Sydney Opera House commences its month-long 50th Birthday Festival

The Sydney Opera House has today commenced its month-long 50th Birthday Festival by revealing a thought provoking new public artwork – ‘Whispers’ - by Quandamooka artist, Megan Cope.

Free until 31st October, Whispers uses more than 85,000 oyster shells across three sculptures to transform the Opera House precinct with First Nations storytelling.

Cope shared “for the 50-year anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, I have created a series of propositional sculptures that connect to deep layers of time and the cultural history of this site to evoke discussion for potential futures for local Saltwater ways around Gadigal Country. These immersive sculptures rest in three prominent locations that connect the magnificent building with an expanded narrative that creates space to see Land, Sky and Sea Country through a First Nations lens.”

Thousands of people also gathered around a 60-metre yellow catwalk to watch 150 Sydneysiders parade the full length of the Forecourt. In a moving and unique portrait of Sydney, the show featured some of the people who create the soul of our city – from stone masons, and cosplayers, to Big Issue vendors, politicians and celebrity chefs.

Sydney Opera House Director of Programming Fiona Winning added “today we raised the curtain on a momentous month-long 50th Birthday Festival, which will see thousands of visitors from near and far visit this living work of art. It was a special and fitting moment opening the stunning Whispers installation by Megan Cope, and today hosting the first live event, one of over 50, with a packed Forecourt, cheering on the people of Sydney as they created a brilliant portrait of our city.”

The full 50th Birthday Festival program can be viewed here.

Images. Sydney Opera House ‘Whispers’ by Megan Cope. Credit: Daniel Boud