Musicals & opera in Sydney

If you love your stage show to come with plenty of musical and theatrical highs – you’re in luck. Sydney hosts an impressive number of musicals each year, from the latest Broadway and West End shows to timeless classics. The best bit? You get to enjoy your entertainment in establishments that are just as alluring as the drama unfolding before you. Here’s what you can look forward to for the rest of the year. 

 

Hamilton

Showing at: Sydney Lyric Theatre
Dates: 30 July 2024 to 5 January 2025

A revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition and the dawn of a new nation, the Tony, Grammy, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize-winning Hamilton has returned to Sydney. An epic saga that follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honour, love and a legacy that would shape the course of a nation, this global phenomenon has had a profound impact on culture, politics and education the world over. Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, if you missed this smash-hit last time it was in town, this is your chance.

Cast on stage for Hamilton at the Lyric Theatre, Pyrmont

Hamilton at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, Pyrmont - Credit: Hamilton the Musical

Titanique

Showing at: The Grand Electric
Dates: 12 September 2024 to 19 January 2025

All aboard NYC’s must-sea musical comedy! When the music of Céline Dion makes sweet Canadian love with the eleven-time Oscar-winning blockbuster film Titanic, you get Titanique, off-Broadway’s award-winning splash hit, which turns one of the greatest love stories of all time into a hysterical musical fantasia. Including hits like 'My Heart Will Go On', 'All By Myself' and 'To Love You More', this one-of-a-kind theatrical voyage is brimming with nostalgia, heart and campy chaos.

Titanique is coming to The Grand Electric, Redfern

Titanique is coming to The Grand Electric, Redfern - Credit: Evan Zimmerman/Michael Cassel Group

SIX the Musical

Showing at: Theatre Royal Sydney
Dates: 25 October to 28 December 2024

Following sensational sell-out seasons across Australia, the pop musical phenomenon SIX the Musical is returning to Theatre Royal Sydney in October 2024. Having now won 35 major international awards, including two prestigious Tony Awards and a Grammy nomination, and with a global audience of 3.5 million people per year and a staggering 600 million soundtrack streams, this high-octane 80-minute musical experience has become a cultural sensation.

Performers on stage at SIX The Musical at Theatre Royal, Sydney CBD

SIX The Musical at Theatre Royal, Sydney CBD - Credit: James D Morgan/Getty Images

Jesus Christ Superstar

Showing at: Capitol Theatre
Dates: 13 November 2024 to 26 January 2025

After garnering an unprecedented amount of accolades and positive reviews during its US and UK tours – including winning an Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival – Jesus Christ Superstar is coming to Australia in 2024 with a mesmerising new production. Featuring lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, the sung-through rock opera, which has been wowing audiences for over 50 years, is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks of the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of Judas. 

Performers on stage at Jesus Christ Superstar at the Capital Theatre, Haymarket

Jesus Christ Superstar at the Capital Theatre, Haymarket - Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Elf: The Musical

Showing at: Sydney Opera House
Dates: 19 to 29 December 2024

Elf: The Musical will make its Australian premiere in a presentation designed for the Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall this December. Presented with John Frost for Crossroads Live, this heartwarming musical adaption of the beloved film follows Buddy on a quest to find his true identity. Despite being raised as an elf in the North Pole, Buddy learns that he is actually human, which explains his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities. Hilarious misadventures ensue as his search for his birth family leads him to the bright lights of New York City, where he’s faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn't even believe in Santa.

Elf: The Musical at Sydney Opera House, Sydney

Elf: The Musical, Sydney Opera House - Credit: Elf: The Musical 

The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale

Showing at: State Theatre
Dates: 7 January to 1 February 2025

Following its highly anticipated US premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, the stage production based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy beloved by generations of readers, will make its Australian premiere at the State Theatre in January 2025. Longtime fans and newcomers alike will journey to Middle-earth in the company of Hobbits in a theatrical event that celebrates community, courage and camaraderie.

