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. 

 

Titanique

Showing at: The Grand Electric
Dates: 12 September 2024 to 30 March 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

MJ the Musical

Showing at: Sydney Lyric Theatre
Dates: From 26 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 19 April 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 

Annie

Showing at: Capitol Theatre
Dates: 27 March to 18 May 2025

The beloved tale of Annie has been capturing the hearts of theatregoers around the globe for generations, and now the legendary production will be returning to Australia. Directed by Karen Johnson Mortimer and with brand-new choreography by Mitchell Woodcock, Annie also features a score written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. A celebration of hope, family and friendship, sing along to classics 'Hard-Knock Life', 'Easy Street' and 'Tomorrow', and watch as a small but mighty young girl sticks out her chin and grins once more.

Annie - Credit: ACMN

Annie - Credit: ACMN

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 26 October 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: Paul Coltas/London Company

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!). 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour

From the chefs behind some of Sydney’s favourite restaurants, Clam Bar is a New York-style steak house that amps up the luxury with a raw seafood bar, caviar and exquisite cocktails. You can also continue your evening post-show at Restaurant Hubert, where French food mixes with live jazz, or Aster Bar on the rooftop of the InterContinental Sydney, with incredible harbour views. 

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. Noble Hops specialises in craft beer and Arcadia in good vibes.