerts take place at the Opera House and the City Recital House.
Synergy is one of Australia's foremost percussion quartets. The group commissions works from all over the world and gives its own concert series at the Sydney Opera House and at Sydney Town Hall. It also collaborates with dance and theatre groups.
Eastside Arts, held, like Paddington Markets, in the Uniting Church, hosts Cafe Carnivale every Friday night, showcasing some of the best world music, including rembetika, Indian , African, percussion, gypsy, salsa and tango music.
Fourplay is a group of classically-trained musicians who play electric string quartet versions of popular music at various venues.
CHAMBER MUSIC
Under director Richard Tognitti, the Australian Chamber Orchestra has won high acclaim for its creativity and interesting choice of venues, including museums, churches and even wineries. Its main concerts are held at the Opera House and the City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
The Australia Ensemble is the resident chamber music group at the University of New South Wales. It performs six times a year at the Sir John Clancy Auditorium and also appears for Musical Viva.
Many choral groups and ensembles, such as the Macquarie Trio of violin, piano and cello, like to book St James Church because of its atmosphere and acoustics. This talented group also performs at the theatre in Macquarie University.
CHORAL MUSIC
Comprising the 120-strong Sydney Philharmonia Symphonic Choir and the 40-member Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir, the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs are the city's finest. They perform at the Opera House. December is the focal point of Sydney's choral scene, with regular massed choir performances of Handel's Messiah.
The Australian Youth Choir is booked fro many private functions, but if lucky, you many catch one of their major annual performances.
One of Sydney's most impressive vocal groups is the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation, described as an "Aussie blend of a capella and gospel".
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