Gandalf crouches down staring into the distance in The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, State Theatre

The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, State Theatre - Credit: Pamela Reith Photography/Workshop Creative Pty Ltd

MJ the Musical

Showing at: Sydney Lyric Theatre
Dates: 1 to 28 February 2025

He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry is heading to Australia in the new musical MJ. Created by Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, the story is centred around the making of MJ's 1992 Dangerous World Tour, going beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, and taking a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Jackson into legendary status.

MJ the Musical - Credit: Matt Murphy | Michael Cassel Group

MJ the Musical - Credit: Matt Murphy/Michael Cassel Group

Hadestown

Showing at: Theatre Royal Sydney
Dates: 10 February to 9 March 2025

Seen by three million, streamed by over 350 million and adored by fans all around the world, the Tony and Grammy award-winning Hadestown by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and director Rachel Chavkin will make its Australian premiere at Theatre Royal Sydney in February 2025. Taking you on a journey to the underworld and back, the musical phenomenon intertwines two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone. 

Actor performing on stage in Hadestown, Theatre Royal Sydney

Hadestown, Theatre Royal Sydney - Credit: Hadestown UK Production Photography/Theatre Royal Sydney

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour - Guys & Dolls

Showing at: Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Dates: 21 March to 20 April 2025

Set against the backdrop of Sydney's glittering harbour, escape to flashy Manhattan in the 1950s, a colourful, larger-than-life world of showgirls and gangsters, in this brand-new production of Guys & Dolls, one of the most awarded Broadway musicals ever written. Make a night of it by raising a glass of something bubbly as the sun sets over the water and grab a bite at one of the pop-up restaurants, before taking your seat for an unforgettable night of song and dance, with fireworks at every performance.

Performers on stage at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Sydney Harbour

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Sydney Harbour - Credit: Opera Australia 

Cats the Musical - Sydney

Showing at: Theatre Royal Sydney
Dates: 17 June to 13 July 2025

Experience the 40th Australian Anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical Cats, returning to Theatre Royal Sydney in 2025. Adapted from TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, this "groundbreaking musical" (Daily Express) needs no introduction. But for those that need a refresher: on just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. 

Performers on stage in Cats the Musical, Theatre Royal Sydney

Cats the Musical - Sydney, Theatre Royal - Credit: IP Publicity

The Book of Mormon

Showing at: Capitol Theatre
Dates: 15 July to 28 September 2025

In 2025, the Tony, Olivier, and Grammy award-winning production The Book Of Mormon is returning to Sydney once more. For those who have yet to see this outrageous musical comedy that took the world by storm after it debuted on Broadway in 2011, the international sensation follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of young missionaries sent on a two-year placement in Uganda, a place that's about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get. The tongue-in-cheek show is simply a must-watch: The New York Times calls it "the best musical of this century" and Entertainment Weekly claims it to be "the funniest musical of all time".

Cast performing on stage during the The Book of Mormon at the Capitol Theatre, Haymarket

The Book of Mormon is coming to the Capitol Theatre in 2025 - Credit: ACMN - Sydney

Back to the Future The Musical

Showing at: Sydney Lyric Theatre
Dates: 3 to 14 September 2025

We all know the popular time-travelling tale: 17-year-old highschool student Marty McFly finds himself accidentally transported 30 years into the past, back to the year 1955, in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, where he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself… back to the future. And now you can watch the story play out on stage with the Australian Premiere of London’s Olivier Award winning best new musical.

Performers on stage at Back to the Future The Musical - Sydney, Lyric Theatre

Back to the Future The Musical - Sydney, Lyric Theatre - Credit: ACMN

Where to eat and drink pre/post-show

Looking for the perfect spot to fuel up or enjoy a tipple before or after your show? Follow our guide below for nearby fine-dining, cheap eats, cocktail bars and more. 

Sydney Lyric Theatre

Head across from The Star to LuMi for a fine dining degustation based on seasonal ingredients and Italian inspiration. The waterfront location is the cherry on top. For a relaxed pre-show dinner, Bar Zini  in Pyrmont does simple but high-quality Italian, and wine bar Mister Percy offers a modern taste of the Mediterranean underneath the Woolstore 1888 by Ovolo hotel. 

