Transcendence Signed Copy - Simone Young

Simone Young AM is one of the most prestigious conductors of her generation. Before taking over as chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony in 2022, she had held many leadership roles around the world, including general manager and music director of the Hamburg State Opera; music director of the Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg; music director of Opera Australia; chief conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; and principal guest conductor of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne. Here she recalls the emotional power of seeing a major orchestra in full flight.

To celebrate five decades of live performance, 50 artists share their indelible memories of the Sydney Opera House.

The Sydney Opera House’s illustrious 50-year history is celebrated through fifty recollections of unforgettable experiences and performances.

A singer overwhelmed by his crowd. A dancer on ice above sea. A teenage girl, later to become a virtuoso conductor, jolted by the sound of a symphony.

Two filmmakers exchange vows on their opera set. A photographer hears a Cistercian echo in the sails. And one night, after a Verdi curtain call, an audience member who looks a lot like Bob Dylan receives a private singing lesson in a theatre named after Australia’s greatest opera star.

For fifty years, the Sydney Opera House has elevated the spirits of all who enter its orbit.

Here, fifty artists – from Simone Young to Nick Cave, Sylvie Guillem to Briggs, Baz Luhrmann to Carlotta – share their most indelible memories from a building that embodies the Australian contemporary experience.