The 15 Opera Performances in Australia That Earn Their Ticket Price

1.Sydney Opera House Official Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,770 reviews · from $34Our pick

Follow a local guide through the Sydney Opera House for one hour, seeing two performance venues, elegant foyers, the shell tiles, and spaces usually closed to the public. Guides such as Peter, Sheila, Michael, and Laura have earned praise for clear stories and lively delivery. Expect about 300 stairs.

“A must! We only wish we booked a night comedy or concert. Quite the experience walking through and learning the history of the Opera House.”

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2.Sydney: Sunrise Kayak, Opera House & Under Harbour Bridge

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 869 reviews · 2 hours · from $126Top rated

Start at Milson Park Boatramp in Kirribilli for a beginner-friendly sunrise paddle with qualified guides. You’ll pass the Opera House, glide beneath the Harbour Bridge, enjoy LED-lit kayaks before dawn, and finish with a $20 breakfast credit at Flying Bear Café.

“Guides are super friendly, great excursion even for non experience.”

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3.Sydney: Great Opera Hits Ticket at the Sydney Opera House

Spend an evening in the Joan Sutherland Theatre with Opera Australia singers performing famous arias by Bizet, Puccini, Rossini, Verdi, and more. This is a concert of opera highlights, not a full staged opera, with piano accompaniment and no required dress code.

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4.Sydney Opera House Backstage Guided Tour with Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 329 reviews · from $142

Start at the Stage Door at 6:45am for a three-hour tour of backstage areas, rehearsal spaces, stages, dressing rooms, props, and orchestra pits. Guides such as Bella, Bruce, Steve, and Michael share theatre stories before breakfast in the Green Room. Expect more than 300 stairs.

“Fascinating to see the behind the scenes of the opera house and the other theatres. Our tour guide Steve was fantastic!”

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5.Opera at the Sydney Opera House Show Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 269 reviews · from $49

Choose a seasonal Opera Australia performance at the Sydney Opera House, from Verdi and Puccini to Broadway musicals. You’ll receive a mobile ticket, select from four seating levels, and watch with English surtitles. Add a pre-show drink beside Sydney Harbour for a memorable night.

“The theme about enduring love is timeless but Violeta’s illness should be changed from tuberculosis to something else. Why? TB is contagious and if she did have active infectious process, it could have been very unfortunate for the others around her to be infected. Cancer of the cervix should have been more appropriate since she is a courtesan and that their promiscuous lifestyle during that era cannot be ignored.”

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6.Opera Performance Tickets at the Sydney Opera House

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 202 reviews · from $130

Book an Opera Australia performance in the Joan Sutherland Theatre and choose from Carmen, Rusalka, The Marriage of Figaro, or La Bohème. Collect your ticket at the box office, arrive early for the famous building, and enjoy a two to three-hour performance with English surtitles.

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7.Sydney Shore Excursion: Sydney Opera House Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 160 reviews · from $34

Spend one hour inside the Sydney Opera House with a small group of up to 10. Your guide explains the building’s bold design, troubled construction, and performance spaces, with access to areas often closed to the public. Headsets help you hear every word. Optional dining is available afterward.

“Excellent tour! A must see. Our tour guide was very informative. She understood the history and architecture of the opera house.”

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8.Sydney: Sydney Opera House VIP Backstage Tour and Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 136 reviews · 2h 30m · from $140

Enter through Stage Door for a small-group tour of Sydney Opera House rehearsal and backstage areas. Guides such as Alan, Marcus, Bruce, and Suanne share theatre stories before you sit down to breakfast in the Green Room. Expect over 300 stairs, no cameras, and an early start.

“Alan, the guide, was knowledgeable, funny and had lots of anecdotes. The whole tour was fascinating I would really recommend it.”

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9.Sydney Half Day Private Tour: See Sydney Opera House and Bondi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · from $297

Spend four hours with a private driver-guide seeing the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, Watsons Bay, Paddington, and more. Guides such as Liz, Julian, Jen, and Vic have tailored routes to weather, walking needs, and guest interests. Hotel pickup, drop-off, water, and an air-conditioned vehicle are included.

“Liz was incredible! Very nice and knowledgeable excellent choice of locations. Would love to do a full day with her.”

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10.Sydney: Sunset Kayak Tour with Opera House Views

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 94 reviews · 1h 30m · from $106

Join guides such as Fabrizio, Fab, Frank, Jack, or Frankie for a 90-minute sunset paddle from Blues Point Reserve. You will pass the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, and Luna Park, stop at McMahons Point for sunset views, and return as the city lights come on.

“We had such a great experience! Jack and Frankie were super helpful, friendly, and accommodating with all our requests. The kayak trip itself was amazing, and the sunset view was absolutely stunning. Everything went smoothly, and we truly had the best time. Highly recommend and it’s definitely worth the money and experience!”

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11.Sydney: Madama Butterfly the Sydney Opera House

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 82 reviews · 2h 40m · from $112

Book a ticket to Opera Australia’s Madama Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House. You’ll watch Puccini’s tragic opera in Italian with English and Simplified Chinese surtitles, a 160-minute performance including one interval, in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

“Föreställningen var fantastisk. Jag hade bra plats och priset var definitivt rimligt.”

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12.Great Opera Hits at the Sydney Opera House

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 81 reviews · from $49

Spend 90 minutes in the Joan Sutherland Theatre with Opera Australia singers and a pianist-host presenting famous works by Puccini, Bizet, Verdi, Delibes, and Rossini. English and Simplified Chinese surtitles help first-timers follow along, and the informal format keeps the evening friendly rather than stiff.

“You don’t know your seats till after purchase and they are in last rows. Most of the airways empty, so next time we’ll buy direct from Operator house. The show itself was wonderful!”

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13.Sydney: Opera & Harbour Bridge Small-Group Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 75 reviews · 2 hours · from $84

Meet Isaac at Lavender Bay for a two-hour kayak outing limited to five people. You’ll learn the basics, paddle toward the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, and Luna Park, and receive free photos. English and Spanish guiding is available, but conditions may alter the route.

“Great tour, small group, very friendly and attentive. Amazing scenery and guide very safety conscious with ships,/ boats. Loved it, highly recommend”

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14.Sydney Opera House Architectural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · from $43

Spend 75 minutes inside and around the Sydney Opera House with an expert guide. Learn how Jørn Utzon’s shell design became possible, hear about the political and engineering battles, and visit spaces such as the Great Hall. Guides have included architect Peter and former Opera House staff.

“Definitely do the tour The tour guide was very informative Enjoyed sitting in the great hall Such amazing architecture”

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15.Private Sydney Tour Including Sydney Opera House, Bondi and Manly

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · from $448

Spend about eight hours with a private driver-guide touring Sydney’s Opera House, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Watsons Bay, Bondi, Manly, North Head, and McMahons Point. Guides such as Julian, Chris, Liz, and Bettina tailor the route, explain the city, and allow time for photos and stops.

“Informative and intimate. We learned a lot and got all our questions answered and spent a wonderful day with Chris.”

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