State Theatre 

Named Gourmet Traveller’s NSW restaurant of the year in 2023, AALIA is a Middle Eastern restaurant that explores dishes and techniques from Arab and North African cuisines. Alternatively, head to French brasserie Manon for classics like mussels, steak frites and beef Bourguignon (and a TikTok-famous hot chocolate!). 

Chef preparing pasta at LuMi Dining, on a Pyrmont wharf
Friends enjoying food and drink at waterside restaurant LuMi Bar & Dining in Pyrmont
The Woolstore 1888 by Ovolo - Credit: Mister Percy
TikTok-viral French hot chocolate at Manon Brasserie
AALIA in City Centre, Sydney City
Credit: AALIA

Capitol Theatre 

The Capitol Theatre is located at the intersection of two of Sydney's most delicious neighbourhoods: Chinatown and Thaitown. Down some dumplings at Nanjing Dumpling off Dixon Street, or try authentic Thai noodles, soups and curries from Yok Yor, Show Neua, or award-winning Porkfat. Head down George Street to Regent Place, a food-focused shopping centre home to some of Sydney’s most underrated Asian eateries.

Just across Belmore Park will take you to the ever-trendy neighbourhood of Surry Hills. Try Nomad for elegant dishes cooked with fire or Pellegrino 2000 for intimate Italian (also a favourite post-show restaurant of Taylor Swift). Tio’s Cerveceria can provide the margaritas. 

NOMAD Feast at Surry Hills, Inner Sydney
Nomad in Surry Hills, Inner Sydney
Pellegrino 2000 in Surry Hills, Inner Sydney

Theatre Royal Sydney 

This CBD theatre is close to plenty of good eating and drinking options. Go where the locals are lining up: Soul Dining for modern Korean fine dining and Caterpillar Club for late-night drinks and live jazz in an underground speakeasy. 

The YCK Laneways are a five-minute walk from the theatre and a hidden maze of small bars and lively restaurants open until late. Try award-winning Mexican at Esteban, rum flights at The Lobo, New Orleans-style soul food and jazz at The Swinging Cat or artful Japanese and sake cocktails at Kuro. Not sure where to start? Try a secret bar tour here with Local Sauce. 

Credit: Local Sauce Tours
Kuro Bar & Dining - Credit: Oba | Kuro | Lounge 368 Pty Ltd
Kuro Bar & Dining - Credit: Oba | Kuro | Lounge 368 Pty Ltd

Seymour Centre 

Just down the road you’ll find award-winning Kindred, with a menu of hearty and shareable Italian dishes and freshly made pastas. Or head to Ester in Chippendale, a much-loved and constantly evolving fine diner that deserves to be on your bucket list. 

ICC Sydney 

Spend your pre- or post-show meal among the buzz and good vibes of Darling Square, a dining precinct adjacent to Darling Harbour. Top restaurant picks are XOPP, a next-generation venture from now-closed Chinese institution Golden Century; Nakano Darling, a lively Japanese izakaya; or 789 Korean BBQ, where you can cook your own dinner over a charcoal grill. 

Ester Restaurant at Chippendale, Inner Sydney
Dining room at Ester Restaurant, Chippendale
XOPP, Darling Square - Credit: Steven Woodburn
Dining area at XOPP, Haymarket
Nakano Darling - Credit: Nakano Darling
Credit: Nakano Darling

Grand Electric
Sandwiched between the eat streets of Redfern and Surry Hills, the Grand Electric is walking distance from innovative award winners like Ester, mid-range dining like Kindred (expect homemade pastas in a homey dining room) and Bush (sustainability-focused modern Australian), as well as casual eats like Japanese Juan Bowl and Tea and Pakistani Lal Qila. Before dinner, drop into a local bar. Moya’s Juniper Lounge specialises in gin, Noble Hops in craft beer and Arcadia in good vibes.

People enjoying a drink at The Noble Hops, Redfern
Dining room at Ester Restaurant, Chippendale